Should I buy Beersmith?

Thoughts?

Is this useful? Are there better programs out there?

Check out the comparisons in the software section. I have Beersmith and have just begun to learn how to use it.

Absolutely! It Pays for itself trust me.

YES! It's got to be one of the best brew related purchases you can make.

It's not only utilitarian but entertaining as well.

Absolutely. The best $20 you'll ever spend for brewing.

I just paid for it on sunday. Love it.

It keeps you organized and helps you come up with recipes. I say it's worth it. I like buying the kits from the store and putting them in so I know what I remember what I like and don't like. Wondering if that .5lb 40L crystal malt you have left over is dark enough for your nut brown ale? Throw it into beersmith and find out.

The brewsheets are cool too. Well organized if you're doing multiple hop additions or even a late extract add.

petep1980 said:

It keeps you organized and helps you come up with recipes. I say it's worth it. I like buying the kits from the store and putting them in so I know what I remember what I like and don't like. Wondering if that .5lb 40L crystal malt you have left over is dark enough for your nut brown ale? Throw it into beersmith and find out.

The brewsheets are cool too. Well organized if you're doing multiple hop additions or even a late extract add.

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Do you have a recipe for that nuclear porter you could share?

IMO, If you are doing extract then no you dont need it.

If you're doing PM or All Grain then yes it is a valuable tool.

BeerPressure said:

IMO, If you are doing extract

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I still think it is handy with extract, Especially for steeping grains. It also helps you learn about how much Extract you need so you dont get flooded with questions about juicing the ABV% up.

BeerPressure said:

IMO, If you are doing extract then no you dont need it.

If you're doing PM or All Grain then yes it is a valuable tool.

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I loved it when I was doing extract.
-You could enter an AG recipe in there then covert it and play around to get it to be the same.
-If you go to get your hops for a recipe and needed to subsitute you can enter that in and figure out exactly when and how much to enter of the new stuff.
-I love the inventory feature too.

I guess I am wrong then. I was just going by my experience, I would buy extract kits and brew them according to their recipe.

BeerPressure said:

I guess I am wrong then. I was just going by my experience, I would buy extract kits and brew them according to their recipe.

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You are not wrong just have a different opinion. But there are always questions about juicing the ABV and what steeping grains should be used.

BeerPressure said:

I guess I am wrong then. I was just going by my experience, I would buy extract kits and brew them according to their recipe.

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No, not at all. I only used one kit and hated it so I always used recipes. Its all preference.

Will BeerSmith work with Ginger Ales, Sodas, Root Beers, etc?

What about revisions? How are existing users treated when improvements are added...bugs fixed...new features created?

Is this a download only, or is a disk available?

And...is it Linux friendly? If so, which builds are supported?

Sorry about all of the questions, but no one seems to be asking any!

Pogo

Pogo said:

Will BeerSmith work with Ginger Ales, Sodas, Root Beers, etc?

What about revisions? How are existing users treated when improvements are added...bugs fixed...new features created?

Is this a download only, or is a disk available?

And...is it Linux friendly? If so, which builds are supported?

Sorry about all of the questions, but no one seems to be asking any!

Pogo

Click to expand...

There are alot of revisions coming out that are all free. They also have a forum for any questions or anything. The creator also spends some time on here as well. I think there is a disk available but im not sure. Their website will have all that info.

BeerPressure said:

IMO, If you are doing extract then no you dont need it.

If you're doing PM or All Grain then yes it is a valuable tool.

Click to expand...

Several others have disagreed, but I will go ahead and explain why I have BeerSmith even though I'm an extract brewer (a few weeks from my first PM, though).

It allows you to play with AG recipes and convert them to extract. You can tinker with late extract additions to keep the IBUs where you want them. It stores your recipes where you can find them.

Well worth the $$ IMO

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?

There are a couple that you can download as shareware and experiment with before you buy. I went through a number of them before I settled on Promash a few years ago. Beer smith appears to be the most popular on this forum.

I use Promash also never found a reason to change

Not to jack your thread but I will anyway, is there a good tutorial for Beersmith. I have been looking, even printed the pdf instructions(they blow), or is it all learn as you go?

I've found it extremely useful and well worth the money. However, there are other great software tools out there as well so it doesn't hurt to look around and see what suits you best.

Can you use it on multiple computers (that I own?)

I use my work computer for everything (ever since my personal computer became unstable) and my work computer gets re-imaged every 6 months and replaced ever other year. Now I don't want to pay for the software and then have it go away.

I need to get my personal computer up and running but being unstable I dont trust anything on it.

Best 20 bucks I ever spent. I use Beer Smith for every batch I brew. I would have a very tough time brewing with out it.

You have to make sure you set it up right for your equipment. If you dont, then your beer wont come out right. I found that out the hard way.

RC0032 said:

Can you use it on multiple computers (that I own?)

I use my work computer for everything (ever since my personal computer became unstable) and my work computer gets re-imaged every 6 months and replaced ever other year. Now I don't want to pay for the software and then have it go away.

I need to get my personal computer up and running but being unstable I dont trust anything on it.

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Yes. The cool thing is that you can run it from a USB drive, too. It's very handy for taking with you to group brew days.

Okay, so does BeerSmith offer a CONSTANT rate for boil off, or is it the stupid % rate only? I have the trial version, and I dont like what I see. Since when is boil off a percentage???

I am also trying to play with the 2 step mashing application in BeerSmiths trial version and it is not working. It kees saying to add 0.00 gallons at 150F... well 150F is my TARGET temp... and 0.00 gallons?

Is the trial version just a hunk of junk?

I cant get it to do a multiple infusion mash....

Also, when I go to mash details it tells me that on this particular recipe that my "tun volume required" is 1.75 gallons... which is EXACTLY what my strike water volume is... um, what about the grain?

ohiobrewtus said:

Absolutely. The best $20 you'll ever spend for brewing.

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QFT

Pogo said:

Is this a download only, or is a disk available?

And...is it Linux friendly? If so, which builds are supported?

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I don't know on the disk question. I figure a download's better than a disk anyhow. I hear it runs fine under WINE, but I generally run it on my Wintel laptop, and rdesktop into the laptop from my workstation.

The Pol said:

Okay, so does BeerSmith offer a CONSTANT rate for boil off, or is it the stupid % rate only? I have the trial version, and I dont like what I see. Since when is boil off a percentage???

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No. This is my only quibble. Boiloff as a rate only works if you never vary the batch size. This is my #1 "I wish for" item in the next release.

I love it. I think it's an easy purchase for anyone serious about brewing. To be honest I don't know about any of the other applications though. I can't imagine that there is anything more to offer than this program.

But what about my above post concerning step mashing?

What about the tun volume required equaling the water volume only, not water + grain?

Is this really how it works?? I was looking at buying it, but I tried to create one recipe with the thing and I cant get a step mash out of it, the boil rate is a %... which is not realistic and the tun volume required is totally wrong...

The Pol said:

But what about my above post concerning step mashing?

What about the tun volume required equaling the water volume only, not water + grain?

Is this really how it works?? I was looking at buying it, but I tried to create one recipe with the thing and I cant get a step mash out of it, the boil rate is a %... which is not realistic and the tun volume required is totally wrong...

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I've never seen the "trial version" but I understand it's the same as the version I have but you can't save recipes or something.

Mine works fine for step mashing, but I've mostly used it for the calculations for pulling a decoction. Do you want to post the file you're talking about and see if it works for me?

I went ahead and purchased BeerSmith as I decided to make the plunge to AG. It gives me a place to plug in all of my recipes and keeps them all nice and in order.

Just makes life a little simpler come brewday(s)
-Me

I would post a file, but I dont have a file to post... I cannot save the recipe, I cant do anything really.

I went into the mash profile and hit ADD, then tried to add an infusion step to step from 130F to 150F and it wont do it. I shows the water total 0.00 a and the water temp as 150F, which is my target, not my infusion temp.

Then like I said, the tun volume required equals the water volume, so I know that is wrong. I can't even create one recipe?

I also cannot put in a fly sparge option for my mash...

I thought BeerSmith would be nice since I have a large inventory of grains, hops and yest now... but I cannot even create a mash schedule for a Hefe.

All I want to do is a 130F infusion step, followed by a 150F infusion step, then a fly sparge. It wont do it.

Where in Beersmith are you? Are you changing a sample recipe to one of your own, on scratch pad, where is your starting spot?

Okay, so I got it to do a step mash, but these are still problems...

The tun volume required is WRONG, it only calculates water volume, it does not consider the grains!

There is no option for fly sparge!

Also, is there a way that the software will directly calculate the water required from the recipe? Or do I have to go and re-enter all of the information in the "water required" portion on the left?

The Pol said:

I would post a file, but I dont have a file to post... I cannot save the recipe, I cant do anything really.

I went into the mash profile and hit ADD, then tried to add an infusion step to step from 130F to 150F and it wont do it. I shows the water total 0.00 a and the water temp as 150F, which is my target, not my infusion temp.

Then like I said, the tun volume required equals the water volume, so I know that is wrong. I can't even create one recipe?

I also cannot put in a fly sparge option for my mash...

I thought BeerSmith would be nice since I have a large inventory of grains, hops and yest now... but I cannot even create a mash schedule for a Hefe.

All I want to do is a 130F infusion step, followed by a 150F infusion step, then a fly sparge. It wont do it.

Click to expand...

Pol, is it a new download? It runs out in 14 days at which point you can look but you can't save. And at some point it expires completely and you can't even look.

Promash has the option of using a specific volume during boil off rather than %.

polecreek said:

Where in Beersmith are you? Are you changing a sample recipe to one of your own, on scratch pad, where is your starting spot?

Click to expand...

I am starting a NEW recipe


With 2 malts, 10lbs of grain...

I got it to step mash, but there is no option for fly sparging?

The Tun Volume Required in the mash section, under Details... is completely incorrect.

Also, I dont see a way to get my water required without having to enter it all in by hand after I create a recipe and mash scedule, in the Water Needed section on the left. Cant it compute that automatically when I create a recipe? Other softwares do.

IowaHarry said:

Pol, is it a new download? It runs out in 14 days at which point you can look but you can't save. And at some point it expires completely and you can't even look.

Promash has the option of using a specific volume during boil off rather than %.

Click to expand...

Downloaded it an hour ago... I am not impressed, seems clumsy... seems like nothing is linked to anything else. In StrangeBrew it updates your Water Needed calcualtions every time you add malt or change your mash schedule... this doenst seem to. Clumsy

Basically when I am working on a recipe, NONE of the tools on the left update when I update malt quantities or antyhing else, each time I change ONE thing, I need to go through and update those tools, that is borderline rediculous.

The Pol said:

Downloaded it an hour ago... I am not impressed, seems clumsy... seems like nothing is linked to anything else. In StrangeBrew it updates your Water Needed calcualtions every time you add malt or change your mash schedule... this doenst seem to. Clumsy

Click to expand...

Strange...it updates for me whenever I add more grain. Also, the default setting for sparge IS fly sparging: eg. "Single Infusion, Medium Body". If you want it to account for a batch sparge, you have to select "Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge". There are also selections for Step Mashing, with 2 and 3 steps. And if you don't like the options offered for Mash Schedules you can just build your own, or modify the existing ones. How long have you used this?

TwoHeadsBrewing said:

Strange...it updates for me whenever I add more grain. Also, the default setting for sparge IS fly sparging: eg. "Single Infusion, Medium Body". If you want it to account for a batch sparge, you have to select "Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge". There are also selections for Step Mashing, with 2 and 3 steps. And if you don't like the options offered for Mash Schedules you can just build your own, or modify the existing ones. How long have you used this?

Click to expand...

On the trial version I can change my malt quantity in the recipe by 10 pounds and the "Water Needed" portion on the left does not update. Nor does the "Adjust Mash Temperature" It still shows 3.00 gallons for mash water? The tun volume required under mash details equals the water volume EXACTLY, no grains taken into consideration? I also dont see a fly sparge volume? Or is there no fly sparge volume... do I guess? Or do I deduce it from the Water Needed tool that doesnt update when I add malt?

I also set up my equipment, compete with a boil off rate etc. and I have to go through and input it all again in the "Water Needed" section on the left to find out ow much water is needed.

Is the trial version just really bad?