Software Poll

[tangent]

I mention to a few "oldies" that I use software, and they reel back in terror. Seems like, to them, a computer should never be part of the brewing process. But I love to tinker with a recipe with BeerAlchemy for ages without having to calculate IBUs etc.

What floats your boat?

I'd be interested to hear from the pen & paper crowd on this one.
& also to hear of good free software available.

 

[T.D.]

I use Beersmith. Like you said Tangent, computer programs are great to use for playing around with recipes. The best thing about it is they calculate all the vital statistics for you - colour, IBU, efficiency, priming sugar etc etc. I must say I do like the idea of going off a pad of paper, and when I actually brew I usually just write rough figures on a piece of paper that Beersmith tells me like the grain and hop bill, and mash/sparge water and temps, and then I just brew off the top of my head. I would hate to have to calculate all the recipe's stats by hand though. The computer programs take all the guess work out of it, and I think they potentially increase consistency too.

I have been finding recently that for the more "stock standard" brews I hardly use beersmith at all. But when I am brewing a style I have never done before, or just trying something new, I reckon they are a really valuable pirce of brewing equipment.

 

[BruceL]

Im only an extract brewer. So I wrote my own brew calculator on Excel. Not fancy, but does a good job on simple brews.

I sometimes use qbrew and The Brew Recipator

Bruce

 

[BruceL]

The brew recipator is an online calculaator. I had meant to put the link in above but it didn't work so here it is:

http://hbd.org/cgi-bin/recipator/recipator?6202354#tag

Bruce

 

[Jazman]

my first partials were pen and paper so if need be i would know how to work it all out but know its promash and i still have to find me old notes with calcs it is good to use pen and paper to kmow how to work it out

 

[Trent]

I still work out all my calcs by pen and paper, which, like T.D said can get to be a real pain, though IMO only when I miss my boil gravity target, and madly have to find a calculator and my copy of How to Brew and work out my new additions for my new IBU target! Tangent sent me a link to the Beer Alchemy website, and I have been playing around on that a bit (I use a mac), and it may be the way I will head, but it is a good way to fill in lunch break, working out new recipes, it just takes quite a bit longer than on the computer.
All the best
Trent

 

[pb unleaded]

I use nothing.
When I brew AG I use 5kg of pale malt and 50-60g of hops in a 20lt batch. I don't bother about the efficiency, colour, SG etc.

 

[Tony]

used to do it on pen and paper too.......then i bought promash.

had a go at the trial version of beersmith but didnt like it much.

but thats me It is a bit more simplera to use but i like to overcomplicate things

cheers

 

[Doc]

Wow, Promash and Beersmith neck and neck.
I have both, but still prefer Promash.

Doc

 

[tangent]

well i know there's more than just me using BeerAlchemy

 

[Aaron]

well i know there's more than just me using BeerAlchemy

[post="124793"][/post]​

But nobody else is willing to admit they are running MacOS

I have been using promash and beersmith. I have also been using Brewsta. I like Brewsta as I can use it regardless of what system I am on (Linux/BSD.....). The more I use Brewsta the more I like it. I can see myself moving to it permanently in the near future.

 

[Bobby]

i have both and also prefer promash.

 

[sah]

I used to use Promash but gave Beersmith a stab recently and I think I'll stick with it.

I know one brewer who prefers Beertools http://www.beertools.com over promash because he has found the results are more accurate. They are developing and testing a non-web based application now too.

Scott

 

[doglet]

I have been using ProMash and have just started playing around with Beersmith. I am enjoying Beersmith as it is all in one window and I don't end up with 2 or 3 open like in ProMash. Setting up the programs will take a few brews and I'll run them side by side for a while I think.

The only thing I wish is that both could get a more 'user friendly' grip on batch sparging.

 

[nifty]

I use both.

I first started with Beersmith and was happy with it for ages. Like Doglet said everything is in 1 window. I then tried Promash and found it a better program in some respects and prefer it over Beersmith.

1 thing it doesn't have is a decent brew sheet that I can print out and refer to on the day. Even though the brew sheet is not essential to have, I still like to look at the steps involved in the brew day and I always record my times and gravities etc on it for future reference.

I now use Doc's Promash convertor to xml and import it in to Beersmith and print out the brew sheet.

nifty

 

[Airgead]

Guys

I had to vote Other. I use Strangebrew which I find excelellnt. I seem to be the only one in the world who uses it. I don't know why it isn't more popular. Its cheaper than promash and does pretty much everything promash does. Its easier to use than any of the others I've seen (IMHO YMMV etc etc) and it uses the standard beerXML format so you can share recipies.

Cheers
Dave

 

[SJW]

I use Beersmith, I find it get the job done. Its only a tool to get the basics on track when putting together a recipe.

 

[Trough Lolly]

Wow, Promash and Beersmith neck and neck.
I have both, but still prefer Promash.

Doc

[post="124789"][/post]​

Yeah, I just pushed Promash in front by a vote!! :super:
Ditto the rest of your reply...

TL

 

[Batz]

I find Beersmith easier to use than Promash

Easier is better for Batz when computers are involved

Batz

 

[Samwise Gamgee]

Promash gets my vote and i use pen a paper too.