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Author Topic: promash vs beersmith vs others  (Read 28614 times)

Offline Kaiser

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Re: promash vs beersmith vs others
« Reply #15 on: March 07, 2013, 09:24:23 am »
I realize that I'm likely in the minority, but "online" kills it for me.  I have no internet access in the "brewery", and spotty access a lot of the time.  Ah, the joys of living away from civilization!

I hear you. I'm not a big fan of the cloud either but I do appreciate its aspect of mobility. I moved away from recipe calculators to only paper b/c I didn't want to lug a laptop to my brewing area. Now I'm moving back to these tools b/c I can simply use my phone.

You could install a stronger WIFI our use Ethernet over power line to solve the internet access issue. But keeping all the stuff on the laptop also works.

Kai

Offline erockrph

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Re: promash vs beersmith vs others
« Reply #16 on: March 07, 2013, 09:32:09 am »
I've played with Hopville and BeerSmith, but I am solely using Brewer's Friend now. I love having access to everything online. I get to tinker with recipes during downtime at work. The developer is quite responsive to issues, and is constantly adding new useful features.

While a lot of features in the Android app are just links out to the website, the webapp works just fine on my phone.
Eric B.

Finally got around to starting a homebrewing blog: The Hop Whisperer

Offline denny

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Re: promash vs beersmith vs others
« Reply #17 on: March 07, 2013, 10:06:59 am »
I hear you. I'm not a big fan of the cloud either but I do appreciate its aspect of mobility. I moved away from recipe calculators to only paper b/c I didn't want to lug a laptop to my brewing area. Now I'm moving back to these tools b/c I can simply use my phone.

You could install a stronger WIFI our use Ethernet over power line to solve the internet access issue. But keeping all the stuff on the laptop also works.

Kai

I've considered both of those solutions, but I'm too cheap to spring for anything yet.  I don't have a smartphone, so that option is out.   I brew in a detached garage about 50-60 ft. from the house.  I have an old desktop running Promash  there and my solution at this point is to put recipes on a flash drive and just carry it back and forth from the house to the garage.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline factory

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Re: promash vs beersmith vs others
« Reply #18 on: March 07, 2013, 10:14:17 am »
Beersmith for recipe calculations. Bru'n Water for water calcs and Brewersfriend for yeast pitch calcs.
All wonderful tools. What an awesome time to be a homebrewer. So much great information at our fingertips.

+1 except I use the Mr. Malty yeast calculator.

Offline Pi

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Re: promash vs beersmith vs others
« Reply #19 on: March 07, 2013, 11:35:17 am »
I have been using Promash for years and it does everything i need for recipe formulation. The only thing I dont like about it is running up and down the stairs to my PC on brew day.
I just downloaded the trial version of BeerSmith2 and have to admit there are alot of useful features. Like all new software there is a considerable learning curve and eventually i will make the switch.
Question: does beersmith lite work with beersmith2 or are they 2 seperate animals? I would like to use the full version to create and modify recipes and the lite version on my ipad for the brewery. do the two work together?
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Offline factory

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Re: promash vs beersmith vs others
« Reply #20 on: March 07, 2013, 11:56:48 am »
Question: does beersmith lite work with beersmith2 or are they 2 seperate animals? I would like to use the full version to create and modify recipes and the lite version on my ipad for the brewery. do the two work together?

Yes, the two work together via "the cloud".  You save recipes to the cloud on the full version of Beersmith and then a limited amount of information is available on the lite version for iPod/iPad.  The lite version has a timer and the information that is on the brew sheet in the main version.  The lite version also has all the tools and calculators that you need for brew day.


Offline weithman5

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Re: promash vs beersmith vs others
« Reply #21 on: March 08, 2013, 01:27:37 pm »
this is why i like having it on my phone. (ibrewmaster) it is not online. i like to play with recipes when i am supposed to be paying attention in meetings, events....
Don AHA member

Offline Alewyfe

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Re: promash vs beersmith vs others
« Reply #22 on: March 08, 2013, 01:32:06 pm »
I hear you. I'm not a big fan of the cloud either but I do appreciate its aspect of mobility. I moved away from recipe calculators to only paper b/c I didn't want to lug a laptop to my brewing area. Now I'm moving back to these tools b/c I can simply use my phone.

You could install a stronger WIFI our use Ethernet over power line to solve the internet access issue. But keeping all the stuff on the laptop also works.

Kai

I've considered both of those solutions, but I'm too cheap to spring for anything yet.  I don't have a smartphone, so that option is out.   I brew in a detached garage about 50-60 ft. from the house.  I have an old desktop running Promash  there and my solution at this point is to put recipes on a flash drive and just carry it back and forth from the house to the garage.

Do you have a generator Denny? Or at least a solar calculator? We outlanders neeeeeed to be ready to brew during the Zombie Apocalypse.
Diane
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Offline denny

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Re: promash vs beersmith vs others
« Reply #23 on: March 09, 2013, 09:26:54 am »
Do you have a generator Denny? Or at least a solar calculator? We outlanders neeeeeed to be ready to brew during the Zombie Apocalypse.

Nope, no generator.  I guess in the event of zombies I'll have to put the dogs on a treadmill and hook something up to that.  ;)
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline bluesman

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promash vs beersmith vs others
« Reply #24 on: March 09, 2013, 08:55:12 pm »
I use Beersmith2 and have no complaints. I absolutely love it. I have no experience with Promash or BF, but Beersmith is very comprehensive with multiple calculators for just about everything you can imagine, when it comes to brewing. Brad Smith is committed to his software and really has it down pat. You won't go wrong with BS2.
Ron Price

Offline khillje

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Re: promash vs beersmith vs others
« Reply #25 on: March 11, 2013, 09:55:17 am »
Totally try Beer Smith 2.  Amazing tool for designing recipes.  I'll create a recipe with my book "Designing Great Beers" and then I'll use the software to tweak.  It'll even keep you within style guidelines if you'd like to be dead on.  I just found out they released Beer Smith for Android too.  That'll be a great help on brew day in addition to the brew schedule sheet you can print out from the program.