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Author Topic: Brewing Log & Calculator for iPhone/iPad  (Read 3836 times)

Offline hambly

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Brewing Log & Calculator for iPhone/iPad
« on: June 09, 2013, 08:17:11 pm »
Hey Fellow AHA members,

Without sounding too spammy, I wanted to let you all know about my brewing calculator and logbook app for iOS. I released version 2.0 today, which is a dramatic update and I'd love to get any comments and feedback you may have! 

If you are a beginner looking for an easy piece of software to log your brews and calculated ABV, or if you are a seasoned veteran doing multi-rest decoction mashes you will find Brew Log to be a very efficient tool!

As you may know, there are plenty of options for brewing software available on iPhone & iPad, but I do believe the design of my app sets it apart of the rest. I designed the clean interface to be used quickly and intuitively with as little bloat as possible.

App Store Link (Free, In-App Purchases available): https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fermenticus-brew-log/id627800046?mt=8&uo=4

Some key features:

  • Various brewing methods: extract, steeped grain, partial mash, or all-grain recipes.
  • Ingredients database – Add your own ingredients or select from lists of common malts, extracts, adjuncts, hops, and commercially available yeasts.
  • Save and organize your recipes in logbooks. Export by email. Clone recipes to brew them again.
  • Optimized for iPhone 5 and retina iPad.
  • As you add grains or hops Brew Log instantly updates estimated gravity, color, and bitterness. Great for building recipes on the go.
  • Mash Rest & Sparge calculations for simple to complex mashes. Calculates volumes and temperatures for your strike water, infusions, and decoctions.
  • Built in calculators to determine original and final gravity, alcohol (ABV), bitterness (IBU), color (SRM), efficiency, attenuation, and more.
  • Choose a standard beer style or make up your own.
  • US & Metric units simultaneously supported. You can combine both US and metric units in your malt bill or hop bill. Recipes can also be converted from US to Metric and vice versa.
  • Unique date handling, so you can add dates with information about the date. Useful for logging information during fermentation or bottling!
  • And lots more!

More Information Here: http://fermenticus.com/fermenticus-brew-log/

There is a subreddit for open discussions on suggestions, bugs, tips, etc here: http://www.reddit.com/r/fermenticus/.  I will check back in here and respond to any questions, but the subreddit will be the home of most in-depth discussion.

Let me know what you think!

Disclosure: I'm just one person, the app is a passion project, not a business. In-app purchases are entirely for supporting further development.

Cheers!
Mark


Offline denny

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Re: Brewing Log & Calculator for iPhone/iPad
« Reply #1 on: June 10, 2013, 10:27:20 am »
Hi Mark,

Just d/l'ed your app.  Looks good, but one problem I have right off the bat is that evaporation is in %, not gal./hr.  That's a deal breaker for me.  I don't boil off twice as much for a 10 gal. batch as I do for a 5 gal. batch.
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 hambly

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Re: Brewing Log & Calculator for iPhone/iPad
« Reply #2 on: June 10, 2013, 07:40:51 pm »
Hi Mark,

Just d/l'ed your app.  Looks good, but one problem I have right off the bat is that evaporation is in %, not gal./hr.  That's a deal breaker for me.  I don't boil off twice as much for a 10 gal. batch as I do for a 5 gal. batch.

Thanks for that suggestion.  I'm going to put that on the list.  I guess I designed the app expecting user to use it with just one brewing system.

Offline thebigbaker

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Re: Brewing Log & Calculator for iPhone/iPad
« Reply #3 on: June 10, 2013, 08:38:53 pm »
Thanks Mark, I just downloaded and will give it a try.
Jeremy Baker

"An escalator can never break: it can only become stairs. You should never see an Escalator Temporarily Out Of Order sign, just Escalator Temporarily Stairs. Sorry for the convenience." - Mitch Hedberg

Offline hambly

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Re: Brewing Log & Calculator for iPhone/iPad
« Reply #4 on: June 10, 2013, 09:39:00 pm »
Thanks Mark, I just downloaded and will give it a try.

Great! Let me know what you think. 

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Brewing Log & Calculator for iPhone/iPad
« Reply #5 on: June 11, 2013, 10:10:45 am »
Hi Mark,

Just d/l'ed your app.  Looks good, but one problem I have right off the bat is that evaporation is in %, not gal./hr.  That's a deal breaker for me.  I don't boil off twice as much for a 10 gal. batch as I do for a 5 gal. batch.

Thanks for that suggestion.  I'm going to put that on the list.  I guess I designed the app expecting user to use it with just one brewing system.

I don't think the system changed, just the batch size. The point being that the amount of boil off is not a function of the batch size but of the kettle geometry, elevation, relative humidity, etc. If you set up your app to accept a singe volume/hour boil off amount it will work better.
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
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Offline denny

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Re: Brewing Log & Calculator for iPhone/iPad
« Reply #6 on: June 11, 2013, 10:13:29 am »
Hi Mark,

Just d/l'ed your app.  Looks good, but one problem I have right off the bat is that evaporation is in %, not gal./hr.  That's a deal breaker for me.  I don't boil off twice as much for a 10 gal. batch as I do for a 5 gal. batch.

Thanks for that suggestion.  I'm going to put that on the list.  I guess I designed the app expecting user to use it with just one brewing system.

Thanks for your response, Mark.  I only use one brewing system, but I brew different size batches on it.  Usually 5.5 gal., but sometimes 8, 8.5 10 or 12 gal.  My boiloff amount remains constant.  If I use %, the boiloff amount calculates different for each batch size.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

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 hambly

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Re: Brewing Log & Calculator for iPhone/iPad
« Reply #7 on: June 11, 2013, 05:25:49 pm »
Thanks for the suggestions. It definitely makes a lot of sense to switch to a volume/hour rate instead of a %/hour rate.

I'll put that on the list to update in the near future.


Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Brewing Log & Calculator for iPhone/iPad
« Reply #8 on: June 11, 2013, 08:47:32 pm »
Thanks for the suggestions. It definitely makes a lot of sense to switch to a volume/hour rate instead of a %/hour rate.

I'll put that on the list to update in the near future.

didn't mean to jump on you. hey if you can make it interface with the National Weather Service  or a personal weather station so it can take atmospheric conditions into account.  ;)
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
-A Einstein

"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
- J Joyce