MC-Hokie

Recipes 

Just downloaded this iPad app. I'm new to home brewing (3 brews in)and thought Id give this a try. Does anyone have any experience using this?

cimirie

Recipes 

I've only used it once or twice, but I thought it was fairly useful. The recipe library is a nice feature. It's a pretty good way to keep records, but until they can put out push notifications for batch timing, it's not fantastic. Also, if you're hoping it will speed things up on brew day... nope. All in all very well done.

I prefer BrewPal for my iPhone brew app, however. It's not as nice for long-term record keeping, but it will do all of your brew calculations for you, which speeds up your recipe planning. It is a time saver on brew-day. You have to play with it ahead f time because while the interface looks good, it's usage isn't always intuitive.

Just my two cents. Enjoy.

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Primary: Billy Corrigan Ale, malted cider experiment, Optimator clone
Secondary: Sorachi Ace IPA
Bottled: Dark Lord Clone Imperial Stout, Winter 2010 Spiced Ale Ambassador Brown Ale, Michigan Berry pLambic
Kegged: Old Woodward ESB, Strawberry Blonde
On Deck: Honey brown ale, dry stout

MC-Hokie

Recipes 

Are you doing extract or AG brews?

cimirie

Recipes 

ag

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Primary: Billy Corrigan Ale, malted cider experiment, Optimator clone
Secondary: Sorachi Ace IPA
Bottled: Dark Lord Clone Imperial Stout, Winter 2010 Spiced Ale Ambassador Brown Ale, Michigan Berry pLambic
Kegged: Old Woodward ESB, Strawberry Blonde
On Deck: Honey brown ale, dry stout

MC-Hokie

Recipes 

I'm doing extract, so my question is focused on those recipes. The default size is a 5 gallon batch, but a 6.5 gallon boil. It seems most extract kits have a 1.5-2 gallon boil. Therefore would I have to change the default boil size, AND also adjust the scale to recalculate the recipes?

This looks to be a great tool, but looking for help.

cimirie

Recipes 

I've never used the app for extract recipes, but if I understand your question correctly, you shouldn't have to do any additional math. The gravity calculations you really care about are the post-boil ones. Your initial calcs give you that. The pre-boil calc are more for calculating hop utilization. Assuming the app is using the correct algorithms, providing the correct pre-boil volume will allow the correct IBU calculation.

I guess what I'm saying is, if you provide the correct info, you shouldn't have to recalculate anything.

__________________
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Primary: Billy Corrigan Ale, malted cider experiment, Optimator clone
Secondary: Sorachi Ace IPA
Bottled: Dark Lord Clone Imperial Stout, Winter 2010 Spiced Ale Ambassador Brown Ale, Michigan Berry pLambic
Kegged: Old Woodward ESB, Strawberry Blonde
On Deck: Honey brown ale, dry stout

MC-Hokie

Recipes 

That sounds easy enough, but what about changing the amounts for each ingredient? If it's a 6.5 gallon boil with 8 lbs of DME, it doesn't change that 8 to 4or less when I change the boil size to 3 gallons. I guess I'm trying to determine if I rescale it, will that correctly adjust all recipe amounts, including the hops?

mullenite

Recipes 

batch size refers to the amount after the boil. If I boil 6.5 gallons I end up with a batch of about 5.5 gallons (5.47, actually).

Measure the amount going in to your fermenter and adjust your recipes based on that.

MC-Hokie

Recipes 

Ok...iBrewMaster has defaults of 5 gallon batch and 6.5 gallon boil. My problem is when I change the defaults, none of the recipe amounts are adjusted. Wanted to ask here before I contact the dev.

cimirie

Recipes 

Instead of actually manually changing the batch size from 6.5 to (let's call it) 3 gallons, there is a "scale" option in this app. In the recipe page at the very top in the middle, there is an icon that looks like an old scale. In this new scale screen, you can size the recipe up or down. It will change all the ingredients, batch size, etc for you. You shouldn't try to change it all manually.

__________________
-----------------------------------------------


Primary: Billy Corrigan Ale, malted cider experiment, Optimator clone
Secondary: Sorachi Ace IPA
Bottled: Dark Lord Clone Imperial Stout, Winter 2010 Spiced Ale Ambassador Brown Ale, Michigan Berry pLambic
Kegged: Old Woodward ESB, Strawberry Blonde
On Deck: Honey brown ale, dry stout