BeerSmith 2.1 and BeerSmithRecipes.com Available

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Looks great!
I am looking forward to see new mobile apps.
 
As a new brewer................... let me play the devil's advocate!

I'm not into experimenting yet. I do not try to invent recipes. I use the winner recipes that are well received here on HBT.

The main benefits I see with Beersmith is the Inventory, Equipment, Calendar & Brewsheet feature. Keeping everything in 1 place is also very handy.

But, I'm reluctant to just spend more $$$$ without any tangible payoff. I can do all those things myself with just pen & paper. I'm not trying to discount your hard work...................... but I need something more. HBT has overwhelmed me & just keeps on giving. And it's free.

As a new brewer what am I missing?

I've found BeerSmith to be handy, like the inventory feature, have used it as an extract brewer to make substitutions, and actually think the calendar feature is great. Sure, I could have just written on a calendar, but since I'm already in the program it's just sort of a value-added feature. I expect that when I decide to make the switch to AG it will be even more useful.

With all of that in mind, I purchased a copy. Besides - look at it this way. Here's a program that someone clearly put a lot of time in, keeps updated with a lot of information, and can make your life a lot easier. It's been written for a specialty market not really a program you're going to mass-produce and get rich off of. Isn't it worth throwing the author a couple of bones for his time and effort?

All brewing software is just a database of ingredients and a list of simple equations. All the information is freely available, so you can make your own BeerSmith with 3-4 hours and a spreadsheet. I did it in Google Docs, and I use it for all my beers. Feel free to copy and use!

I guess I'll just keep trolling & viewing the tutorial videos. Unless????
 
Best $20 you will ever spend. If you are worried about "not spending money" it might not be the best hobby
 
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah,

I figured that out. I love DIY & spent a few $$$$ already, but I fell victim to a LHBS that did not have my best interest at heart. When I showed him the line cleaner I built for 1/4th the cost of the one he sells, we BOTH learned a thing or two. I learned how to do that on HBT for free.

Before I spend anymore I just need proof. $20 is nothing.............. but I would like examples.......... back it up.

Show me.
 
Why don't you download the 21 day free trial and convince yourself?
 
$20+ is cheap. I'm an extract brewer wanting to move to AllGrain. Tried the demo out and was amazed. The "brew steps" gave me the confidence to make the move (all the valves and such should be here monday). Get the demo, download the recipe packs and play around. If someone can't find $20 in value ... I don't know what to say. I'd easily pay double the price for it.

Only two things that I've seen need a bit of work ..
1. Mobile ap for my 10" android xoom
**I wouldnt mind paying a seperate cost for the mobile ap as long as it could use the same cloud account as my pc. May want to take a poll with your users explaining if we were willing to pay for the mobile ap we would get it sooner.
2. Better options for a beer diary on a recipe

Awesome stuff and much appreciated!
:fro:
 
The timer function is nice. The recipe function is nice. The cloud function is nice.

In all honesty, I can't believe you're only charging $20. I better buy this **** before it goes up.
 
yea, nice work on the cloud. nice being able to finish a recipe from the laptop when i started it on the desktop.
 
Thanks!

I did want to emphasize that setting up a basic account on the new recipe site is free even if you don't have BeerSmith (some people were confused on this point).
http://BeerSmithRecipes.com

Also anyone can go on the site and browse/search the recipes (some 1,100 shared in the first few days) for free.

Some clubs are already setting up account for their club so the club can post recipes and members can follow them.

Cheers,
Brad
 
OK, OK, OK, :D

Really. I'm not trying to be difficult .............. it just comes naturally.

I went to another Beerfest on Friday ..................... what do you know................ the personal stuff I brew is better. Things I learned on HBT. :)

I bought the software. I'm using it. I like it. It is a valuable piece of my brewing equipment.

But the biggest improvement to all my brewing needs has been HBT. Beersmith does not replace this forum, simply adds to it. :rockin: It is simply another piece to add to my brewing hobby.

P.S. Now I wish that I could find the same value in every $20 I spend. ;)
 
If you bought it more than a couple of weeks ago you need to download the new version.

If you have that, open your recipe. There is a tab for the timer.

Across the top or the recipe section are the tabs. Design, Starter, Mash, Timer, Fermentation, Vols, Notes.
 
Not to hijack this thread but I have a BeerSmith problem that I have not been able to get help (or a reply) from the company.

The hard drive on my computer went dead two weeks ago and we were able to recover much of the missing contents and have them copied onto a new hard drive. The problem is that I cannot get my version of BeerSmith (an older version) to boot up. What I would like to do is either purchase an older version of BeerSmith that will access these files or a newer version that will incorporate the older files/recipes.

I have emailed the creator Brad Smith through this site and through a reply to a group message he sends out at times in order to find the best way to proceed with getting either a newer verson of BeerSmith or an older version version that will help me recover my files/recipes. I have not heard back from him yet after two request so I am hoping to find some advice through other members of the forum as what to do. Any ideas?
 
The timer function is nice. The recipe function is nice. The cloud function is nice.

In all honesty, I can't believe you're only charging $20. I better buy this **** before it goes up.

where are you seeing $20? at the site, it looks like it is $28. wish it was $20...
 
Brad,

Rad, thanks! Just bought it. That extra $8 was a psychological barrier for me.

I'm going to change my own oil this weekend and use the savings to buy beersmith. At least that's what I'll tell my wife, the household accountant

:)
 
OK, OK, OK, :D

Really. I'm not trying to be difficult .............. it just comes naturally.

I went to another Beerfest on Friday ..................... what do you know................ the personal stuff I brew is better. Things I learned on HBT. :)

I bought the software. I'm using it. I like it. It is a valuable piece of my brewing equipment.

But the biggest improvement to all my brewing needs has been HBT. Beersmith does not replace this forum, simply adds to it. :rockin: It is simply another piece to add to my brewing hobby.

P.S. Now I wish that I could find the same value in every $20 I spend. ;)

That didn't take much convincing.

I was going to say, you may be brewing others recipes but, your system may have a different efficiency than the originator of the recipe so you need to adjust your ingrediants. Or you may want to try your hand at tweaking a recipe. Or the hops you're using may have a different AA and you need to adjust amounts. Beersmith is superb for altering ingrediants and seeing the results. And now it's even better.

Just think, alot of people paid the same amount for older versions with alot fewer features. You are getting an awesome product at a fantastic price point.

My $.02 a little late.
 
Actually I win!

Just posted our Memorial Day Sale price of $19.95 this weekend only - lowest price we've ever offered directly for BeerSmith 2.1. Sale ends Tuesday 29 May at midnight Eastern time.
http://beersmith.com

We're also offering BeerSmithRecipes.com subscriptions for 30% off.
http://beersmithrecipes.com/upgrade

Cheers,
Brad


And once again Brad proves why he and his product are the benchmark IMHO when it comes to brewing software and support. Thanks Brad.
 
Just went on sale today, for 19.99. On another note..i just bought it last night! <--- this was mentioned already in the thread, whoops

Does beersmith have a printable instructional guide? If it does, where can I locate it? < ----- this was not ;)

edit, see above
 
I don't have a printable guide, but in about 20 minutes you can learn all you need to on the videos page:
http://beersmith.com/video

I recommend the one on setting up an equipment profile (very important), and creating a recipe. Browse the others as needed.

The new BeerSmithRecipes.com overview (though a bit long at 8 minutes) shows you how to use the new recipe sharing/storage site as well.

Brad
 
I don't have a printable guide, but in about 20 minutes you can learn all you need to on the videos page:
http://beersmith.com/video

I recommend the one on setting up an equipment profile (very important), and creating a recipe. Browse the others as needed.

The new BeerSmithRecipes.com overview (though a bit long at 8 minutes) shows you how to use the new recipe sharing/storage site as well.

Brad

Looks like a great video, thanks for the information. I appreciate the quick response too :mug:

Really excited to start using the program, it looks great.
 
:eek: Now I guess I gotta watch more tutorial videos. :mad:

I spent 20 minutes adding Yuri's Thunderstruck Pumpkin Ale with all the notes and refinements. Hit the save button 10 times as I was going, thought it was all good. Close it all down.

Then I open the program up again, and the recipe is gone! I looked everywhere. It's gone.

Only thing I can think of is Export All button and create a new *.BSMX file. Ugh! :p <- No, that's not what I want to accomplish, it will save the recipe in a different way than I want to. Hit the save button again, and it worked!? WTF?

I hate learning new software. :(
 
New features are great. Now all you need to do is upgrade the garbage that is the brewing calendar. Great idea. Horribly executed. Why would every recipe you write need to have a date on it that immediately puts it into the calendar? There should be a function where you can switch from a recipe to something you actually brewed that goes into the calender.
 
Thanks - I'm looking at possibly doing a full rewrite of the calendar in the future to make it cleaner and easier to use.

Brad
 
Agreed,

The calendar needs some attention............ & make the month type out a little bigger.

I do like the fact that it requires ME to be a bit more organized before I brew. Last batch I made I got a little too happy with my previous brew................... I could have used the timer, "So what if I'm late, It's only Beer!" :drunk:

Color makes it. :mug:

The more time I spend with the program............. the more I like it. The Cloud is HUGE. The fact that the program figures the efficiency automatically is really nice. :D
 
Thanks - I'm looking at possibly doing a full rewrite of the calendar in the future to make it cleaner and easier to use.

Brad

It would be great if you could specify what folders (not just one) to show in the calendar. I have my Brew Log, my ToDo and several Recipie folders. I would love to be able to show the ToDo and the Brew Log so I can see what I have done, and work out what is coming up, without having to copy everything into the Brew Log.
 
So...... I was looking at the Beersmith site a week ago and saw I could order a disk from
Amazon. I went to Amazon yesterday and ordered it. It said "Beersmith2" on both the
Amazon site & Beersmith site.

Got an email this morning that it shipped. Then I found this thread saying "Beersmith2.1"

I haven't even received it yet. Will it allow me to upgrade to the current 2.1 version???
 
I like the move to cloud based recipes and the price is reasonable for that service is reasonable. My only wish is I could get BS to accurately calc water volumes.. I've posted multiple times on the forums, followed all the videos everything I can think of. It simply overcalcs volumes every time.

It's a pita to have to calc water volumes on paper for each brew, but I just can't trust BS. :(
 
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