Wish List for 2022

[Oginme]

I last posted at the beginning of 2020 and skipped last year as we were all hiding underneath our kegerators hoping not to catch Covid. 

I would request that if you like these recommendations or have more of your own to add, please feel free to respond so that we can see how much support or other recommendations people are looking for in the software.  Brad has devoted a lot of time to making the web based version, and I don't want to take away from his efforts to improve the software package by giving those people who prefer to work in the cloud their wishes.  What I have listed below are reasonable calculations which I feel could be incorporated easily as they basically utilize information already included in the present offering with the addition of only one data point which is a user entered figure.

With that, it may be a bit redundant, but here is my 2022 BeerSmith wish list:


(1)   Move the grain absorption rate into the equipment profile.  For many of us who use multiple brew set ups, each with their own ending retention of water in the grains, this would be a major easement of headaches.  It really is a factor in brewing which is dependent upon the equipment and process and not a set parameter which is constant across different processes,

(2)   Correct the calculation of pre-boil gravity estimate to reflect gravity expectation using standard room temperature volume.  The present calculation uses the thermally expanded volume and the gravity points based upon the end of boil volume (cold).  Given this, the gravity point balance in the programs calculation is always off by the same percentage as the thermal expansion coefficient.  It also means that the calculation of actual mash efficiency by the program is incorrect,

(3)   Expand the [vols] tab to give the user the calculations of the actual parameters in the equipment profile compared to those of the current equipment profile.  Most of this information is currently included in the program but some additional user entered values would give the program all the data needed to do the calculations for the users.  This would certainly help in troubleshooting process issues as well as determining which numbers in the equipment profile may need to be updated.  Here is a list of what can be added for the calculations:

a.   Actual volume of strike and sparge water:  would give the information needed to determine grain absorption based upon the pre-boil volume, the mash tun losses, and any top off water,
b.   Pre-boil volume and post boil volume would give the actual boil off rate vs plan,
c.   Actual trub losses vs estimated losses to provide the balance of information needed to do an actual gravity point balance,
d.   The calculation of preboil vs post boil gravity points would give the user the information on any errors in measurements or how much to rely on the calculated process values.

[GigaFemto]

I agree 100% with the wish list.

I would also like a couple of user-defined numerical fields. The program would do nothing with these except to display and store them, but users could take advantage of them.

--GF

[bougie1st]

Agree Oginme.  I have actually stopped replying to Brad's "you have been a good supporter for years, what would you like to see change?" emails as the requests you have put forth have been ongoing for years (and I have independently put these up as well as adding my vote to your requests).

The other place I thought the grain absorption might go would be in the mash profile?  I find different absorptions depending on how I mash, though in all honesty, this is mainly with decoction.  Would be easy enough to have an equipment profile for this.

I'd also like to see the ability to record pressure with the temp/gravity fermentation readings.

Your point about being able to record the actual observed values in the vols tab is really valuable.  As it stands, I have to do some creative accounting, adjusting the equipment profile in the individual recipe to reflect the boil off, and using the mash tun  addition or deadspace (sometimes with negative numbers) to account for variations in grain absorption while retaining the actual mash and sparge volumes that I used.  I get the purpose of having the automated calculations to plan a brew, but the inability to record actual observed values is the major problem of the system.

I'd also like to be able to calculate a starter for dry yeasts.  I know that there is a push for just sprinkling them direct to the wort at pitch, but I still use starters to save money on multiple packets (or to revitalise older packs, or reuse harvested yeast).  Even if the cell count numbers aren't perfect, it's useful to have a record that I made a 2L starter for that brew.  I currently have to pretend they are liquid to do this.

I like and use the water calculations, but there is no simple display of the final water composition estimation. When matching a target, it gives you the total adjusted water profile (with the suggested sparge and mash additions - but that is to make all the water the same, like mixing in a big pot then separating out).  Then you can make your adjustments to the mash and sparge individually (which it shows individually), but you cannot see the final profile.  Some may put all their additions into the mash, or hold the sparge additions until the boil (which is selectable).  The values displayed on the water tab show the mash and sparge estimates, but not the total, which is the whole point.

I'd like some ability to enter new acids or salts.  Sure, we probably need more info than just 'acid' to get useful outputs from the models, but with some direction, it is feasible.  Or (even better) would be for Brad to add them to the database.  I know that what is in the system are the most common, but there is no inclusion of sodium/potassium metabisulfate (included in Bru'n water) or something left field like calcium lactate (mixing lactic acid with CaOH) to up calcium without adding sulfate/chloride.  Some people even use citric acid....

[Kevin58]

The web version needs to allow the user to create custom style guidelines like the desktop version does. I have dozens of custom guidelines based on historic data and they are useless on the web version of Beersmith. They don't even transfer over. I was very excited when the web version came out but my enthusiasm came to a screeching halt when I ran into this issue.

[lemmeholdthat]

I would like support for liquid forms of CaCl2 where the specific gravity of the solution is known.  Stretch goal would be to be able to add misc. ingredients on a g/kg malt or g/kg H2O (as mash or boil vol) without having to get out the ole excel to do the math.

[jeffd]

I wanted to add two things that would be really useful:

• Syncing between local and cloud - namely I might want to have a folder in both, but be able to sync changes between them.
• Improve the search field for ingredients. For example, on Simpson's website you have a "Red Rye Crystal" yet I can't search for "Red Rye", I have to use "Rye, Red" - even a space after "Rye " disqualifies the one I am looking for.