gfyrasng
Active Member
Just curious on your thoughts for calculators for someone who's never done any type of AG brewing. Thinking of going with the ProMash.
Software for first time AGer?
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ezboarderz
Well-Known Member
i use beersmith. Just use whichever software you feel comfortable with.
Try them out with tbhe trial. I like beersmith but I would have liked beertools if I gave enough time
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gfyrasng
Active Member
Suppose I should have asked first, but do I need to get any software? I plan on buying from NortherBrewer since it seems they have decent kits and good instructions.
I don't want to bre without my software. Best 22 I have spent on brewing
You don't NEED software. If you want to follow a recipe, and assume you'll get the same efficiency, then don't worry about it. Or, if you're someone who likes math and wants to do it by hand, if you want to figure IBUs and efficiency. It's definitely not a necessity.
That said, it's the best $20 I ever spent on brewing. I can scale recipes, write my own recipes, figure IBUs, calculate my efficiency, change my water profile, figure yeast attenuation, keep my inventory, etc.
Even when I buy a kit, I type the recipe into my Beersmith software to look at the expected OG for my efficiency, and to change the instructions a bit to work better with my system. It's not a necessity, but it sure is nice!
That said, it's the best $20 I ever spent on brewing. I can scale recipes, write my own recipes, figure IBUs, calculate my efficiency, change my water profile, figure yeast attenuation, keep my inventory, etc.
Even when I buy a kit, I type the recipe into my Beersmith software to look at the expected OG for my efficiency, and to change the instructions a bit to work better with my system. It's not a necessity, but it sure is nice!
Cookiebaggs
Well-Known Member
+1 on all of that!
I also like software because I can keep detailed notes of a brew session from brew day through fermentation, bottling/kegging, and tasting notes. I like being able to compare with beers I brewed several years ago.
Edcculus
Well-Known Member
I'm a Beersmith fan. Promash is just as good, I just found it a little...well "old school" feeling. That said, I know at least one commercial brewbup here using promash.
The good thing about either peice of software is that they can be as simple or as complex as you need them to be. Not sure about Promash, but Beersmith offers hydrometer calibration, volume and weight conversion, ingredient database, water calculation, carbonation calculator and much more.
The good thing about either peice of software is that they can be as simple or as complex as you need them to be. Not sure about Promash, but Beersmith offers hydrometer calibration, volume and weight conversion, ingredient database, water calculation, carbonation calculator and much more.
Cookiebaggs
Well-Known Member
Yeah, all that's on Promash too.
+1 to Beersmith (no offense to anyone else), and How To Brew by Palmer. Another book I'd recommend is Designing Great Bears by Daniels. Those 3 things have gave me everything I have needed to brew great beer!
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gfyrasng
Active Member
Thanks guys, I've really learned a lot in the last few days. Going to order an AG kit from NortherBrewer, and they have a promash printout on their site. Now I just need to learn to decipher it lol.
Pivot
Well-Known Member
If you dont have the money you can always use beercalculus.com. its what i use and it works pretty good
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gfyrasng
Active Member
Thanks pivot, money isn't particularly an issue, since the programs are all in the 20s, just time at this point. But I'll definitely check it out, as I'm all about saving money where I can. Math and science have always been my strong point,
Coincidence......I think not! :rockin:
Coincidence......I think not! :rockin:
I bought Beersmith and like it, although I must say that I don't brew often enough to get good at using it. I always start my brewday and then have to sit down for a bit and figure out the mash portion of the software. I just have to play with it in my spare time and of course it would help if I were just a bit more prepared.
But Beersmith can do just about anything you need it to do. I have not used Promash, but I've heard good things about it as well.
But Beersmith can do just about anything you need it to do. I have not used Promash, but I've heard good things about it as well.
GMesick
Well-Known Member
I hope you go ahead and buy some software (I have found it very helpful), but know that reliable calulations depend upon predictable results (for example, how efficient are you at extracting the sugars, what is your evaporation rate, etc). And until you have some data, you are just guessing. Even so, the software can help you formulate recipes. It just won't give you predictable specific gravities unless your brewing process yields predictable results.
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gfyrasng
Active Member
Thanks GMesick, once I move and get set up for doing AG on a regular basis, I'll be sure to get some software!
andythomas34
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Brew pal on iPod works great and it cost a dollar
adx
Well-Known Member
I bought VMware Fusion for my Mac just so I could still use Beersmith. It's one of those things where the first one you really understand and get comfortable with it what you love.
I use and really like Beertoolspro. It's probably 3rd in popularity but they are always working on it. It has a steep learning curve, but once you get it, the interface is much cleaner than beersmith.
Blindguardian
Well-Known Member
I use BTP and BeerSmith ....I have all the others but them two are the ones I use the most. As for Promash that program has not been updated in many many ages and the developer does not plan on updating or releasing any new versions of the program.
Synovia
Well-Known Member
Does it in real time tell you whether you have the inventory for something?
Thats one of the things that really bugs me about Beersmith; it knows I have 7 oz of chocolate malt, it knows what the recipe needs, but doesn't give me any sort of warning when I pull up a recipe that needs a pound of it.
I wish I could say the BTP inventory feature is thorough and intuitive but I just haven't got it figured out yet.
It does have an inventory window where you can drag "catalog" items in and adjust the quantities. When you're subsequently building a recipe, you can grab items out of the big list or out of your inventory "my ingredients" list. The frustrating part is that you have to specifically hit a button that says "subract from inventory" or something to account for the loss, but I never got used to doing it and would always screw it up. I probably shouldn't even trash talk it though because I haven't put any effort into trying to work with it.
The way I envision inventory is that when you drag cascade hops out of your inventory into a recipe and increase the quantity past what is showing in inventory, that line should turn red or a negative quantity indicator should show up somewhere.
It does have an inventory window where you can drag "catalog" items in and adjust the quantities. When you're subsequently building a recipe, you can grab items out of the big list or out of your inventory "my ingredients" list. The frustrating part is that you have to specifically hit a button that says "subract from inventory" or something to account for the loss, but I never got used to doing it and would always screw it up. I probably shouldn't even trash talk it though because I haven't put any effort into trying to work with it.
The way I envision inventory is that when you drag cascade hops out of your inventory into a recipe and increase the quantity past what is showing in inventory, that line should turn red or a negative quantity indicator should show up somewhere.
Synovia
Well-Known Member
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