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Author Topic: Is Beersmith a good tool?  (Read 8671 times)

Offline Al Equihua

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Re: Is Beersmith a good tool?
« Reply #15 on: November 10, 2011, 04:18:43 pm »
so, i think beersmith is a very very good brewing tool,
but i was in trouble in my last brew becouse acording to the mash i calculate the water for boil and for sparging volume ,but i was short of water at the end of the runnings, so i added more water to compensate and hit the preboil volume. After that, i noticed that in the Water volume tab was the right amount of water needed for mash and sparge.

So, how can i calibrate the mash profile and the water volume?

even that, im very happy with BS
Al Equihua

Offline a10t2

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Re: Is Beersmith a good tool?
« Reply #16 on: November 10, 2011, 04:57:45 pm »
I haven't tried BeerSmith, but I use BeerTools Pro and I'd imagine that functionally they're almost identical. For me, the big advantage in using software isn't recipe formulation, since those calculations are pretty simple, but having it log my brew sessions and deduct from inventory automatically. Not having to break out the scale to figure out whether or not I can brew the next batch is a big plus for me.
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Offline Hokerer

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Re: Is Beersmith a good tool?
« Reply #17 on: November 10, 2011, 04:59:52 pm »
I haven't tried BeerSmith, but I use BeerTools Pro and I'd imagine that functionally they're almost identical. For me, the big advantage in using software isn't recipe formulation, since those calculations are pretty simple, but having it log my brew sessions and deduct from inventory automatically. Not having to break out the scale to figure out whether or not I can brew the next batch is a big plus for me.

LOL - exact opposite for me.  I prefer using it to play around with recipe formulations but do my own brewsheet and inventory tracking.
Joe

Offline blatz

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Re: Is Beersmith a good tool?
« Reply #18 on: November 10, 2011, 05:29:09 pm »

You are referring to Promash, right?

No beersmith - my bad.  I originally read you post as saying the one thing you liked about Promash that you could not get BS to do was ....

I didn't read it quite right
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Offline bo

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Re: Is Beersmith a good tool?
« Reply #19 on: November 10, 2011, 06:11:21 pm »

You are referring to Promash, right?

No beersmith - my bad.  I originally read you post as saying the one thing you liked about Promash that you could not get BS to do was ....

I didn't read it quite right

I'm relieved. I couldn't imagine that after all the years of using it, that I missed that button. Maybe I should check out BS.

Offline James Lorden

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Re: Is Beersmith a good tool?
« Reply #20 on: November 10, 2011, 06:15:56 pm »
The one thing that I hated about converting from pro mash to beers itch was losing all o my old brew sessions.  I never found a way to import and there was no way I'd have the time to convert them all manually.

I love beersmith but  I think it's important to understand beer math and not just rely on the computer for a little while.  It helps when you have to think on the fly.
James Lorden
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Offline tygo

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Re: Is Beersmith a good tool?
« Reply #21 on: November 10, 2011, 06:39:16 pm »
Love Beersmith 1.4.  Didn't love 2.0 as much and actually went back to 1.4 after a brew or two.  I understand he's done a good amount of updating since then so I eventually need to give it a try again.  But 1.4 really does everything I need so it might take awhile to find the motivation to migrate everything over again.
Clint
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Offline weithman5

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Re: Is Beersmith a good tool?
« Reply #22 on: November 11, 2011, 07:36:45 am »
i started playing with beersmith last night and if i am right, i can create multiple versions of recipes. then on brewday/post fermentation these can be filed separately in the brew log?  multiple versions/batches.   if so this is what i want to do.

a10t2- i did download beer tools pro trial last night but could not get the trial to open up. (yes i had the key)  but can it keep batches and recipe multiple versions etc separate? 
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Offline a10t2

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Re: Is Beersmith a good tool?
« Reply #23 on: November 11, 2011, 08:43:54 am »
but can it keep batches and recipe multiple versions etc separate?

You can log as many batches/versions of a recipe as you like. All you have to do is enter the date, and then in the recipe list you can sort by date to go through your past brews in chronological order. You can even enter the time of day, if you do multiple batches per day.
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Offline weithman5

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Re: Is Beersmith a good tool?
« Reply #24 on: November 11, 2011, 12:14:06 pm »
thanks.  i also didn't know i could play online then download to beer tools. this makes it similar to brewsmarts from a web point.  hopefully i can get the trial going.  if i can do all those things it may win out
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Offline weithman5

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Re: Is Beersmith a good tool?
« Reply #25 on: November 23, 2011, 08:31:43 am »
okay so for past week or so i have been playing with beer tools and beersmith demos.
i am struggling to decide on which to use.  if any.  one of the things i have is the printouts.  the beer tools seems less wordy but i am not sure if they can be modified in anyway.
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Offline beer_crafter

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Re: Is Beersmith a good tool?
« Reply #26 on: November 23, 2011, 09:18:17 am »
Not a fan of 2.0.  It is more complex which in some ways is good (more functionality) and in some ways it's bad (overly confusing, not as stable as 1.4)

Offline chezteth

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Re: Is Beersmith a good tool?
« Reply #27 on: November 25, 2011, 07:04:58 am »
I really like Beersmith.  All the functionality makes brewing and tracking inventory, gravity, etc a breeze.

Offline weithman5

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Re: Is Beersmith a good tool?
« Reply #28 on: November 25, 2011, 08:45:43 am »
only a few more days left on the trials. have not found a good reason on which to purchase, beer tools or beersmith. i will probably flip a coin.
Don AHA member