Best brewing software

[Oliver]

Hi all,

OK, I did a search but couldn't find the answer

I'm going to get into all-grain (BIAB) in the new year and would like your thoughts on which brewing software I should invest in (or not, if it's free!).

You may think that the best brewing software isn't necessarily the brewing software you use.

My inital thoughts of the poll options:

BeerSmith: Obviously one of the most popular ones, if not the most popular, so definitely in the running. Although there's a broken link on one of the pages, and it's to the "Buy Beer Smith" page, which doesn't instil one with confidence!

BrewMate: One of the new players and getting good reports. It's free, which is a bonus if its features stack up.

ProMash: It worries me slightly that they're a bit behind the times and boast that it will run on "Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, Win 2000 and Win XP". Ever heard of Vista or Windows 7? Either they haven't tested it or haven't updated their site. Either way it's lazy and it's a worry. Or maybe development has stopped, which is also a big negative.

iBrewMaster: Looks OK, but I don't have an iPhone.

Others: Also-rans, most of which haven't had recent updates.

What do you reckon?

Oliver

[billybushcook]

I can't comment as to which is best because Ive only ever used Beersmith.

On the subject of Buying a copy, I just down loaded a trial version & purchased a Liscence from Ross @ Craftbrewer, he will Email you with a lic, number, enter it into apropriate page in the program & away she goes!!

Mick.

[Oliver]

Thanks Mick. Any reason you chose to go through Ross rather than buy over the net? Just interested as the state of the Aussie dollar would have made it the same if not a little cheaper to go through the BeerSmith site.

Just doing some quick calcs, you could have saved yourself a whole $2.75! ($24.95 v $22.20 ($US21.95).)

Cheers,

Oliver

[Oliver]

Also just came across Brew Pal in another thread.

It's another one for iPhone only.

Cheers,

Oliver

[SuperBroo]

Have used brewpal and ibrewmaster both for iphone, but the ibrewmaster is nicer, and has a great scheduling setup.

Beats having to have a laptop running all the time you are brewing.

I still need to use Beersmith to do the mash efficieny calculations though.

Cheers,
Grog.

[warra48]

I use BeerSmith, and although it has some well identified flaws, it largely delivers what I need in a brewing program.

I've tried a few other free programs, and none of them really deliver anything more of value to me than I get from BeerSmith.
I also tried the trial version of ProMash, but I didn't like the layout, and some of its functions appeared confusing to me. BeerSmith just seemed more natural for me.

The only program now on my desktop is BeerSmith. I've removed all the others.

[Bum]

My understanding is that the boys at biabbrewer.info have been working on BIAB specific spreadsheets that might be more useful for you than the options above. Perhaps one of the BIAB brewers here might be able to discuss how useful they are in practice.

I voted Beersmith. There is an initial steep learning curve but beyond that it is pretty simple to use. Lots of people still use ProMash so it probably shouldn't be discounted just yet. I think all of these have free evaluation versions (or are just free) - just try them out for yourself.

[Tipsy]

I tried the trial versions of Beersmith and Promash and went with Beersmith for the same reasons that Warra pointed out.
I've been very happy with it.

If starting again, I would definately try Brewmate first as the price seems just about right.

[Finnagann]

I really like Beer Alchemy, but I believe it is for mac only. I've also used Beersmith with great success.

[rotten]

As you would have possibly read in another thread I use brewmate. I didn't like the first version, but it has had a few updates since then. There is a version 4 now as well. I downloaded the beersmith trial, but culdn't get my head around it. I know more now which may help.
Brewmate for me still.
Cheers

[bullfrog]

I've got BrewMate and use it to design, tweak, comment on and save all of my recipes. My wife has iBrewMaster on her phone and I use this when she is driving, when we are in any form of waiting room or when we are at her mother's house.

[bullfrog]

So I've just recently had to deal with a death of a good friend...my computer's HDD. Whilst I dilligently have saved all of my system software (drivers, OS, applications, etc) I didn't have a backup of all of my recipes on BrewMate. I've just reinstalled it and have to now start over from scratch. My house brews aren't a worry as I know them off the top of my head, by now, but it's going to mean getting creative all over again for all of my lesser-brewed designs.

Off topic, but I did need to lament the loss of my months and months worth of dilligently saved notes and creations!

[Tipsy]

So I've just recently had to deal with a death of a good friend...my computer's HDD.

My condolences it must be hard to replace all that porn.

[bullfrog]

Psh, you don't think I didn't back up the important stuff??

Oh...ah...I mean, what?

Haha, it's a good thing my wife doesn't frequent this site!

[Oliver]

I've settled on BeerSmith. I gave it and BrewMate a go and BeerSmith just seems a bit more intuitive to me.

Plus, I had problems running BrewMate on Windows 7 due to its different security settings and permissions on folders than exist in XP. When I contacted the developer and gave details of the problem the solution he gave was to run BrewMate as an administrator. Not really confidence-inspiring or an approporiate solution, I wouldn't have thought.

So BeerSmith it is.

Cheers,

Oliver

[bilgerat]

I just downloaded Brewsmith V2, Im not even sure where to start??
I went to an AG demo day at my local HBS today and I am convinced that this is the way I will go , just need to get a stainless stock pot around 40 - 50 litre , wort cooler etc.
Cheers
Gary

[Oliver]

HI Gary,

Coincidentally, I upgraded to v2 today, and watched all the videos that you can find on the BeerSmith site.

They're all between 1 and about 5 minutes and will give you a good starting point. Then have a bit of a play around to get a feel for what's possible.

BeerSmith looks very daunting but when you're starting out there are a whole lot of things that aren't that relevant or that you can safely leave until you become more familiar with brewing or decide it's time to get into partial or full mash. My advice is to just stick to the recipe generator and leave other stuff like fermentation and setting up your equipment to later.

Having used version 1.x I the latest version is a vast improvement.

Cheers,

Oliver

[barls]

I really like Beer Alchemy, but I believe it is for mac only. I've also used Beersmith with great success.

im using beer alchemy on both my mac and my iphone. i really like im not running back in to the house to see how its going when im taking readings. i enter them directly with out conversions from brixs. it does the lot for me.
highly recommend this one

[bilgerat]

Hello Oliver

I will spend some time looking at the Beersmith videos before I go too far.
Im off to Broome shortly for a few weeks, so have stopped production for now, I will get into all grain production when I get back towards the end August, I have put some homebrewed stout into sealed plastic brew bottles to enjoy a drink around the camp fire at night on my drive north.
I look forward to getting home to sample brews that are kegged and burped ready to go, a dark ale and an oatmeal stout.

Gary

[speedie]

thats new to me a phone brewer?