BlackBerry Brew Calculator

[celticcolorado]

Maybe this is a dumb question. I guess I don't really understand, how can you go back and access your recipe electronically?

I think it would also be beneficial to have some calculators to access while you are brewing. (i.e Strike Water Temps, Hydrometer temp adjustments, etc). Also, was there a reason that the Hops and Yeast do not have a drop down like the grains and adjuncts?

I do love the fact that it can be accessed through any system. I submitted my recipe via blackberry.

 

[jlutz1]

Thanks of taking a look celticcolorado... I guess I should make it clear that I'm still working on the site so some more features are "on the way".

I will be putting a text box in at the recipe results page where you can put in your email address and send it to yourself. That way you will have the recipe whereever you can access your email.

Hydrometer temperature correction is at the bottom of the page... When you enter a hydrometer reading and the temperature and then click submit, the results page will display the corrected hydrometer reading at the specified temperature.

Values for hops and yeasts vary and anythign I put in would get out-dated as soon as I publish so I will leave it up to the user to enter the names and values for the hops and yeasts that they use.

I do plan on adding some strike water calculations and fields for mash temp, mash time etc...

Again, thanks for taking a look and please do check back often as in the next couple of days I will keep adding to it.

-jtl

 

[celticcolorado]

Thanks for putting this together jtl. I have it bookmarked on my Blackberry and Laptop. I can't wait to see the final product.

 

[jlutz1]

Just an update on the web-based home brew utility that I've been working on (http://www.BBrewApp.com)... I've added the capability to email yourself the recipe so that you can save it for eternity. When you enter all of your recipe information and then click the "Submit" buttom, the results page will list all of the recipe information that you entered as well as some calculated information (ABV, IBU, etc). If you are satisfied with the recipe and the calculated info, you can then enter your email address and click "SEND" and a text file with all of that info will be sent to that address. Once you have the text file, you can edit it yourself with things like tasting notes etc...

In the near future I'll add a couple more text inputs to record things like strike water temp, strike water volume, and general notes.

 

[Golddiggie]

I'm interested in a BBerry app for home brewing too... Especially for when I'm at the LHBS and want to tweak the recipe while there and see what it does to things. While I could bring my laptop with me, it would be far easier/faster to just do it on my BBerry Storm2...

I have downloaded (installed and now run) the BJCP app (thanks to mrtrav).. It's good to have the info, but I still would like to have a calculator for the BlackBerry to help in formulation when not at home (or have my laptop powered on when remote)...

 

[jlutz1]

The site that I set up http://www.BBrewApp.com will help you a ton when you're at the shop. Just pull out your BB and input whatever data you want to try and click submit to see ABV or IBU...

 

[Golddiggie]

The site that I set up http://www.BBrewApp.com will help you a ton when you're at the shop. Just pull out your BB and input whatever data you want to try and click submit to see ABV or IBU...

Not really what I'm looking for... Web sites are fine for many things, but trying to enter information to a web site is not even close to what I'm looking for. Plus, I want/need to be able to formulate it with enough time to think about things. With the site method, I cannot see being able to save it onto a memory card, so that I can reference it later.

Maybe Beer Smith will come out with a BlackBerry add-on so that you can shoot your recipe to your device, pull it up when remote, and make changes as you need to when at your LHBS... That would be a very useful tool to me...

 

[jds]

...Maybe Beer Smith will come out with a BlackBerry add-on so that you can shoot your recipe to your device, pull it up when remote, and make changes as you need to when at your LHBS... That would be a very useful tool to me...

Substitute "piece of paper" for "device", and you're all set.

Not trying to be snarky here, but sometimes there's just no replacement for pen and paper. I think that's one of those times.

 

[Golddiggie]

Substitute "piece of paper" for "device", and you're all set.

Not trying to be snarky here, but sometimes there's just no replacement for pen and paper. I think that's one of those times.

Paper only goes so far... I really don't want to have to run all the calculations when I change something like which hop I'll use, how much DME/LME I'll use, the grains weight, etc... I've tried the 'piece of paper' route and that really only goes so far. Plus, I tend to brew higher gravity items. Being able to see, quickly, what changes will do to the brew, while at the LHBS is important to me. Especially when OG impacts the hops utilization value, which then impacts other things. I also don't like how large a time span is in the chart for calculating hop utilization (in the books I have already)... The software does a better job there, so I can adjust in 5 minute (or less) increments for the hop boil and see how that will impact things.

I guess until someone actually makes a good calculator for the BlackBerry, I'll just have to bring my laptop along for the ride... It's a shame, since it would be far easier/faster/better to be able to have my recipe in my BlackBerry so that I can adjust it on the fly (without killing trees) and see what the changes will do...

With the software being available for the iphoney, how hard would it be to port over to the BlackBerry (5.x OS for now, 6.x can come later)??

 

[mrtrav]

With the software being available for the iphoney, how hard would it be to port over to the BlackBerry (5.x OS for now, 6.x can come later)??

Surprisingly very difficult

 

[Golddiggie]

Surprisingly very difficult

Then I think it's time someone [with the knowledge/skills] steps up to the task and make one from scratch. From the sound of it, it would be easier to build a new app than to port over.

I'm not a software developer, so I don't think I'd be a good choice... Unless the SDK's make it fairly straight forward and all it really takes is time to get the database relationships in place and such. I know, "all it takes" is not the same as "easy to do"... Often the person saying the first has no clue on how to actually execute the task (hence my comment about not knowing how to do this, before that comment)...

I have an ipod touch (plus an older ipod for my truck's stereo deck) but I'm not about to get an app just for that. For one thing, I almost never use the ipod touch (the one that goes into the truck is used far more often). I would dump it, if I wouldn't lose so much of the music I purchased due to apple's protection on the music I purchased over the years. I would lose about 1/3-1/2 of my purchased music if I tried to convert to something else. If it wasn't for that, I would dump the touch and just use my Storm2 for everything (except the truck)...

 

[mrtrav]

I plan on making one from scratch as I outlined earlier in this thread, but its going to be a month or two before I get to it since I'm finishing up the touches on a different blackberry app.

 

[Golddiggie]

I plan on making one from scratch as I outlined earlier in this thread, but its going to be a month or two before I get to it since I'm finishing up the touches on a different blackberry app.

Ah... ok... Thought you might have dropped the project due to other things... If you want/need a beta tester (or even alpha as long as it won't bugger my 'berry) sign me up...

 

[jlutz1]

Not really what I'm looking for... Web sites are fine for many things, but trying to enter information to a web site is not even close to what I'm looking for. Plus, I want/need to be able to formulate it with enough time to think about things. With the site method, I cannot see being able to save it onto a memory card, so that I can reference it later.

Then I think it's time someone [with the knowledge/skills] steps up to the task and make one from scratch. From the sound of it, it would be easier to build a new app than to port over.

I'm not a software developer, so I don't think I'd be a good choice... Unless the SDK's make it fairly straight forward and all it really takes is time to get the database relationships in place and such. I know, "all it takes" is not the same as "easy to do"... Often the person saying the first has no clue on how to actually execute the task (hence my comment about not knowing how to do this, before that comment)...

I have an ipod touch (plus an older ipod for my truck's stereo deck) but I'm not about to get an app just for that. For one thing, I almost never use the ipod touch (the one that goes into the truck is used far more often). I would dump it, if I wouldn't lose so much of the music I purchased due to apple's protection on the music I purchased over the years. I would lose about 1/3-1/2 of my purchased music if I tried to convert to something else. If it wasn't for that, I would dump the touch and just use my Storm2 for everything (except the truck)...

Good story...

I promise this will be the last time I push BBrewApp on you... If you would actually try it out, you will see that the site loads very quickly (faster than a lot of applications) and that you can input the information about the recipe in less than a minute and then click submit to get the calculated results. Hit back and try tweaking something and then click submit again to see how the ABV or IBUs changed. When you got results you like, enter your email address and click send and you have a text file in you inbox with all of the recipe information.

I had the same frustrations as you about being a BB user and not having brewing software like what is available for the iPhone. So I did something about it and made this site that any device can access and anyone with a little knowledge of brewing can use to tweak and save recipes on the fly.

The only downside I see to the web based approach(while I know I"m a bit partial to my own work), is that if your LHBS is located in a missile silo or in the middle of nowhere and you can't get a signal.

 

[mrtrav]

Good story...

I promise this will be the last time I push BBrewApp on you... If you would actually try it out, you will see that the site loads very quickly (faster than a lot of applications) and that you can input the information about the recipe in less than a minute and then click submit to get the calculated results. Hit back and try tweaking something and then click submit again to see how the ABV or IBUs changed. When you got results you like, enter your email address and click send and you have a text file in you inbox with all of the recipe information.

I had the same frustrations as you about being a BB user and not having brewing software like what is available for the iPhone. So I did something about it and made this site that any device can access and anyone with a little knowledge of brewing can use to tweak and save recipes on the fly.

The only downside I see to the web based approach(while I know I"m a bit partial to my own work), is that if your LHBS is located in a missile silo or in the middle of nowhere and you can't get a signal.

It took me forever to determine how to properly pull/push data from the internet within a blackberry app. If you're interested, we could probably work together to create a simple app that just stored recipes locally on the device and pushed them to your site for calculations. Or if you already have the calculations, it would easily be able to plug in the formulas in the app and it wouldn't matter if you were in a missile silo or not.

 

[Golddiggie]

Good story...

I promise this will be the last time I push BBrewApp on you... If you would actually try it out, you will see that the site loads very quickly (faster than a lot of applications) and that you can input the information about the recipe in less than a minute and then click submit to get the calculated results. Hit back and try tweaking something and then click submit again to see how the ABV or IBUs changed. When you got results you like, enter your email address and click send and you have a text file in you inbox with all of the recipe information.

I had the same frustrations as you about being a BB user and not having brewing software like what is available for the iPhone. So I did something about it and made this site that any device can access and anyone with a little knowledge of brewing can use to tweak and save recipes on the fly.

The only downside I see to the web based approach(while I know I"m a bit partial to my own work), is that if your LHBS is located in a missile silo or in the middle of nowhere and you can't get a signal.

Using the app you're trying to push, on my Storm2, simply sucks... This really is something that needs to be an actual app on the BlackBerry, NOT a freakin web site.

The BJCP app is a good reference app, with a lot of information in it. Just waiting for BlackBerry/RIM to release v3.1 through the AppWorld so that I can install it on my device. Version 3.0 works well, just want to drop the ad at the end... I can wait on that until the end of the week, or when it's actually available through AppWorld...

 

[mrtrav]

Using the app you're trying to push, on my Storm2, simply sucks... This really is something that needs to be an actual app on the BlackBerry, NOT a freakin web site.

The BJCP app is a good reference app, with a lot of information in it. Just waiting for BlackBerry/RIM to release v3.1 through the AppWorld so that I can install it on my device. Version 3.0 works well, just want to drop the ad at the end... I can wait on that until the end of the week, or when it's actually available through AppWorld...

3.1 was approved this morning, so it should start becoming available soon in AppWorld. No more ads/BJCP screen upon closing in this version. Also doesn't crash!

 

[jlutz1]

Using the app you're trying to push, on my Storm2, simply sucks... This really is something that needs to be an actual app on the BlackBerry, NOT a freakin web site.

I appreciate the constructive criticism

 

[Golddiggie]

I appreciate the constructive criticism

Web based apps/software work ok on computers. On a Blackberry, or most hand held devices, they fall flat... I still prefer an actual application that I can run ON the computer/device over web based every time. Such as Beer Smith (actually purchased my license yesterday, so I have it for the long haul).

Having the application actually installed (not web-based) also means that if you're in a store, where cell reception drops too low, or drops completely, you can still formulate your recipe, or tweak it for what's available. With web based, you're screwed until you can get a couple of 'bars'...

What mrtrav has released is the way to go... If you want to offer something for the hand held market, then code it for the devices as installable software.

 

[mrtrav]

Web based apps/software work ok on computers. On a Blackberry, or most hand held devices, they fall flat... I still prefer an actual application that I can run ON the computer/device over web based every time. Such as Beer Smith (actually purchased my license yesterday, so I have it for the long haul).

Having the application actually installed (not web-based) also means that if you're in a store, where cell reception drops too low, or drops completely, you can still formulate your recipe, or tweak it for what's available. With web based, you're screwed until you can get a couple of 'bars'...

What mrtrav has released is the way to go... If you want to offer something for the hand held market, then code it for the devices as installable software.

I actually agree with this one. However I also agree with jlutz1's method of creating the web based app for the simplicity of not having to code for multiple phone operating systems. Although they are all similar, it's a lengthy process to code for all of them.

It all really comes down to having the time and energy to put into coding all of this. I would like to put both into it, but right now I'm balls deep in another blackberry beer app. Perhaps spring/summer 2011 I can work on something if jlutz1 hasn't put the effort in already.

 

[9am53]

sooo....what's the deal?

 

[fxdrider]

http://www.510brewing.com/2010/11/bbjcp-blackberry-bjcp-guide/

If you have Blackberry AppWorld on your phone, do a search for BJCP. Then just download it to your phone and install.

It's mainly an informational app. It doesn't do calculations.

 

[mrtrav]

http://www.510brewing.com/2010/11/bbjcp-blackberry-bjcp-guide/

If you have Blackberry AppWorld on your phone, do a search for BJCP. Then just download it to your phone and install.

It's mainly an informational app. It doesn't do calculations.

The BJCP app there is just a BJCP style guideline as a native app. Doesn't do anything in regards to recipe formulation or sample recipes.

http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/17991?lang=en

 

[9am53]

I noticed that the website calculation thing doesn't work anymore. Where did it go? I actually liked it!