System Requirements: Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows NT, Windows 2000 or Windows XP Operating System (Also compatible with Macintosh using Virtual PC, and Linux using Wine). A Graphics Card capable of displaying at least 256 Colors. 8 Megabytes RAM, 3.5 Megabytes available hard drive space.
Thanks, but my question wasn't when the last update was issued.
Not to beat a dead horse (pun intended) but I did like Promash. The guy just got tired and dropped it.
To be fair, I believe his wife had major health issues which put it on the back, back, back burner.
Cancer. And, IIRC, ProMash was a hobby project to begin with.
Cancer. And, IIRC, ProMash was a hobby project to begin with.
That would explain why he quit such a good product.
I prefer Beersmith 1.x. I don't use it anymore, but I have the installer and have often considered reverting. The new Beersmith (2.x, 3.x) is cleverly cloaked in a god-awful GUI. I feel sorry for people starting out with it.
When is started brewing, Beersmith 1 was free (I think) and ProMash was $. So, I've never even seen ProMash.
Yes I believe so. But hindsight is 20-20.Back in the late 80's/early 90's we did all our calculations mainly by hand. It was pretty straight-forward but accurate. In 1995 I wrote a program (with a GUI) in a couple of days that did everything for me. I wonder if I missed an opportunity?
I think that is the issue, learning how to use it properly. It can do so much you need to study the tutorials.I've never seen ProMash it was gone before I started brewing. I started with the program that was bought and changed to BrewToad. That one was quite easy, but was really too simplified for me. I then went with Beersmith 2. I guess the GUI could be better, but don't see it being much different from the currently popular Brewer's Friend program and probably others. It is a very good tool, but like most tools you have to learn to use it properly. You would have to show me something very good to get me to switch from Beersmith 3.
I use BS for building my water profile. Have you found something wrong with it?There is no doubt the BS gui is user antagonistic, which is an impediment to learning where everything is and how to use the program. And the criticality of the equipment profile can never be overstated - but tbh that's as it should be, everything depends on it, so folks need to get that right to make the program worth using in the first place.
I find it's totally worth using and frankly have come to depend on it - for everything but water conditioning, for which I use Bru'n Water...
Cheers!
I use BS for building my water profile. Have you found something wrong with it?
Yes, it typically calls for way more acid additions than needed. Bru'n Water is consistently closer to my empirical data...
Cheers!
I’ve not had any issues with BS acid additions. I’ll admit I don’t always check every time, but when I do it’s +/- .03 of target ph. Usually sampled 30min into mash.Yes, it typically calls for way more acid additions than needed. Bru'n Water is consistently closer to my empirical data...
Cheers!
fwiw, my take on the BS3 water tool is hardly unique.
Indeed it's pretty much accepted as the way it is for now...
Cheers!
That's great info, how do you know this?Part of the problem is that Brad Smith obviously has no clue when it comes to water chemistry. At least as far as the science of water chemistry.
He latched onto Riffe’s calculator because it was what was available publicly that wasn’t already integrated into something else, i.e. he couldn’t use Brun Water because it’s copyrighted, Brewers Friend was using Kai’s calcs, etc.
He incorporated an algorithm that he didn’t understand and now it’s in there, for better or for worse. I’m sure he’ll revise when Riffe revises his algorithm.
That's great info, how do you know this?
Take a sample thirty minutes into the mash, cool it to room temperature before taking a pH reading. That is standard practice for myself and several other contributors to this forum. There are some who take additional readings too but the thirty minute rule is the standard for consistency when reporting mash pH results.The issue I see is there isn't really a agreed upon time to take a mash reading.
Take a sample thirty minutes into the mash, cool it to room temperature before taking a pH reading. That is standard practice for myself and several other contributors to this forum. There are some who take additional readings too but the thirty minute rule is the standard for consistency when reporting mash pH results.
Your standard isn't everyone's standard which makes discussing ph a tricky one though. That's my point.I say most people are taking the readings earlier than that and my experience with bs3 is its way low at the start of the mash but pretty close at the end. CheersTake a sample thirty minutes into the mash, cool it to room temperature before taking a pH reading. That is standard practice for myself and several other contributors to this forum. There are some who take additional readings too but the thirty minute rule is the standard for consistency when reporting mash pH results.
I used to use citric acid until I did a batch of American Light Lager and some of the character seeped into the final beer. Now I use mostly lactic acid unless I'm trying to do a beer with a fruitier character.I'm definitely no expert, but here's my 2 cents anyway:
Mash pH is where you want to use the meter. Pick an acid (I use citric acid, but most brewers prefer phosphoric, and some use lactic). Or use acid malt. Use software tools or just kentucky windage and try to hit 5.2pH. If you miss, sadly you'll have to wait until next mash to correct since I don't think it's possible to correct mid-mash.
Measuring pH is tricky because pH is very temperature-dependent. I take some mash wort, put it in a tiny closed tuperware container, and set it in cold water to cool it off. When it gets to room temp, I measure pH. I suppose you could come up with an offset of some sort to correct a "hot" measurement, but I don't trust that.
I use 10g of citric acid in a 10g batch.
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