What brewing software web sites do you use to help with brewing and formulating recipes?
Beer Designer PRO 0 (0%)
Beer Replicator 3 (2%)
BeerAlchemy 8 (6%)
BeerMeister 0 (0%)
BeerSmith 34 (28%)
BeerTools.com 11 (9%)
Brew Wizard 0 (0%)
BrewsSpot.com 0 (0%)
Brewsta 0 (0%)
Brewthology 0 (0%)
Brewtility.com 0 (0%)
CyberBrau 0 (0%)
Homebrew Calculator 3 (2%)
Hopville.com 7 (5%)
ProMash 31 (26%)
QBrew 17 (14%)
StrangeBrew.ca 2 (1%)
SUDS 0 (0%)
Tastybrew.com 19 (15%)
Other software or web site 18 (15%)
None 14 (11%)
Looks like ProMash and BeerSmith are neck and neck for most popular brewing software. I've always used Promash, but at this point it has been more than 6 years since an update (not that there are that many things that it needs). I also tend to use Tastybrew.com to screw around with recipes when I am on a computer without ProMash.
I was surprised how many people use QBrew (a free program). I used it for a few batches when I started out, but haven't taken a look at it in a couple years. I honestly hadn't even heard of many of the others when a reader suggested the topic (and gave me most of the options)
I would be interested to hear what the people who answered other or none use/do. Also feel free to post any ringing endorsements for your favorite software.
Looks like ProMash and BeerSmith are neck and neck for most popular brewing software. I've always used Promash, but at this point it has been more than 6 years since an update (not that there are that many things that it needs). I also tend to use Tastybrew.com to screw around with recipes when I am on a computer without ProMash.
I was surprised how many people use QBrew (a free program). I used it for a few batches when I started out, but haven't taken a look at it in a couple years. I honestly hadn't even heard of many of the others when a reader suggested the topic (and gave me most of the options)
I would be interested to hear what the people who answered other or none use/do. Also feel free to post any ringing endorsements for your favorite software.
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8 comments:
I answered "other." I use a spreadsheet that I put together for the same reasons I homebrew: thrift and I can make it just the way I like.
Aww shucks, I didn't see the poll till it was done!
I'm a Promash guy, but I need to give BeerTools a try. I rock a Mac laptop, but still go to my old shitty Thinkpad to run Promash and brewday tunes. Like Gilbert Grape's brother Arnie, that computer "could go at any time".
I tried one for Mac that sucked: Beer Alchemy. Sorry for the blazing non-endorsement, but it is the most frustrating, gimpy, hard to learn program ever, maybe.
Oops, I meant I need to try Beersmith. I tried Beertools Pro, and it was pretty good but not good enough for me to switch from Promash.
I answered other/none, as I typically just write out my recipe in a dedicated spiral notebook. Not really sure what I would gain by using a program. I mean it would calculate the IBUs and SRM but that is not terribly important information to me (AAUs or HBUs are good enough and those I do note in my book). I also don't enter competitions or adhere to strict styles.
I have entered a couple recipes into one of the free programs but it did not seem worthwhile, nor did it capture brew-day nuances that I jot down in my notebook.
I actually used Brew Wizard for a while (though once the free trial ended I couldnt print out my recipes - so I would just write them on paper before going to the brewstore); hOWEVER, I recently had a computer blink out, and when I went back to get BW online, their site was down due to some AOL hosting, or whatevr, now being gone. I only go into this length b/c BW got 0%. It was pretty good, and I liked the Wizard guy.
That said, actually using this survey when you first posted it, I saw the percentage of ProMash users, and tried that out. Like it a lot. Esp. that you can scale to "percentages" on it, which I really like and BW didnt have.
QBrew. I had a trial of Promash after I started with QBrew about 5 years ago and I just didn't take to Promash that well. It's a basic program but the math has been spot on within the margin of error for both extract and all-grain batches.
I have to plug in some grains, numbers, or density numbers once in a while but the information is easy enough to find when I need it. It's just an easy program and I haven't had any issues with it, so I keep using it.
I use a program called Homebrew Formulator. A few years ago, I was looking for something that was good, free, would run on a mac, and would have portable file formats (in case I wanted to upgrade to Promash or something later). This fit the bill. I don't think the author maintains the software any more, but I have found it to be very easy to tweak, and you can add to the databases if you want.
tried most available but couldn't find anything that tickled my fancy so developed my own ==> BrewMate, the free, light-weight and easy-to-use beer recipe designer. http://www.brewmate.net
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