BeerSmith, WTF?

I suggest you find the data files for the program and back them up periodically. I do this with Promash as part of my weekly pc backup. Its saved me before when I had a hard drive failure.

Cheers!

DM

 

Hope Beersmith is as understanding with me...I tried to backup Beersmith 1 when I was having computer issues. That's when the problems began. Subsequently, I bit the bullet and went out and bought Beersmith 2, but still prefer Beersmith 1. My files from Beersmith 1 are locked...they're there, I just can't edit them. Maybe I should just adapt to Beersmith II...but I don't want to

There is something to be said for just making a spreadsheet yourself...I made one 20 years ago in MS DOS for a baseball team I was managing...it seemed relatively easy... either that or I was more motivated back then. Here I come, Beersmith 2.1~

 

My trial was actually up the other evening. Bought the program, and everything went smooth.

I really enjoy the program after I learned to use it.

 

Have those of you who use Beersmith ever run into the problem of an ingredient not being listed? I use Beer Tools Pro, but can't say I'm super happy with it. It doesn't suck, but the ingredients are always out of date.

 

I can do that in Beer Tools as well, but I shouldn't have to. The software should do it for me since I paid for it.

 

I have, but I can add them all easily and keep them for future use. It's pretty simple. I can't expect the software to include every damn item someone might toss into their wort. The world of brewing is ever changing, and people experiment. I can't fully expect a company to have a product that will need constant updating because some ass hat wants to toss in the wildest things to try a new recipe out.

 

Is Midnight Wheat considered a wild thing?

Also, all it really takes is the guy who makes the software browsing Northern Brewer, White Labs, and Wyeast to have all the new grains/yeast up to date. You shouldn't have to update the software, just download a file with the ingredients in it.

 

I'm not saying they should update it from time to time, but I'm not expecting that every time I use it, I want it to have EVERYTHING I could imagine in it ready for my use. It takes less than 1 minute to input the data I have for the ingredient. For roughly $20 bucks, I'm not expecting it to build a shuttle to space. It's helping me calculate less shit on a day when I drink too much and play with grain and hot water.

For more money, I'd expect it to be up to date, for $20-30 bucks and it not being annual.. I'll keep dreaming and be happy with what I have, because it's a good product.

 

Maybe I'm slow, but I have to search quite a bit to find all the info I want to input on the missing grain/yeast.

$20-30 is nothing, but multiply that by the shit ton of people who buy the software. It's not too hard to have a complete list of possible ingredients.

 

Like I said.. I agree with you, but at mid $20 for the unlimited, and not annual service for the program, regardless of what is made off of it, I'm not expecting them to go and update it all the time. Finding what I want to add is extremely simple, and in some cases, so easy, I can add it off the top of my head accurately enough for the program.

It's just a difference of expectations I guess.

 

You know diastatic power and lovibond ratings off the top of your head? Sure I can type in the names of grain and yeast, but I don't have their stats memorized. Yeast is fairy easy to find. Grain takes a bit more effort especially if I want gravities and color to come out correctish.

 

There are "add-on" modules in Beersmith that you can download via the File/Add-ons menu to add all malts from specific maltsters (Breiss, Gambrinus, etc.), fruits, recipes (Brewing Network Can you Brew it?) with all their associated technical data. I rarely have to add something in anymore.

 

That is very helpful. I don't use it (yet), but this is exactly the sort of info I was looking for. Thanks!

I assume the add ons are up to date within a few months?

 

Well.. I guess we have a misunderstanding here.. I know about the file add ons, but I'm not quite sure of how frequently they are added.

I've had to add Dutch cocoa powder and such, but I haven't had to add much of anything, and overlooked the fact that you haven't played with it yet?

BS 2.1 is pretty complete, but I have had to add a few odds and ends, but never a grain.. I think I had to add Falconers Flight 7C's to mine, a certain honey I had special, and other adjuncts, but past that...

 

No brewing program is going to provide continuous updates of ingredients.