Brewing Software

[peter c]

I started home brewing in Darwin about 7 years ago and used to use a free software program that I down loaded from the net. It looked very much like the one on the brewcraft site. I went to work overseas for a few years and gave all my brews and equipment to a friend including the software. I recently came back to Oz and am keen to get started again. My "friend" cant find the software I gave him, I guess the 360+ bottles of brew I gave him worked too well. Does anyone know where I can get hold of the software? As I said it looked very much like the Brewcraft calculator. What I liked about it was you could build a brew using the input screen and make changes to get exactly what you wanted. Nothing that I have seen so far seems to do that.

[Smabb]

I'm not sure about that one.

I recently downloaded Brewsmith, which gives you a 21 day trial and seems OK, but it probably isn't the one you're looking for.

[peter c]

Yes I checked it out as well and it doesn't appear to give the same information. The one I am looking for even gave you a guide to the style of brew you would end up with it was great.

[blandy]

If you're reasonably good with spreadsheets, then you can make your own.

Most of the calculations you need are in Palmer: http://www.howtobrew.com

Some others can be found on the web with some searching. If you find an online brewing calculator that does what you want, then you can look at the source code to get the equations.

The VicBrew almanac has a lot of useful information.

--

With Palmer (free off the web), the Almanac (about $7) and some googleing, I've made one that does:

- IBU calculations (both Rager and Tinseth)
- Estimate of mash efficiency
- OG estimate based on grain mashed and mash efficiency
- Estimate of priming sugar required for different levels of carbonation and bottling temperature
- abv estimate

This took me only about 2 hours to make, and the extra reading I did greatly improved my understanding of brewing.

[Biernut]

I started home brewing in Darwin about 7 years ago and used to use a free software program that I down loaded from the net. It looked very much like the one on the brewcraft site. I went to work overseas for a few years and gave all my brews and equipment to a friend including the software. I recently came back to Oz and am keen to get started again. My "friend" cant find the software I gave him, I guess the 360+ bottles of brew I gave him worked too well. Does anyone know where I can get hold of the software? As I said it looked very much like the Brewcraft calculator. What I liked about it was you could build a brew using the input screen and make changes to get exactly what you wanted. Nothing that I have seen so far seems to do that.

Sounds like Beer Tools, they have a recipe generator and recipe calculator. The free version is hobbled but workable, and if you want to pay for the Pro version you get the works. http//www.beertools.com


Cheers

[Clean Brewer]

Hey mate, it could be Beersmith, it has every thing, a full list and particulars of all the beers in the BCJP criteria, when you go to create a recipe, you basically pick a beer style according to the guidelines and then you try match up your recipe with your ingredients so they are the same in style, ibu's, colour, OG, FG etc etc.

It also has alot of tools for inventories, your equipment, alcohol percentages, and the list goes on.....

There is a free 21 day trial and then its only $20 to buy forever with free updates whenever available..

http://www.beersmith.com/

[inark]

and with todays conversion rates thats about 33.55
well thats what Paypal just told me anyway

[warra48]

I still feel it is worthwhile investing in a program like BeerSmith, even at a cost of about $35 or so.
That to me is only the cost of a single AG brew.

I couldn't get by and design my own recipes without it, and keep them within a drinkable range. I don't particularly want to brew only other people's recipes.
And as has been said above, it has so many other functions which are useful, that I would say you shouldn't be brewing anything other than K&K without it.

Take the jump, and treat it as an investment in future brewing excellence.

[inark]

Im looking at it now and its obvious I need to get a proper book and do some more reading before i go any further with my brewing... the softwares a little daunting at first with the equipment selection and creation and all the fields etc...

Be a lot easier if i was american as all of the recipes seem to be for american style beers... cant even chose a basic pale ale

[warra48]

Yeah, I know what you are saying. However, a program like BeerSmith, and others, will convert recipes from Imperial to US to metric, so that even I can understand it.

Don't worry about spending money on a book right now. I've got John Palmer's "How to Brew" 3rd edition in print.
You can get the same book, up to the 2nd edition, free gratis at no charge, on line. It will give you everything you need to know as a brewer, even up to the early stage of All Grain brewing.
Here's the link! Enjoy!
http://www.howtobrew.com/intro.html

[inark]

wow thats awesome warra thanks for that.

[peter c]

Thanks guys I am impressed with the range of programs that are available. I have down loaded "Home Brew Kit Master", "Beer Smith" and "Home Brew Log" and they all seem to do a good job of recording brews. I will probably stick with Home Brew Log, but it is not the program I was using 6 years ago. As I said I recall it looked very similar to the Brewcraft calculation program and allowed you to build a brew and make adjustments before actually starting. I remember I was able to create some great brews with it. Help!!!!!

[Smabb]

I couldn't get by and design my own recipes without it, and keep them within a drinkable range. I don't particularly want to brew only other people's recipes.
And as has been said above, it has so many other functions which are useful, that I would say you shouldn't be brewing anything other than K&K without it.

Pretty much come to a similar conclusion myself a few days ago. Can manually calculate these brews of course (or build a spreadsheet, as some one suggested) to fit the target range but prior to that revelation I was either making someone elses's recipe or doing a "wonder what this will taste like" mix (can't really call it a recipe!) I must have ~200 recipes at my finger tips, but thats not really the point- by targetting a particular bitterness etc etc i can manufacture a brew to my own preference - another step in my brewing journey.

[drsmurto]

I think that beersmith is perfect from K&Ks right thru to microbreweries.

Got a mate onto it and he uses it for his kit brews. Enables him to be able to work out what sort of abv and IBU he will get from extra additions of hops and steeped grain etc.

I also think its helped this untidy and dodgy note keeping scientist to keep all my brew info in the one place. Without it i wouldnt be able to cut and paste my recipes on here.

[matr]

Yep Beersmith is excellent. I'm only doing K & K with enhancements and find it a necessity to use.

Once you get your head around what it can do then ur laughing. Also is you take the time to enter the kits it makes it so much easier.

Best $20 I spent towards brewing...

[STM]

Maybe it was this:

http://hbd.org/cgi-bin/recipator/recipator

Not downloaded software as such - it is web-based and you use it in your browser.

[Boonie]

Yep Beersmith is excellent. I'm only doing K & K with enhancements and find it a necessity to use.

Once you get your head around what it can do then ur laughing. Also is you take the time to enter the kits it makes it so much easier.

Best $20 I spent towards brewing...

Ditto