Brew UK Forum | General Brewing Discussions
beer smith v beer engine
Hey guys what is the easiest and most simple one of these programs to use , which do you recommend , I bought beersmith 2 but it looks more complicated to use than beer engine , I just want to keep things simple for my recipes and think beer engine looks the better what do you guys think 
Drinkin--buxton spa
plannin--galaxy pale
plannin--nelson bobek pale
fermentin--centennial pale 3.8%
plannin--galaxy pale
plannin--nelson bobek pale
fermentin--centennial pale 3.8%
Responses
Posted 11 months ago by Moderator
Beer engine is a great program as will provide you with 95% of what you want from beersmith.
95% = recipe formulation
5% = Tinkering around with absoloutly everything!
I started on Beerengine and its great, its still great now. More straightforward and does what it does! Beersmith allows you to tinker a lot more and has other usefull tools, like inventorys and options for putting your own equipment sizes in for better control.
Use beerengine for a few brews, then import your recipies to beersmith and have a tinker. Thats what I did and Ive never gone back.
Plannin'-
Loads a beer after an upgrade!
nathbrew@gmail.com
Posted 11 months ago by Moderator
Hi Outlaw. Definitely Beer Engine for simplicity. Nath is the Beersmith expert and there's no doubt it's good, but very complex and, for me, contains loads of stuff I simply don't want or need...... yet!
Hi Nath
Can't you do that with tablets?
Planning: - To get some more brews on now the weather's a bit cooler
Fermenting: - Ginger Beer experiment
Conditioning: - A normal bitter with Styrians
Drinking: - All of it!!
E-mail: arnyfris@gmail.com
Posted 11 months ago by Moderator
I tried to once but essentially its a vaso-dialator and bugger me if my eyes wernt bloodshot for about a day after. Freaked me right out n I never went back for more again!
Plannin'-
Loads a beer after an upgrade!
nathbrew@gmail.com
Posted 11 months ago by Moderator
I mean proper bloodshot.... Freaky.
Not my eye btw!
Plannin'-
Loads a beer after an upgrade!
nathbrew@gmail.com
Posted 11 months ago by Member
cheers nath cheers saracen
think ill stick to beer engine for now beersmith has to much to it i want to keep things simple
plannin--galaxy pale
plannin--nelson bobek pale
fermentin--centennial pale 3.8%
Posted 11 months ago by Moderator
Hi Outlaw. Beer Engine it is for now, then. Computer programs are great for doing the maths for you, but I find I'm developing a "feel" for it. I've been working on this Hopping Hare recipe and got a mail from Hall & Woodhouse's Head Brewer. Lovely guy, very helpful, within the closely guarded secrets of the trade. By getting people's opinions, talking to the brewer and just turning it over in my mind, I try to get an idea of what the thinking behind the beer was. I can then translate this to my own recipes. I know that sounds odd, but for me it makes it more interesting. Computer programs have no feel for the noble character of Goldings, or the subtleties of the different citrus aroma hops, or any knowledge of how the aroma will be affected by 10, 5 or 2 minutes in the boil. It takes a while, but when you taste your own beer you can tell whther the Goldings come through the way you expected, or if the Grape overtones of Nelson Sauvin are too overpowering. It's hard to describe, but it's a bit like flying. You won't find a stunt pilot looking up the instructions halfway through a barrel roll.
Planning: - To get some more brews on now the weather's a bit cooler
Fermenting: - Ginger Beer experiment
Conditioning: - A normal bitter with Styrians
Drinking: - All of it!!
E-mail: arnyfris@gmail.com
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