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Carb Level

KB

Master Brewer
Joined
Oct 29, 2016
Messages
106
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Location
Virginia
I guess I never realized the following until now. The BeerSmith Carb Level is always 2.3 unless I manually change it. I thought the carb level automatically changed based on the recipe style. It does not.

What am I missing?
 
Enhancement to future release? Helpful, based on style, to know recommended levels of CO2 instead of 2.3 for every recipe.
 
The carbonation level, just like the OG, bitterness, and color specifications are a range for each style.  I don't know about you, but I don't want the software deciding what my bitterness should be let alone what the carbonation level target is.  I set the levels on all these attributes during my recipe creation or input.
 
KB said:
Enhancement to future release? Helpful, based on style, to know recommended levels of CO2 instead of 2.3 for every recipe.

While certain ranges of carbonation level are "traditional" for specific styles, there's a lot of personal preference involved as well. I doubt more brewers would like it better if a fixed value was set for each style. Once you've selected a style for your recipe on the design page, clicking on the check mark box next to the style will bring up a window that gives style specific information, including the carbonation range.

One of my favorite things about BeerSmith is the ability to customize it to fit almost every brewer's preferences. Sometimes, the KISS method is best for default values.

 
Why make us fish around for the carbonation range? I used the "Select Fields" button to add the Carb range to the Recipe page. For me, problem solved.
 
If you know your preferred carbonation levels for the beers you brew, no fishing around is needed. Understand though, many newer homebrewers don't have any idea. The software often allows several ways to adjust settings to your preferences, as well as quick references for guidelines. Whatever works best for you.
 
I had not noticed the checkbox next to the style box before. Personally, I think that's pretty cool and mahalo Bob357 for pointing that out. I like to mimic styles and tweak accordingly. It seems that in previous versions when I entered a value for carbonation I would get an indication (red, yellow, green) of whether it was within range of standard for that style but now no longer see that. Has that "feature" gone away or perhaps my software's not working properly. Not related but semi along these lines, when RIGHT clicking on a recipe item, I used to get a pop up menu with delete and other options. Don't have that anymore either. Something change or am I losing it? I've got latest version. (KB - just noticed the Select Fields button and found the carb range, so that's a good one, mahalo!)
 
You can restore the little colored lights by going to: Tools/Options/Look & Feel and checking the Show Indicator Lights box.
 
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