BeerSmith 2.0

[SD-SLIM]

I got the new version and I like some of the new stuff, but the older version was more user friendly...additionally I think they are making a mistake by not designing this to go on an Ipad....Northern Brewers deal with Ibrewmaster, and Beeralchamy are way better programs for half the price.

 

[jsweet]

It's more "Windows 7-y" and I'm not sure whether that's a good thing or a bad thing...

 

[Token]

I feel bad saying this, but I don't like the new Beer Smith. I'm gonna stick with the 1.4 version. dang.

 

[Golddiggie]

I don't mind the interface, I just wish we could move the tabs around (once opened)... Adding too many extra fields (via the "Select Fields" button) cuts them off. I have a large display, so I can see a lot when I open the window up to the max. The additional sections did take a little getting used to, but not a lot to get there. I do like how the formulas now take mash temp into account for all grain brewing, when showing the estimated FG numbers.

IMO, it's a solid app. A little additional tweaking, and an update, could make it great.

 

[passedpawn]

I do like how the formulas now take mash temp into account for all grain brewing, when showing the estimated FG numbers.

Wow, is that right? I must check this out.

 

[Golddiggie]

I thought I was seeing things, or losing my mind the first time.. But if you change the mash temps, the FG will also change. I just confirmed it with a recipe that's on deck...

I see this as a valuable enough addition to make it worth the cost of admission... Having a better idea of what the different mash temps will actually DO for the recipe/batch is of interest to me. I'm sure there's enough 'old timers' who know this by heart. I'm not even close to that level.

Another item I like in the update is the glass image. IMO, it's better than the little block that was all you got in 1.4... Now, if only you could get it to print out in that view.

 

[terrapinj]

I thought I was seeing things, or losing my mind the first time.. But if you change the mash temps, the FG will also change. I just confirmed it with a recipe that's on deck...

I see this as a valuable enough addition to make it worth the cost of admission... Having a better idea of what the different mash temps will actually DO for the recipe/batch is of interest to me. I'm sure there's enough 'old timers' who know this by heart. I'm not even close to that level.

Another item I like in the update is the glass image. IMO, it's better than the little block that was all you got in 1.4... Now, if only you could get it to print out in that view.

i think its pretty cool that you can also replace the glass with an actual photo of the brew

 

[Stevo2569]

Everybodys Bashing the new version but, its the old version plus a bunch of options. If you like 1.4 then you should like 2. Just conform to reality, THINGS CHANGE,For the better..

 

[passedpawn]

Everybodys Bashing the new version but, its the old version plus a bunch of options. If you like 1.4 then you should like 2. Just conform to reality, THINGS CHANGE,For the better..

Did you read the thread? Some people like it, some are mixed, some don't. Not THAT is reality.

 

[stevedasleeve]

Everybodys Bashing the new version but, its the old version plus a bunch of options. If you like 1.4 then you should like 2. Just conform to reality, THINGS CHANGE,For the better..

Actually it's the old version with some fairly big interface changes. 1.4 IMHO is more streamlined and elegant. Version 2 has a whole bunch of seemingly arbitrary changes in addition to the new features, and for me these changes are mostly not positive.

 

[balazs]

So far I think that this version is a much needed improvement to 1.4 Anyways, I am trying to figure out how to add in sugar content to the overall fermentation profile of a recipe. That is, when you have sugar in a recipe, I want it to reflect in the gravity of the fermentation profile. Do I just need to add in the points seperatly or is there a way to have it the program add it automagicaly?

 

[MikeRoBrew1]

Thanks Brad for version 2.0! It's awesome. Making small adjustments is even easier. I like it!

 

[stevedasleeve]

I don't see this as a possibility if I am reading your post correctly - you want to add sugar during fermentation like for a DFH 120 minute high ABV beer right?

If you add simple sugar to the recipe it will add gravity points, as it should. Your FG is associated with attenuation which is figured out from your yeast choice (this is editable.) It is affected by the sugar you add but this is not reflected in the estimated FG so far as I know.

Unless I am completely misreading your post in which case ignore my ramblings!

 

[balazs]

I don't see this as a possibility if I am reading your post correctly - you want to add sugar during fermentation like for a DFH 120 minute high ABV beer right?

If you add simple sugar to the recipe it will add gravity points, as it should. Your FG is associated with attenuation which is figured out from your yeast choice (this is editable.) It is affected by the sugar you add but this is not reflected in the estimated FG so far as I know.

Unless I am completely misreading your post in which case ignore my ramblings!

I was looking at the into the boiler perameters and realized that it is only going to give me the gravity points for the grain and not the sugar which the into the fermenter perameters is where it seems the extra gravity points from the sugar is added in. Am I right?

 

[Poobah58]

I'm not liking it so far.
1. The window for ingredients is way too small for the font. I got all this extra space to the right and can't strech it out!
2. My pet peeve for the previous version was it didn't sequence the hops in order of time. Same thing for Ver 2! I got 20min listed 1st, then 60min, then mash hop!!! How hard is it to line these up...

 

[passedpawn]

2. My pet peeve for the previous version was it didn't sequence the hops in order of time. Same thing for Ver 2! I got 20min listed 1st, then 60min, then mash hop!!! How hard is it to line these up...

Click the "#" column heading to put all ingredients in order.

 

[passedpawn]

As good as 1.4 was, I thought Brad would hit a home run with this version and become the uncontested defacto software for homebrewing. I don't think that happened.

While the tools are almost all there, the user interface is maddening. I think this version is fairly inaccessible to anyone who didn't use the previous version. I'd be reluctant to refer it to new brewers.

There are lots of subtle changes that I like.

1. Adding a pic of your beer,
2. adding ingredients by percentage,
3. various graphs that I'll probably grow to appreciate,
4. boil-off rate bug fixed,
5. FG changes with mash profile (!),
6. selectable fields in the recipe tab,
7. easy printouts with drop-down list of formats,
8. version number on recipe

I've got it figured out (I think), and I'm gonna grit my teeth and continue using it. But I sorta hope that a 2.1 is in the works already.

 

[Poobah58]

Click the "#" column heading to put all ingredients in order.

Almost works. Line them up but have other stuff in between such as finings and yeast...

 

[stevedasleeve]

As good as 1.4 was, I thought Brad would hit a home run with this version and become the uncontested defacto software for homebrewing. I don't think that happened.

While the tools are almost all there, the user interface is maddening. I think this version is fairly inaccessible to anyone who didn't use the previous version. I'd be reluctant to refer it to new brewers.

There are lots of subtle changes that I like.

1. Adding a pic of your beer,
2. adding ingredients by percentage,
3. various graphs that I'll probably grow to appreciate,
4. boil-off rate bug fixed,
5. FG changes with mash profile (!),
6. selectable fields in the recipe tab,
7. easy printouts with drop-down list of formats,
8. version number on recipe

I've got it figured out (I think), and I'm gonna grit my teeth and continue using it. But I sorta hope that a 2.1 is in the works already.

I like # 6. That's it. Oh and the Mac port. But I am not deleting my windows partition, much as I'd like to, because there are a ton of irritations: no immediate updating of the beersheet when the recipe is changed, no ability to select multiple ingredients, not way to "save as", the removal of "duplicate," ugly changes to the calendar, undo does not work etc. etc. This is a work in progress and I suspect V 2.5 might be what I need to wait for.

 

[stevedasleeve]

I was looking at the into the boiler perameters and realized that it is only going to give me the gravity points for the grain and not the sugar which the into the fermenter perameters is where it seems the extra gravity points from the sugar is added in. Am I right?

Sorry man but I can't make out anything you just wrote. Seriously.

 

[iaefebs]

I was looking at the into the boiler perameters and realized that it is only going to give me the gravity points for the grain and not the sugar which the into the fermenter perameters is where it seems the extra gravity points from the sugar is added in. Am I right?

Not sure I understand the question but I think you are getting close to what you are asking. So I would say yes..

 

[teddy4xp]

The sugar issue is covered on the brewsmith website in one of the blogs

 

[passedpawn]

Aaargh. I added a few fields in the recipe page, now the Select Fields button has slipped below the bottom of the screen. Scroll bar (on right) won't scroll low enough to get to the button.

I dragged the program to a monitor I have that is vertical / portrait, and the button is still missing.

 

[Poobah58]

@passedpawn. Same thing happened to me. Went on site and downloaded beta38 and beersmith locked up. Had to uninstall, reboot and reinstall orig version.

 

[passedpawn]

@passedpawn. Same thing happened to me. Went on site and downloaded beta38 and beersmith locked up. Had to uninstall, reboot and reinstall orig version.

Wow, I was just considering going over there to see if there were updates. Guess I'll sit on my hands for a week or two and let the dust settle before I do that.

BTW, I was able to click that little sliver of a button there (and remove one of the fields). If I had added one more field, I'd have been out of luck.

Thanks a bunch!

 

[RonRock]

Anybody try the Yeast Starter tool? I'm doing a Hybrid and BS 2 comes up with the same number of cells needed, but shows a much smaller starter size.

 

[teddy4xp]

I've pretty much decided that the starter tools are useless. Its impossible to understand and is only available in quarts. I know the size starter I need to use and can always use Mr malty. This is one area that they really messed up with the new version.

 

[hops2it]

Little gripe...after making changes to the recipe, the brew steps aren't reflecting the changes until the recipe is closed and reopened. Per the Beersmith forums however, its a high priority bug and is on the list for an update. Was glad to see that.

 

[wildwest450]

Anyone know why the boil volume isn't changing when I bump the recipe up to a 90 minute boil?


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[rack04]

Anyone know why the boil volume isn't changing when I bump the recipe up to a 90 minute boil?


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This bug has been reported.

http://www.beersmith.com/forum/index.php/topic,4729.0.html