How do you calculate your recipe?

Hi there,

This is a thread/poll that I wanted to start for a while now.

I have been looking around, and trying out, some of the recipe calculators available for home brewers.

Here are the comments that I have:

Recipator (http://hbd.org/recipator/):
Pro: - free
- can calculate the mash efficiency for partial mashes
- there is a big recipe data base to it (which I don't really trust )
Con: - limited ingredient data base
- no calculations for mashing (water needed, decoction volume etc.)
- no water profile calculations
- may be off-line when you need it most

ProMash (http://www.promash.com/)
Pro - fairly large ingredient data base
- Mash designer with a nice graphical display
- all the common recipe calculations are present
- utilities (conversions, hydrometer correction etc.)
- keeps tack of inventory inventory

Con - graphical interface seems outdated
- doesn't flag if the amount you need for your recipe is not in sock
- only 3 saves or modifications during the trial

BeerSmith (http://www.beersmith.com/)
Pro - fairly large ingredient data base
- mash designer
- all common recipe calculations
- utilities
- generous 21 day full functionality trial
- nice looking interface
- keeps track of inventory

Con - no graphical mash designer
- doesn't flag if the needed amount of an ingredient is not in stock


Something I miss in any of these programs:
- SRM/L <-> EBC conversion (even if it is an estimate)
- brewing schedule utility, which tracks resources and time needed
for your brews. I have to use MS project for this


I decided to go with BeerSmith due to the generous 21 day trial that made me play with this program more than with Promash. But I envy the graphical mash designer because I usually run step mashes.

Please correct me if I misrepresented any of the tools.

Kai

Ive been really curious of this lately too. Currently pencil and paper but ive been wanting to invest in a program that'll really get me making better tasting beers. Can't wait to see the results!

Whitay said:

... but ive been wanting to invest in a program that'll really get me making better tasting beers. Can't wait to see the results!

Click to expand...

I'm not sure if using a program makes better tasting beer. But it certainly helps you staying within the parameters while you experiment with the ingredients.

Kai

I use a mix of BeerTools.com and the recipe calculator over at TastyBrew.com. I've used BeerSmith and ProMash, but don't really need most the stuff that they offer.

I use BeerTools for mine. Its a great set up, and you can see the estimated color of your brew when you are finished, and if your brew fits into the set guidelines, you see a graph set up of malt color percentages, and more. Its an online calculator, and you can subscribe yearly. Also, they are going to make it a stand alone program as well, as the beta testing has begun.

I have ProMash and BeerSmith, but for quick recipe calculations, its an excellent tool.

I use BeerAlchemy for OSX. It's fairly new, and doesn't include some of the options that the other, older programs use. I get the feeling that more features will be added quickly, the guy that wrote it uses it himself, and has been very responsive to suggestions.

I like using the program to quickly see how ingredient changes may effect the outcome.

I just got pro-mash and am still getting familiar with it, so I still like the pencil and paper exercise. Any tips or helpful hints on tweaking pro mash would be appreciated...

Kai said:

...ProMash ... doesn't flag if the amount you need for your recipe is not in s(t)ock

Click to expand...

I love ProMash! If you go all-grain, ProMash is worth all $25, IMHO. And it will deduct from your inventory. You just have to keep your inventory up to date. In fact, I've found that to be a valuable tool. I no longer bother marking the grain bags with the remaining amounts after I use some.

But it does so much more than that. The more I use it, the more I love it!

I used Q-Brew prior to getting ProMash. It is a free program and really not bad at all.

Pencil and paper for my initial notes then I put my rough idea into Recipator to tweak it. I'm only an extract with specialty grains brewer so it seems to cover most things for me - I don't know how it copes with AG.

another vote for www.tastybrew.com

I used to use Brewer's Workshop but they have gone out of business. The program doesn't work too well with windows XP. Recently I have purchased ProMash and although I haven't figured it out completely I really like it. I would hate to figure recipes on paper. The programs I've use do all the math for me!

another for promash.

Pen and paper, supplemented by my reference books. I also suppose that I should cite the internet, as I get many ideas about what I'm going to do from there. Calculations, though, are all mine.

I love promash, but if I have an idea that can't wait till I get home, I use the calculator at tastybrew.com also.

promash for IBU, OG, and SRM calculations. otherwise i get a bunch of divergent recipes from the same style, pick and choose what i like about them, and write down the grains, hops, and a range on quantities they use. then i go to the homebrew supply website, and see if there's anything more exotic i can do with it. then i just doctor it to my tastes, i love chocolate malt so i usually go heavy on it...i like german noble hops so sometimes i substitute...etc. then i brew, taste, adjust. sometimes i buy a kit for a style i've never done and build off of that recipe. one disadvantage of my method is that i get swayed by exotic malts and such and often my recipes are too busy. but i'm working on it. oh yeah, i also keep a bjcp guideline printout handy as well as any book that gives reference to the composition of the beer style (appropriate hops, etc)

I am also fond of Pro-Mash!

I have Promash and Beersmith on my PC and use each, but mostly I use pencil and paper. I read recipes and books over and over. My library looks like it has been through a tornado. I use Promash as a means of recording and adjusting my recipes.

i use my trusty scientific calculator and a modified version of dave millers ibu/ og calculus. i can get o.g. dead on...and bitterness, although quantitatively probably not 100 percent accurate, i go by taste compared to theoretical numbers and they seem to correlate (i.e. if i calculate 30 ibus, it is low bitterness, 35 is medium to high, and 40+ is high)

the hardest thing for me to predict is the difference hop variety (mellow, clean bitter vs. harsh lingering ((cascade vs. chinnook for ex.)) and amount of crystal and /or specialty grains make. 1 lbs. crystal will make 35 ibu's seem not that bitter, or conversly 1/2 lbs. crystal makes 35 ibu's seem more bitter...or 35 ibu's of chinook seems more bitter than 35 ibu's of spalt...and so on and so on to infinity...

promash ftmfw

it depends, tho. i use everything, including beersmith, pen&pad, recipator, etc. it just depends where i'm at and what i'm doing.

This thread is almost 3 YEARS OLD!!!

Nice graveyard find, some avatars I haven't seen since I joined.

lol, i don't know how this popped up, but it needs more votes

Darth Konvel said:

I use a mix of BeerTools.com and the recipe calculator over at TastyBrew.com. I've used BeerSmith and ProMash, but don't really need most the stuff that they offer.

Click to expand...

I also use beertools.com to do my recipe calculations and save the recipe in the library (all free). I print from there and use that as my brewsheet for the day, update with OG readings etc. and put in my recipe binder at the end of the day.

For mash temp/water calculations I use
untitled (all grain water calculator)

For water profiles/mineral content etc I use a couple excel spreadsheets.

I like beercalculus.com too

Kaiser said:

Recipator (The Beer Recipator - Home):
Pro: - free
- can calculate the mash efficiency for partial mashes
- there is a big recipe data base to it (which I don't really trust )
Con: - limited ingredient data base - no calculations for mashing (water needed, decoction volume etc.)
- no water profile calculations
- may be off-line when you need it most


Kai

Click to expand...

You can add your own ingredients and hops. Just type them in the blank fields. You can adjust malt color/extract potential/hop AA % as well.

Also has limits on number of hop additions, although I can work around that if needed.

I was using Recipator until one day I realized that since I was brewing my own beer, why not make my own recipe calculator.

So now I use my homemade Excel spreadsheet. I made a database of malts (extract, colour), flakes (extract, colour), sugars (extract, colour), hops (AA%) and yeast (apparent attentuation, temperature range, flocculation, alcohol tolerance) from various sources (How to Brew, HBS, Recipator, Wyeast, HBT...).
In the spreadsheet itself, I can calculate IBUs, OG, SRM, carbonation, temperature correction, evaporation rate, apparent attenuation, alcohol content, calories, yield, final volume due to trub loss, mash temp, price per bottle, maltiness vs hoppiness... that's about it for now but I'll be working soon on a newer version with much more stuff. And almost everything is compiled in another document. About half of the formulas are from How to brew and other related HB sites, the other half was made using compiled data (usually from these websites) and mathematical regression using Excel. And it's pretty accurate.

I want to make a pitch rate and a water hardness calculator too...:cross:

Pencil & Paper for me, I have a notebook that I do all my calculating in and then a Brewing Records books that i record all the actual numbers in.

OK thanks. So according to the poll I should try beersmith 1st. Promash second, but mostly buy beersmith.

ZOMBIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But I voted other... check out BrewTarget search for the thread here and go download it. It is not as perfect as some, but I find it is all I need. Maybe I should shell out for beersmith, but I use brewtarget to write recipes and then save text files of them and index printed note sheets as well.

I used recipator for a while, but didnt really like it. then I found Beer Alchemy. WAY better and i strongly reccomend this program for any Mac User. its fantastic!

The poll misses the option "other freeware tools" like Qbrew. It has many pro/cons and I really suggest it as a starting point.

Cheers from Italy,
piteko

chefmike said:

ZOMBIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But I voted other... check out BrewTarget search for the thread here and go download it. It is not as perfect as some, but I find it is all I need. Maybe I should shell out for beersmith,...

Click to expand...

No dude this is not a "Dead issue".:fro: I need to finally break down and buy brewing software.:rockin: So rather than create a NEW poll, I gafawsearched for an existing thread, AND Im sure I'm not the only person who just wants to know a consenses of what people like to use.

As a mater of fact:
Im posting and looking around the forums for similar polls and guess what.

Beersmith is more liked so far.


I also find it amazing that of the 1000's of people on this forum only 138+ have an opinion?, use software?

.

I finally went out and downloaded Beersmith for the free trial. There is a lot going on in that program, but I really like it so far. It's really pretty easy to use.

So what about those random brew-days when its a all guesswork. A hand full of hops and approximately X pounds of grain. those are fun for SMASH-ing.

Wow! Looks like I am becomming a relic. Stricktly pen and paper for me.

Although I am not completly technology challenged. I will use my iPhone to look up style guidlines on the BJCP website and I'll also use the calculator function.

Thats it. I signed up for the free trial.

I used to use Beersmith and tried BTP, but switched to using BrewTarget full-time.

jitteringjr said:

Wow! Looks like I am becomming a relic. Stricktly pen and paper for me.

Although I am not completly technology challenged. I will use my iPhone to look up style guidlines on the BJCP website and I'll also use the calculator function.

Click to expand...

FYI there is a BJCP app for the iPhone that has all the guidelines in it

JayInJersey said:

FYI there is a BJCP app for the iPhone that has all the guidelines in it

Click to expand...

I'll check it out, thanks.

I use Beer Smith at the moment. However, I am also calculating everything out by hand, just so I can get the feel of the science behind it all. The one thing I was hoping to avoid, being in software development, was writing code for things that are already written.

Not being able to leave well enough alone, I have already started writing little "calculators" to verify my manual math skills, however. It hasn't progressed beyond that, which is good news for me. There are already too many unfinished projects on my hard drive.

I voted already. I don't remember when. I'm other.

http://hopville.com/brewer/recipes/conroe