BeerSmith 2.0

[Indyking]

LINKY

Awesome, thanks!

 

[stevedasleeve]

Sorry guys, I don't have time to read the whole tread, I apologize if this has been answered here before, but I have version 1.4 I think in my PC and now would like to install version 2.0 in my Mac since it has finally become available for Macs!!!

Do I have to buy a new program for the upgrade? Is there a discount for current 1.4 users?

Probably too late but my experience is...

1.4 is a great program. Almost perfect and with a few slight changes it would be perfect. The ONLY issue I had was I had to run Parallels on my Mac to run the program in Windows. I've been using Macs for more than 20 years so my entire reason for upgrading to 2.0 was the Mac version. I have tried *all* the Mac software out there and I still found Beersmith 1.4 to be far far superior.

I am now back to 1.4!!! 2.0 was not just a port to Mac, it was a whole new program and it frankly is IMHO far far inferior to the original version: a cluttered ugly interface, bug after bug after bug, and weird seemingly quite arbitrary changes (like the new awful calendar view.) I paid for the upgrade but I consider it a total waste of money. I'll wait for 2.5 for the myriad bugs to be dealt with and then re-evaluate but I suspect I will still prefer 1.4. How an almost perfect piece of Brewing software was "revised" to a buggy convoluted nightmare is beyond me but that is what happened.

To wit: I am resigned to running Windows on my Mac for a long time to come...!

God how I wish this software was simply ported, unchanged to Mac OS instead of being rewritten. Oh well.

YMMV and WTF
Steve da sleeve

 

[bakeup]

I just go with what Mr. Malty says for my starters... I'm using a stirplate now, so I get to make smaller ones than before. :rockin: Plus, I have two flasks (2L and 3L) to use on the plate... I made a 1.75L starter on the stirplate for my last batch... It was close enough to what I needed for cell count (according to Mr. Malty)... Took off like mad in the 8-18 hour range (while no one was there to check on it)... Of course, I also hit it with pure O2 via the stone wand and O2 tank.

I have to say that I'm loving having the stirplate... SO much easier to make starters now. Plus, I don't need to worry about making monster starters. 95% of my brews won't need more than a 3L starter with the stirplate. Of course, having two flasks also means I can make two starters for a batch if I need to. :rockin:

At this point, I would trust Mr. Malty for starter size... As much as I like BeerSmith 2.0, I think there's something wrong with the math in the starter section... Hopefully a patch/update will be released (sooner rather than later) to address this...

Something else that would be nice to have... Proper carbonation calculations. I'm kegging 2.5-3 gallons of each batch, bottling the balance. Right now, BeerSmith is useless for figuring out how much sugar to add/use... Luckily, there are enough online tools that I can get the amount easily, and quickly. It would just be nice to have the option to call out that you're kegging part and bottling the rest...

I didn't see where anyone else answered this, but I did find that you can change the options for using a stir plate if you think the growth factor is too high. I did. I think default is something like 2.66, which is why it seems it is so high. You can change it so that you get results closer to Mr Malty and then just use this for starters.

 

[hoppheadIPA]

I'm a 1.4 user from way back. Then I got a mac and downloaded Beer Alchemy. Good program except it lacks some features that Beersmith had. I just had a chance to download the new 2.0 recently since it's available for my Mac. Boy am I dissapointed. I mean, it has a lot of great features but the user interface is complete garbage. The screen is so cluttered and there's a lot of redundant information. For the amount of time that Mac users waited, its time wasted. I will NOT be purchasing this program. I love Beersmith 1.4, but I'm waiting for a newer version than 2.0 for my Mac.

 

[wildwest450]

Explain this away? I've been hesitant to actually brew a beer with this shaky upgrade, although technically accurate, WTF!!

 

[emjay]

Explain this away? I've been hesitant to actually brew a beer with this shaky upgrade, although technically accurate, WTF!!

The 750ml bottle of Double Dead Guy I just finished off the night with probably isn't helping, but I'm having difficulty spotting anything wrong with that screenshot

 

[bovineblitz]

The 750ml bottle of Double Dead Guy I just finished off the night with probably isn't helping, but I'm having difficulty spotting anything wrong with that screenshot

That makes two of us.

 

[Chuginator]

8 lbs 16.0 oz? Doesn't that equal 9 lbs?

 

[passedpawn]

8 lbs 16.0 oz? Doesn't that equal 9 lbs?

Yea, odd. I do like the change from fractional pounds to lbs/ounces, though.

 

[Chuginator]

Yep, agreed - pounds + ounces is much easier on the brain!

I'm sure the 8lb 16oz is just an internal rounding thing; maybe the recipe contents were automatically adjusted for some reason, and instead of the original 9.000 lbs, internally it's now 8.999 lbs. Rounding poundage down yields 8 pounds, and rounding ounces up yields 16 ounces.

 

[wildwest450]

Strange, when I clicked on the Pilsner malt this morning it showed 9lbs in the popup box, when I hit ok, it changed it to 9 on the recipe. I can't get it to duplicate what it did, I tried changing it to 8.99lbs and it read 8lbs 15.8oz.

Now I just re-opened the program and it went back to the 8lbs 16oz. This is the only recipe it's doing this on. It's showing I have 37lbs 16oz of Pilsner malt in inventory, I changed it and that change stayed, but every time you reopen the program it goes back to 8lbs 16oz on that one recipe.


_

 

[pickles]

This exact thing happened to me when I used the scale feature. Did you happen to scale that recipe?

 

[wildwest450]

This exact thing happened to me when I used the scale feature. Did you happen to scale that recipe?

Actually no, it is Kai's recipe which is just malt percentages.


_

 

[weirdboy]

Try changing the units just to pounds to see if it's a weird number, then fix it to 9.0 lbs even (be sure to use the decimal point and zero), then change it back to lbs/oz for units.

 

[TheYoshi]

I've been using Beersmith for a bit now and trying to get used to it, I think I'm going to go back to BeerAlchemy. I am admittedly a mac guy and was excited when BS 2.0 came out with Mac support, bought it immediately. That said, the UI is just horrific, it's beyond being not user friendly, it's truly terrible. I like the capabilities of the software but creating recipes really causes me pain.

I also don't get why if I want to make a "batch" of a recipe I have to copy it and rename it, it's really nice to store batches under a recipe so you can go back and compare the minor differences from batch to batch and see what worked out best.

 

[pickles]

I've been using Beersmith for a bit now and trying to get used to it, I think I'm going to go back to BeerAlchemy. I am admittedly a mac guy and was excited when BS 2.0 came out with Mac support, bought it immediately. That said, the UI is just horrific, it's beyond being not user friendly, it's truly terrible. I like the capabilities of the software but creating recipes really causes me pain.

I also don't get why if I want to make a "batch" of a recipe I have to copy it and rename it, it's really nice to store batches under a recipe so you can go back and compare the minor differences from batch to batch and see what worked out best.

Ill continue using it but I tend to agree with you on most points. I hate that when I'm at the bottom of the recipe I have to scroll to the top to see the tabs containing mash, ferment, notes etc. They should ditch the redundant bars and include that on top. I believe the answer to your "batch" issue is to highlight a recipe and click copy to brewlog. It will allow you to mark what version it is, change date etc and not effect the original.

 

[TimmyR]

It'd be nice to see two finger scrolling enabled properly as well. I like the features but agree the UI is rough. I left BeerTools for this and wish BeerTools would give the same detailed recipe builds as this, but BeerTools was REALLY user-friendly.

 

[brewfreeordie]

I bought it about 3 months ago and I'd have to say it continues to impress. Definitely worth the money I paid.

I'd love to see a smart phone app and a hardware interface for real-time measurements/control over my PID.

 

[weirdboy]

I bought it about 3 months ago and I'd have to say it continues to impress. Definitely worth the money I paid.

I'd love to see a smart phone app and a hardware interface for real-time measurements/control over my PID.

There is/was an iOS app for controlling a BCS in the app store. I am also pretty sure I saw one for Android floating around. Of course I think for a BCS you can use any web browser to control it anyway.

 

[fizgig]

Is there a spot for ongoing gravity readings? I see the few major steps, but it'd be nice if you could record over time. Also, it'd be nice if you could push your shopping list to a selection of online sites, I'd do that, even if it costs more for whatever stores there are, the convenience would cover it.

 

[terrapinj]

weird glitch I noticed last night when playing with my mash temp

when i changed the mash temp from 147 to 146 my est FG went from 1.008 to 1.011

 

[zeg]

when i changed the mash temp from 147 to 146 my est FG went from 1.008 to 1.011

I think the calculation for adjusting the fermentability for mash temperature turns off between 147 and 146. I tried changing it for a beer that had 1.010 est FG at 148. It dropped to 1.009 at 147, and then jumped to 1.013 at 146. Dropping it as low as 140 brought on no further changes.

 

[brewfreeordie]

There is/was an iOS app for controlling a BCS in the app store. I am also pretty sure I saw one for Android floating around. Of course I think for a BCS you can use any web browser to control it anyway.

Great, you can explain to my wife where that money went.....

 

[mgr_stl]

I just bought Beersmith yesterday, and I'm experiencing a bit of a learning curve.

A couple questions about the Brewer's Best English Brown Ale I brewed today. Here's a link to my recipe:

http://beersmithrecipes.com/viewrecipe/109611/brewers-best-english-brown-ale

#1 - Not sure I set up my equipment right. I have a 9 gallon pot, and I used a paint strainer bag for the first time today to steep my grains. Does this mean I should set my "Mash Tun Volume" to 9 gallons? Anything else I need to change?

#2 - I cut back my bittering hops to 0.75 ounces from 1.0 ounces due to doing a full boil. According to Beersmith, this results in 52.3 IBUs (recipe claims to have 21-25 IBUs). Even following the recipe exactly (as far as I can tell), doing a 2.5 gallon partial boil and using all 1.0 ounces of Brewer's Gold hops Brewsmith says I'll end up with 58.2 IBUs. I must be doing something wrong.

So far, I'm feeling more confused than informed using this software. Based on all the positive posts regarding this software, I'm looking forward to when it all "clicks" for me.

 

[weirdboy]

#1 If you are doing an extract recipe, you don't really need to worry so much about mash tun type or volume. The only thing that you really might have to worry about is making sure you can fit the steeping grains in the pot along with your preboil volume.

#2 The IBUs are highly dependent on the alpha acid % of the hops, and when you do the addition. Did the instructions say to boil the hops for 60 minutes?

 

[mgr_stl]

I steeped in about 2 gallons of water (didn't see where to enter the steeping water volume in beersmith) and then added a bit over 4 gallons and brought to a boil.

I put in 0.75 oz of brewers gold for 60, then 1 oz of UK Golding for 15 minutes and 0.5 oz of UK Golding for the last 5 minutes.

 

[weirdboy]

I didn't ask what you did, I asked what the instructions said. If you bought a kit then it came with instructions. That ought to give you some small indication of what is going on.


0.75oz of 8% AA Brewer's Gold for 60 minutes in a 1.045ish wort ought to be around 25 IBUs. Not sure how you are getting 50+ IBUs.

1.0oz of East Kent Goldings for 15 minutes, assuming 5% AA, will get you another 10 or so IBUs according to my copy of Beersmith.

That puts you over the typical range for an English brown, but certainly not double.

And, if the AA% on those hops that you got was lower than the numbers in Beersmith, then you are probably right on target. If they were higher, then maybe not. However, regardless you should read and understand the instructions before you make modifications to a recipe.

 

[zeg]

I downloaded your recipe and played with it a bit. It does seem to be giving 50ish IBUs as it started. If I drop it to a 2.8 gallon boil (the closest equipment profile I had lying around, one of the default ones), it still stays around 38. Something is up with the recipe, AA% is a good guess, though none of the numbers you have in there are way out of whack.

 

[mgr_stl]

Here's a link to the brewers best kit recipe.

http://www.brewersbestkits.com/pdf/1016 2013 English Brown Ale Recipe.pdf

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[weirdboy]

OK I clicked on your beersmith link, and your instructions. Maris Otter is not Amber LME, and Amber Malt is not Amber DME. Maris Otter is a base grain, which you shouldn't even have in your recipe for an extract recipe, and Amber Malt is some specialty malt that has no business being there either.

There is an ingredient in the grains which says "Amber Liquid Extract". THAT is what you should be using, along with 2 lbs of "Amber Dry Extract". That at least will get you a more reasonable gravity number. I'm not even sure how you got the number you have...I guess you have some weird setting for efficiency, and you didn't select "Extract" as the recipe type, as you should have, because then you'd get extremely wrong numbers that would make it obvious you were doing something wrong in Beersmith.



But even with all of that, I still get much higher IBUs--in the range of around 35-38. Really you should be using more like .5oz of the Brewer's Gold if you're doing a full boil, assuming they are 8% alpha acid.

So, in the future, if you are doing an extract recipe, select "Extract" as the recipe type. You have selected either "Partial Mash" or "All Grain" because otherwise you'd be getting something like 1.007 for your OG. Then you should substitute Amber Liquid Extract for your Maris Otter, and substitute Amber Dry Extract for your Amber Malt. That should give you IBUs around 37-38. If you click "decrease amount" on the Brewers Gold to bring it down to .5oz, you'll see the IBUs fall into the 20's.


The recipe was written assuming a partial boil, where you add all the extract at the beginning of the boil and you are boiling something like 1/3 to 1/2 of the final volume. Really you could get away with half of the bittering hops (even with a partial boil extract, so long as you don't add all the extract at the beginning) and end up with the right IBUs.