What Brewing Software? What Platform?

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Hi all I'm just getting into AG brewing and I'm looking into what software would suit best. I have Mac's at home including an I pad but I would consider a cheap laptop (windows) just as a brewing based computer to leaving in the garage. I've heard a lot of people talk about beersmith and it looks like the new version supports Mac which is great.Has anyone tried http://www.ibrewmaster.com/ I looks ok and is reasonable price wise and would suit me as I use the iPad a lot. But I don't want to get it if it's a half arsed program and there is something a lot better out there.Being new something with recipies already in it would be nice and something to save my own recipes or track what beers I've made would also be handy.
Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated.
 
Hi all I'm just getting into AG brewing and I'm looking into what software would suit best. I have Mac's at home including an I pad but I would consider a cheap laptop (windows) just as a brewing based computer to leaving in the garage. I've heard a lot of people talk about beersmith and it looks like the new version supports Mac which is great.Has anyone tried http://www.ibrewmaster.com/ I looks ok and is reasonable price wise and would suit me as I use the iPad a lot. But I don't want to get it if it's a half arsed program and there is something a lot better out there.Being new something with recipies already in it would be nice and something to save my own recipes or track what beers I've made would also be handy.
Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated.

iBrewmaster on iPad is ok. I find it quite clumsy to navigate and i'm sure there are problems with it's accuracy and retaining information. I often have problems with it keeping the info i've just punched in.
It crashes on me fairly regularly too.

I wanted to use my iPad to brew with so badly, but ended up buying a small netbook from officeworks for $200 and i have currently installed:

Brewmate
Beersmith
Beertools Pro

All three are good. Beertools Pro is very good but you really have to setup your equipment profiles accurately to get the most out of it. The more info you give this program in particular, the more accurate it will spit stuff back at you.

Beersmith is often referenced and considered by many to be the industry standard i would guess. That doesn't necessarily mean it's the best though. I've recently rekindled my relationship with this program and find it very good for biab and 3v alike. Just tell it what rig you're gonna use and youre away. (i'm both 3v and biab). Once again, setup it up correctly and you'll get accurate predictions.

Brewmate is free (the other two are not) but you can donate to the cause as it's created by a member of AHB. I slung Rob a few dollars years ago and i still love using his program. It's not as fully featured as the other two, but that is exactly why it's such a good piece of software. Everything you need, none of the bullshit.

Bribie will probably be along soon with his photos....

If it was me, i'd go with Brewmate, try that out (im sure it's mac compatible??) and also download the trial version of Beersmith. If you decide Brewmate is fine, then all good, just forget about Beersmith, but if you want all the bells and whistles and are prepared to work for it, then pay the registration fee for Beersmith (about $30) and you're good to go.
 
dont know about the ipad but i use beer alchemy on both computer and iphone
 
I agree with Big Nath that iBrewmaster is clumsy, I wouldn't recommend it.

I use Beer Alchemy on my Ipad and have it on my macbook and iphone. It's pretty good but I have found a few problems with it. One is it doesn't have an alarm clock which would be handy. Also I noticed once that after updating my ingredients on my ipad and syncing it with my macbook the macbook overwrote all the ingredients I'd just updated. That being said it's overall a pretty good program.

I haven't used the other programs on my pc so can't make comparisons.
 
I used Beersmith (hated it, too complex for my brewing needs)
Brewmate (loved the simplicity)
and now Beer Alchemchy that I have upgraded to Mac, Ipad and Iphone.. Once you work out how it works with parent receipies, inventory and the like, it good ansd fairly easy to use...

Would go back to Brewmate in an instant if it was Mac/ipad/iphone compatiple... (maybe it is, but im not a tech head in the slightest...)
 
Slightly OT but..

Does anyone think there is a need/want for a decent iPad brewing app?

Doesn't seem to be anything great on Android either.
 
Whats a promash?






















Malted Barley of course :lol:

:lol: :lol:

Yeah, and they are now working on a groundbreaking product called 'NewbMash'. i think your local 'brewcraft' franchise are the distributors..

Comes jampacked with a whole new host of features...

Theres a section dedicated to airlocks that dont bubble, gravity that refuses to drop, and a usb plug n play option that will leave your fermenter tap open.
Promash is now shipping, bundled with a milk crate, and a voucher for a years supply of glad wrap.
 
I tried BeerAlchemy on Mac for a while. I found it too restrictive and after I lost my ingredient database a few times I ditched it.

I now use BeerSmith2 and although it's clunky it allows me to do what I want when I want.
 
I used Beersmith (hated it, too complex for my brewing needs)
Brewmate (loved the simplicity)
and now Beer Alchemchy that I have upgraded to Mac, Ipad and Iphone.. Once you work out how it works with parent receipies, inventory and the like, it good ansd fairly easy to use...

Would go back to Brewmate in an instant if it was Mac/ipad/iphone compatiple... (maybe it is, but im not a tech head in the slightest...)

See that is me. I need something simple, nothing too complicated but has the ability to do it all if needed, something that will grow with me as I learn.
And yes the iPad or android based brewing software would be awesome. I love my iPad. I take it everywhere.
 
Brewmate is great for begginners. Easy to use with not too much fruit hanging off it.

It would be even better if it had.

Step mashing with timers.

An Ipad version.
 
For me, Brewmate (free) on a $30 second hand lappy running XP.
Simple and easy. Does everything I need and pretty much everything I want.
 
I use beer smith 2 and don't have any issues with it. Took me a little while to work it out, but am happy with it now.
 
Brewmate is great for begginners. Easy to use with not too much fruit hanging off it.

It would be even better if it had.

Step mashing with timers.

An Ipad version.

Problem with Brewmate is its not Mac compatible
 
Brewmate and a cheap secondhand laptop with windows. It's easy the trimers are the ducks nuts!
 

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