BIABrewer.info

useing beersmith for the trial period still not sure if i want it, will probally check out promash too.
Which software do you use or is it even necessary

I have been using a mixture of beersmith and the Biabrewer spreadsheet. I find that beersmith is good for scaling recipes for my stovetop biab, especially if a recipe has different efficiencies. And I find the biabrewer spreadsheet is great for estimating water needed and boil off ect.

Beersmith for me.

It does everything I need it to.

i use the online recipator
http://hbd.org/recipator/

i tried beersmith and also promash Qbrew and Brewtarget.
Non of them can handle the BIAB water estimations needed.
i end up needing the spreadsheet.

StrangeBrew is java and so cross- platform, I use it when I need a recipator. Fiddly for some things like post- boil dilution (which I usually do...) but no hassles for my own ingredients or water profile. Is BIAB- unaware, but still good enough for my needs.
I am loathe to buy any software when there's open- sourced operating systems and applications out there... can't remember the last time I did in fact!

Ralph I'm with you. I use StrangeBrew and recipator. StrangeBrew doesn't give pre-boil gravity, but over all I like the software.

Put three double-batches through The Calculator and Beer Alchemy on the weekend. Volumes work out really well on The Calculator but the original gravity estimate comes out about 5 degrees lower than Beer Alchemy. Bitterness is also coming out lower eg 25 vs 30, 36 vs 44 IBUs.

Be interesting if anyone has time to plug in a few recipes into various programs and post the differences here (gravities and bitterness.) That way we could fine tune The Calculator. If doing this, the main thing is to make sure that all programs read the same post-boil volume.

All the programs seem to vary a bit. I've just re-loaded my main computer so haven't had a chance to put the above recipes into BeerSmith yet.

Cheers
PP

+1 for beersmith
when you add your own pot size, evaporation rate and work out your efficiency all figures are pretty close.

Mal

Hi All,

I use http://www.brewtoolz.com developed by a Melbourne brewer for brewers, handles my BIAB well to, Not to mention calculates SG from my refractometer readings during fermentation.

Lots of great stuff - All free check it out.

I second this. I also use Brew Pal on my iphone at work when I get bored and feel like doing some formulation.

I like beersmith, easy to use and once you plug in all your equipment values I find it calculates pretty much bang on.

Promash hurts my eyes, it's like a throwback to windows 3.1 and is just awkward and not intuitive.

Beerengine by Graham Wheeler is alright for basic stuff, but it's not deep enough, but it is totally free.

There are also free some good programs
1.Called BrewTarget http://brewtarget.sourceforge.net/ its working well , it is portable (no intsalation required) and have an equipment profile for small BIAB !
2. Called Brewmate http://www.brewmate.net/ it is good too and have nice graphics I think need NET to work .

I'll have to give BrewTarget a shot. It looks pretty good and is compatible with Beersmith.

I love Beersmith. Once I figured out the water volumes I need to suit my system, my gravities estimates are always dead on as far as preboil gravities. There is an article about biab on their website. It doesn't list biab as a choice on the my equipment tab, but it says to " choose a single infusion, no mash out mash profile and then set the first mash step volume( choose details next to the mash profile, then double click on the first step)equal to your boil volume."

I got to agree with Mike, once I got my head around Beersmith, it works great.

i just downloaded http://www.brewmate.net/
it's very intuitive and i think it'll do the job.
I'm trying to wrap it around BIAB. does anyone have any experience with this?

Hi there shib,

How are you going with brewmate? I've only had time to have a quick glance at the screenshots which looked very good.

Be really interested to hear from you further on this.

Cheers,
PP