Who has a brew book?

[valenzal]

Hey guys,

As ive mentioned before, I'm doing a design project at uni for a home brewing kit and and idea to go along with that was to make a brew book. A book that has recipes (that you might have scribbled on and altered along the way), tasting notes, brew dates and things like that.

Does anyone already use something similar at the moment? what do you use it for? I'd love to see some photos of them.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

That is a huge big can of worms to open.
To summarize that is lots of research and experiences collected.
Something like this forum!
I always kept notes and then got some brewing software that works extremely well for personal advancement, knowledge and records
and plenty of tasting and proving. :chug:

 

[Cervantes]

I create recipes and record brew days and notes etc. in Beersmith.

As mentioned above, I think you'll find that most people these days are using software rather than a book as such.

 

[valenzal]

I had a feeling that might be the case.
I guess i just like the idea of having a physical book that would gather a patina from each brew day and could be passed down.

@Danscraftbeer, do you keep notes physically in a book before you put them into the software, or just on anything you can find?

 

[panzerd18]

I keep a simple excel document.

As I just do pimped out kits at the moment before I get my grainfather, is very simple.

The following is the notes I used.

• Name
• Kit
• Malt
• Sugar
• Yeast
• Hops
• Date of Pitching
• O/G
• 1st/GR
• 2nd/GR
• F/G
• Date of Bottling
• Temperature

Then I will have tasting notes.

 

[Grainer]

mines called beersmith

 

[valenzal]

also i might have been unclear, my aim wasnt to put in everyones recipes and everyones notes into this book like a database.
it was more about making a personal book that would start off with a few basic notes printed into it and lots of pages that you could add too as you become more experienced.

 

[Eagleburger]

brewmate has notes too.

 

[Judanero]

I use beersmith and/or brewbuilder for recipe formulation.

I have a book that I write in on every brewday where I record everything that actually happened while brewing (actual mash temps and for how long, hop additions at what time, anything that didn't go to plan, mash volume, sparge amount + temp, what temp I pitch at and starter details, etc etc)

When I make a recipe consistently and I'm happy it gets transferred to my final book.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

I had a feeling that might be the case.
I guess i just like the idea of having a physical book that would gather a patina from each brew day and could be passed down.

@Danscraftbeer, do you keep notes physically in a book before you put them into the software, or just on anything you can find?

Do what works best for you. I have paper written records of more outdoor activities like gardening, Aquaponics. Those paper written
records sometimes get wet and torn. So our luxurious modern day data recording wins.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Except for that example of crapped out lining **** like that above! I'm allways editing my own posts afterwards because some autobot interferes.

There is definitely something valuable in being ably to write records onto paper.

 

[Rocker1986]

I have a spreadsheet that I use to record batch size, OG, FG, ABV content, standard drinks per bottle for the two sizes I use, and the dates of when the brews were pitched with yeast, and bottled, although I have slacked off with those last two recently :wacko:. It also contains a couple of small tables I did up for working out ABV based on the HMRC formulas, and priming sugar amounts for different levels of carbonation.

The recipe information itself is all stored in Beersmith where I originally create the recipes and/or printed out and stored in a folder.

 

[DU99]

i use brewmate for my recipes,they files are kept on usb drive so i can use on either my pc or laptop.i also note which keg has what recipe and the day of kegging...i also print out the recipe for easy reference on brewday and keep it a display book..

 

[michaeld16]

My brewing software is on my phone, I use beersmith but sometimes **** happens drop phone in toilet, river, lose on a drunken night out. Ive had to download beersmith a couple of times losing my recipes so now I also keep a book with all my brew days recorded which I haven't yet drunkenly dropped in a toilet.

 

[mofox1]

I log all mine on paper. Been doing it for 3.5 yrs getting a bit tired of it.... mostly just writing out my brew day printouts, but I feel there is still some worth in keeping a diary. Plus I can keep track of what I've done in a chronological order... last brew was number #66, or #20 AG.

Drinking this one now:


Edit: also keep the brewmate records, much more useful when it comes to working out the next brew day.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

This makes me feel like making paper records of everything as well as the software.
I have lost a very important recipe of my own making In software. But if I recorded it on paper? I could look back on it.

 

[valenzal]

thanks for the photo aswell mofox1, its really helpful.
I really like the idea of hand written notes, even though digital databases are very easy to use and convenient i think looking back on the notes could create a bit of nostalgia too that could be fun.

 

[Cervantes]

This makes me feel like making paper records of everything as well as the software.
I have lost a very important recipe of my own making In software. But if I recorded it on paper? I could look back on it.

Beersmith lets you copy your recipes into "The Cloud", so if your computer crashes etc. you won't lose your recipes.

Brewer's Friend is actually cloud based, so unless their server goes belly up, your recipes should be safe for ever.

I formulate and play with recipes on my computer and keep notes there, but once I've brewed a recipe a few times, fine tuned it and am happy with it, a copy goes up the cloud.

 

[yum beer]

I design and create in Brewmate, print off brew sheets and use these to scribble all over on brew day.
Final notes are collated in a large notebook, have been using the same notebooks for years, on my 3rd one now.
I have every brew I have ever made recorded in detail, including tasting notes on all batches and notes on almost every commercial beer I have ever drank.

Will be like one of grandma's ole cook books one day for the grand kids to browse through and maybe make one of grand dads best recipes.

If my computer ***** out I still have all my records.

I think ATM I have about 40 planned brews in Brewmate, yes I've got a whack of brewing to do.


My daughter writes random notes in my book at times, gives a nice surprise when you come across one.

 

[yum beer]

Beersmith lets you copy your recipes into "The Cloud", so if your computer crashes etc. you won't lose your recipes.

Brewer's Friend is actually cloud based, so unless their server goes belly up, your recipes should be safe for ever.

I formulate and play with recipes on my computer and keep notes there, but once I've brewed a recipe a few times, fine tuned it and am happy with it, a copy goes up the cloud.

All good till they start charging you to access the cloud....and they will.