Tracking your beers

AndyC · 04-25-2009, 12:57 AM

I know you guys all track your recipes and how they taste so you know what you want to try and change-- so how do you guys format your "write-ups" on your beers? I want to start tracking my beers (I've got copies of very basic stuff on my first ones-- but I want to get more detailed), what're the standard things you guys track?

s3n8 · 04-25-2009, 01:03 AM

Beersmith... Its worth $20. Seriously.

scinerd3000 · 04-25-2009, 01:06 AM

Composition book...staples...2 dollars. I use painters tape and a sharpie to mark whats going on directly on the carboys. Each time i take gravity, i use another peice of tape... When I'm done, i transfer the gravity readings by date, temperatures they were taken at, yeast used etc all into this book. Promash keeps my recipes and the notebook takes care of the rest.

**Baldy_Beer_Brewery** · 04-25-2009, 02:54 AM

Not all of us track each beer. I did when I started, but it seemed like it was a hassle. I've yet (knock on wood) to have anything seriously wrong happen. And the little things that have I think I can just remember to do better on next time.

But I agree with the above poster that Beersmith is worth every penny of twenty dollars. I can certainly see where someone wanting to keep digital records of brew sessions could use it.

AndyC · 04-25-2009, 03:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baldy_Beer_Brewery

Not all of us track each beer. I did when I started, but it seemed like it was a hassle. I've yet (knock on wood) to have anything seriously wrong happen. And the little things that have I think I can just remember to do better on next time.

But I agree with the above poster that Beersmith is worth every penny of twenty dollars. I can certainly see where someone wanting to keep digital records of brew sessions could use it.

I downloaded the trial version but some of it seems to have me lost. I think I have a decent grasp of the vocabulary, but some things I am essentially

**Baldy_Beer_Brewery** · 04-25-2009, 03:12 AM

Just play around with it. I use it to tweak recipes. However if it isn't for you, the Staples suggestion above was a good one too.

AndyC · 04-25-2009, 03:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baldy_Beer_Brewery

Just play around with it. I use it to tweak recipes. However if it isn't for you, the Staples suggestion above was a good one too.

I think I need to work my way through it. It's perfect for me because I'm wickedly obsessive compulsive about organization-- so it should work out perfectly when I understand it all.

emoutal · 04-25-2009, 03:33 AM

I use beersmith to make recipes and tweak them, but I keep a brew log in a notebook. I write the recipe, then keep notes as I brew. Everytime I do something I add a note.

alpo · 04-25-2009, 05:40 AM

Honestly, in the beginning, it isn't that big of a deal. There are so many variables that you aren't going to keep track of that it doesn't matter too much.

If you want to get serious about it, you will want to keep track of everything possible. Beersmith, a notebook, whatever. For a long time, I just kept appending to a text file in notepad. There's no right or wrong answer. Just keep recording everything you can and the solution will present itself.

llazy_llama · 04-25-2009, 05:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by s3n8

Beersmith... Its worth $20. Seriously.

Yep.

Just buy the damn program.