Computer Software

[thehesitantchef]

Hello!

I'm wondering what everyone uses in terms of software, if at all. I use mac and want to know what are the best programs out there that'll help me document my recipes. Can you help a brother out?

Thanks,

Cheers,

 

[BrewerBrad82]

Beersmith!

http://beersmith.com/

 

[BrewerBrad82]

Oh, and welcome to the forum!

 

[thehesitantchef]

Why thank you! I'll check it out! Thanks,

 

[thehesitantchef]

Thank you! I'll check it out.

 

[Kent88]

If you don't mind paying for it, I've heard beersmith is great. If you want to save a little money check out brewersfriend (website with an app) and brewtarget (Mac, Linux, and windows are all supported). The brewersfriend website works great for me, they have a recipe builder that I use all the time, as well as calculators for all sorts of stuff. Brewtarget is also worth checking out as it is free, multiplatform, installable software. I've checked it out a few times but I usually end up going back to brewersfriend and I keep paper records of my brew sessions.

Another helpful page I have in the tab next to brewersfriend is the GBR calculators.

 

[Vandulus]

Beersmith!

http://beersmith.com/

It can be daunting when you first start using it, but over time as you play with more features it becomes well worth the time and money invested.

 

[beergolf]

For a Mac look at BeerAlchemy. It is written for the mac so it works very well. I use it and it is great because I can also put it on my iPad or even on your phone. They synch via wireless.

I can use my iPad during brew days and take notes and do any on the fly changes, then synch it back to my computer.

 

[beskone]

I'm on a Mac and use Beer Tools Pro. http://beertools.com

I find the interface much more pleasing than Beersmith and find it generally more intuitive to use. Works great for me.

 

[bucfan1234]

I use beersmith, and I have had good luck with it so far.

I like the computer based version better than the app, but for the $, the app seems fairly robust.

 

[Sailingeric]

I use Brewersfriend. I have the paid plan that gives me cloud space to keep my recipes so I can be the LHBS and can pull them up on my phone. I tried Beersmith but I liked the ease of Brewersfriend.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

I use beersmith for formulating recipes and recording brew day notes, and my online calculator Priceless BiabCalc to determining my mash efficiency, water volumes, and temps.

(recipe formulation will be added eventually, maybe next week if I can figure out how to pull from a grain/hop database...)

 

[Homercidal]

I have used Beersmith for years. It's a good program, but requires a bit of configuration to get to match your equipment.

I also recently purchased Brewer's Friend. I think the interface might be considered "simpler". It's an online program so it can be used on anything that supports a web browser. I haven't used it enough to be able to offer a solid recommendation, but so far it seems pretty decent. It's not quite as full-featured as BS, but I don't know that everyone cares about all features either.

If you BIAB there are numerous online calculators out there. Or the hand calculations aren't that hard to do if you are working from a recipe.

If you are building your own recipe, I find Beersmith very useful for quickly calculating OG, IBUS, etc.

 

[mmb]

Beersmith and BrewTarget. I've used BeerSmith for years and like it but BrewTarget is free, open source, and community driven.

 

[thehesitantchef]

Thanks guys! I'm going to look at all of them, although I like the idea of free! haha. I might stick to brew target. BUT I will look at all of them!

Thank you!