Welcome to BeerSmith! > Frequently Asked Questions

Some of the most commonly asked questions are locate here.

BeerSmith seems complicated - how can I get started?

o	See our Getting Started page for some of the first steps you should take

o	A lot of people enjoy watching the video tutorials which explain how to perform common operations in BeerSmith

Can I install BeerSmith on more than one computer?

o	A single key allows you to install BeerSmith on up to two computers for your personal use. So you can, for example, install your copy to your laptop and desktop computer. You should not, however, share your key with a friend.

o	Be sure to use the same email address when activating your copies of BeerSmith

My computer died or I lost my key and I need to reinstall...

o	Download the latest version of BeerSmith from BeerSmith.com

o	Your key should be on the original email receipt you received when you ordered or in the inside front cover of your CD if you purchased a CD.

o	If you no longer have your key, use the Recover Key command on the help menu or ribbon to recover your key. If your copy is expired when you reinstall, there is a link to the recover key command on the activation screen.

Where can I learn more about homebrewing?

o	BeerSmith has one of the largest collection of articles about homebrewing on the web including the BeerSmith Blog and Podcast, BeerSmith Discussion Forum and our weekly newsletter.

Can I convert/change units to metric/english/imperial units?

o	You can change your default units to Metric, Imperial, or English from the Options Dialog, Units Page. You can also do in-place unit conversions for any field of the same type by entering the units after any number.

How can I transfer my data to another computer or share recipes?

o	You can transfer recipes using the Export All command to export your My Recipes view and then open the file on the other computer.

How do I import recipes sent or downloaded from the internet?

o	Open the file and then copy/paste the recipes you want to keep into your My Recipes folder.

o	You can download and import sets of BeerSmith recipes from our BeerSmith Recipe Collection.

I'm having a problem with BeerSmith

o	Please visit our main support page online for the latest patches, videos, add-ons, discussion forum and help using BeerSmith

Is BeerSmith available for the Macintosh?

o	BeerSmith 2.0 is now available for the Macintosh computer from BeerSmith.com

Where can I download more recipes for BeerSmith?

o	Two popular places to get BeerSmith recipes include our Recipes Archive and Discussion Forum

o	See Opening a File for details on how to open and import new recipes in different formats

How do I customize my equipment settings?

o	This is a critical first step - as you really need to have your own equipment profile to properly design recipes

o	See the article on Equipment Profiles for a field-by-field description of building your own equipment profile

How can I change the defaults for creating a new recipe?

o	Use the Set Default Recipe command

What is your upgrade policy?

o	All minor version upgrades (2.0, 2.1, 2.2, etc...) are free. Major upgrades (3.0, 4.0, 5.0) will require a new registration or upgrade fee

Does BeerSmith run on Linux?

o	Some users have had success running BeerSmith under Wine. I am considering a pure Linux release as a possibility for future upgrades.

Why does BeerSmith calculate a different bitterness (IBU) value than program/spreadsheet X?

o	BeerSmith uses the Tinseth hop equation to estimate bitterness by default. Many others use Rager. You can change the hop equation used from the Options Dialog, Bitterness Tab

o	Also - make sure your equipment profile is properly set up as these can affect the bitterness calculation

I'm having problems with Printing/Print preview margins?

o	On the PC version, all Text and HTML report formats (including recipes) are printed using an internet explorer plugin, so if you are having printing problems or want to adjust certain settings such as margins or headers please check your internet explorer settings first

Where can I get more help?

o	In addition to the help included with BeerSmith, we run an extensive set of Online Resources including our Support Page, Discussion Forum, Videos and Blog/Podcast.

o	If you can't find what you are looking for, often posting a message to the discussion forum is a quick way to get an answer