Brewing software

[OakIslandBrewery]

Very convenient on a mobile phone

I haven't advanced that far. I guess I like the larger screen of a computer over what my cell phone has.

 

[quantumguy]

I use a Mac and used BeerSmith for a while, but have switched over to BeerTools. I find the equipment setup and volume calculations much more straightforward with BeerTools. Not so many places to see what is going on behind the scenes. I also like the mash schedule much better in BeerTools for step mashes.

 

[McMullan]

I just don't get how some seem to struggle with setting up Beer Smith. Readjusted my expectations due to adding a steam condenser and it works out just perfect.

 

[Yesfan]

Having used Beersmith and BrewFather, I definitely prefer BrewFather. The mobile app is great and I get notifications during the brewday on PC, phone and apple watch. It just seems more polished and easier to use than Beersmith.

Same here. I don't dislike or ever hated Beersmith. I just felt like it was clunky to me compared to Brewfather. I used Beersmith for a while (v2) until moving over to Brewfather.

I probably would have stayed with Beersmith, but I was able to get a free code through my brew club for Brewfather, so I have it free for a year. The biggest advantage for me is the shared platform and the ability to track a Tilt device, which is something I would like to get in the near future. The biggest and only negative I have is when running the timers on BF during a brew day, they go inactive if I don't keep my phone from going to sleep mode. I almost missed a hop addition because of that.

 

[quantumguy]

It wasn't that much of a pain for me but I found BeerTools to be more straightforward. I also didn't like how BeerSmith's final volume and efficiency was geared towards what made its way into the fermenter rather what was left in the BK after cooling. The latter is much more straightforward for me to measure accurately.

 

[balrog]

Let's just step back a moment and realize that we are having one of those existential conversations like "What's the best Text Editor?" The result is of course a full blown religious battle of epic proportions involving attacks, counter attacks, thinly veiled reason, and likely rabid wombats.

To each their own.

Unless you're talking about liking Lima beans. Then, of course, you're wrong.

 

[Kyhomebrewer]

I work with wine not beer so I use a program I wrote myself in VB.Net. tracks current brews, evaluations, batch info, and even inventory (though inventory it tailored to my racks and I'm not skilled enough to be able to let the user configure their own racks in program) I considered selling it and asked for opinions after showing screenshots on another homebrew site but it seemed no one was interested so I gave up on the idea and just use it for myself.

 

[kevin58]

I just don't get how some seem to struggle with setting up Beer Smith. Readjusted my expectations due to adding a steam condenser and it works out just perfect.

Some people just want to plug it in and have it work. Others like to get under the hood and make their own adjustments.

 

[Beekeeper]

I use and recommend BrewCipher. But I am the author and therefore biased.
You can download it from -> Google Drive <- or -> DropBox <-.

Kodos to the developer! Now entering its 10th year! (6-8-2013 Beta)
A labor of love, without a doubt.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

Let's just step back a moment and realize that we are having one of those existential conversations like "What's the best Text Editor?" The result is of course a full blown religious battle of epic proportions involving attacks, counter attacks, thinly veiled reason, and likely rabid wombats.

In this topic, I'm seeing mostly "I use ... because ...".

Seems like people with laptops/desktops are often mostly using solid desktop apps (or custom spreadsheets) & people with phones are often using solid web based apps like BrewFather / Brewers Friend.

 

[Beekeeper]

I also use "Wort" for android - handy to have recipe notes, style guides, and calculators on the phone.

 

[Alan Reginato]

I also use "Wort" for android - handy to have recipe notes, style guides, and calculators on the phone.

I tried wort too, works. There isn't some options, but is ok

 

[CascadesBrewer]

people with phones are often using solid web based apps like BrewFather / Brewers Friend.

Or cheap bastards frugal brewers like me that decided to put up with the clunky nature of the BeerSmith App because it has 90% of the power of desktop BeerSmith, could be accessed from any location, and only required a one time $6 fee that included lifetime upgrades. I eventually gave in to a BeerSmith Gold license for $15 per year (cheaper for the first year) due to the roll out of the BeerSmith Web version. But, I am not a huge fan of the yearly subscription model that has taken over these days.

 

[Yesfan]

In this topic, I'm seeing mostly "I use ... because ...".

Seems like people with laptops/desktops are often mostly using solid desktop apps (or custom spreadsheets) & people with phones are often using solid web based apps like BrewFather / Brewers Friend.

Another advantage for myself. I brew in the garage. The laptop stays upstairs. It also takes up more space on a table than a phone does. I don't have the Beersmith app on my phone, so knowing what I see in the recipe on my phone downstairs is the same as what I put together on the laptop upstairs.


Anyone know how to get Brewfather to wake the phone up when the timer goes off for a hop addition? That's a big negative for me on Brewfather, but it's the only negative I have. I have another multi timer app I used to use that would go off whether the phone was in use or asleep, so I'm hoping it's a setting in Brewfather.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

Anyone know how to get Brewfather to wake the phone up when the timer goes off for a hop addition?

I have noticed the same issue in the BeerSmith app after I upgraded my Android Phone. I think the newer versions of Android are pretty draconian about shutting down apps to extend battery life. I have tweaked a few settings, and thought I fixed the issue, but I saw it again recently. iOS might have similar "features" that prevent background processes.

 

[LLBrewer]

I've probably written 4 or 5 different versions of brewing software. It's what I do when I'm learning a new language or technology. The latest was written to learn blazor (if there's any other nerds in here).

 

[tracer bullet]

In this topic, I'm seeing mostly "I use ... because ...".

I use Excel for my calculations w/ a little help from Brewer's Friend, which goes to a Word doc, which I print out for brew day.

Because - I've been doing it since before the apps were invented and it works (my equations and numbers seem perfect for my system) and I'm too lazy to change it.

 

[beren]

"What's the best Text Editor?"

VIM.

 

[balrog]

VIM.

I figured SOMEONE would start in

 

[Alan Reginato]

I use Excel for my calculations w/ a little help from Brewer's Friend, which goes to a Word doc, which I print out for brew day.

Because - I've been doing it since before the apps were invented and it works (my equations and numbers seem perfect for my system) and I'm too lazy to change it.

You're not lazy. If works, it's call method.

 

[BrewDrinkRepeat]

I use Beer Tools Pro (macOS), and Bru'n Water for all water calculations.

When I first was looking into brewing software, many many years ago, BTP was easily the most professional, fully-featured brewing software for the Mac. (I tried Beer Alchemy as well, which was really good and looked nicer than BTP, but felt like more of a recipe database than a full-fledged brewing app, at least at the time.)

There were few options at the time in general, outside of spreadsheets, and only a couple of Mac apps. Not sure if BeerSmith even existed at the time, but if it did it was still Windows-only.

I've just kept using BTP all these years, despite some annoyance at how slow he is to release updates (at one point I thought it had become abandonware, several years of absolute inactivity, and then out of the blue a new version was released just a little while ago.)

If I had to pick a new app today I guess it would probably come down to BeerSmith or Brewfather, but I have to admit I don't much care for the UI on either one (for different reasons). Of course functionality and calculation accuracy is far more important, but UI isn't unimportant to me.

And I'm trying to learn how to code (purely as a hobby / personal interest), and intend on trying to womp together my own brewing app (for personal use only) as a learning project.

 

[govner1]

What is the brewing software everyone uses? I have used both Brewer's Friend and Brewfather a little, both seem to be usable but I am more comfortable with Brewfather. Brewer's friend seems to have more usable calculators and such. Are there any others I should look for as well?

TIA for input

Lon

BeerSmith. I’ve since it first came out. It’s easy to learn and the latest online/cloud features are great.

 

[Beekeeper]

VIM.

I have Geany as my default editor now.
Consider thread hijacked.

 

[BrewDrinkRepeat]

Nerds.

 

[ScrewyBrewer]

I use ezRecipe Design on my computers, it has plenty of great features, and I keep adding more with every new release.

 

[Virus467]

Brewfather user here. I haven't really tried many of the other softwares out there but that's because brewfather does what I need. Recipe generation and use is easy. Water additions seem to be pretty accurate. The inventory management and integration with Tilt sold it for me

 

[SFC Rudy]

I put Palmers numbers into excel and tweaked it to my system.

 

[pvtpublic]

I use a blindfold and dice

 

[Yesfan]

I use a blindfold and dice

Winner!

 

[pvtpublic]

In all seriousness though, I use a combination of Wort, Brewer's Friend, and Ray Daniel's "Designing Great Beers". I find the calculations in the book to be invaluable when brew day goes sideways.