Brew session vs brew recipe

[Derek Toering]

I think it would be better to have  base line recipe file, and a session file using that recipe.

Currently the recipe and brew session are one and the same.  Gets confusing.  Promash used to use this system.  You had a bas line recipe and then the session where all data etc was added from the brew day such as SG etc.

I think this was a better approach and more logical (to me)

[Oginme]

This functionality currently exists within BeerSmith.  On the tool ribbon, there is an icon labeled 'copy to log'.  When you highlight a recipe and click on this icon, the program will transfer a copy of the recipe to a new folder called 'brew log'.  In this folder, you can make any changes, assign a brew date, enter brew day data, and basically do whatever you want without affecting the primary recipe in your 'my recipes' folder.  You can have multiple copies within the 'brew log' folder of the same recipe to record different brew sessions and each recipe will be a self-contained archive of that brew session.  Changes to the primary recipe in your 'my recipes' folder will not affect any other copy of the recipe.

[KellerBrauer]

Greetings Derek - the method Oginme suggests is a very affective approach.  My method is a bit different.  What I do is create a folder for the particular year.  This year: 2018.  Then I simply copy whatever recipe I choose to brew from a previous year (if I?ve brewed it before) to the new folder.  The advantage, I find, is that I can make modifications to the newly copied recipe without affecting the previous.  This enables me to ?tweak? the recipe until it?s exactly what I?m looking for.  Then, looking back through the years, I can read my tasting notes and learn how my ?tweaks? helped or hurt.  This works for me since I?m always making adjustment to a recipe.  I have yet to create a recipe I would want to duplicate to the letter after I brew it for the first time.  However, I have come very close many times 

I think there are several ways of accomplishing your goal; one just needs to be a little creative and understand the software.

Good luck!

[Oginme]

My method is actually similar to KellerBrauer's.  I put the recipes I brew into the brew log and then after brewing move them to an appropriate sub-folder, separated by year for finished beers and a 'fermenting' folder for recipes brewed but yet to be bottled/kegged.  I've attached a picture of the folder structure and the line up of pending brews as an example

[Derek Toering]

Thanks...I see your point...but I still think there is room for improvement.  A 'recipe' should not have a place for brew date, measured data etc.

I bake some biscuits using a recipe.  Doesn't have baking date or if they came out too dark, or crumbly or whatever.  It's a recipe, not a data file on how the biscuits went on the day.  Flour, egg, water, bake it for 20 minutes.  End of recipe.

Just seems very odd to me.

[Oginme]

Yup, everyone has their own take on how the program should operate.  Elaborate a bit more on how you think it should function and see if Brad is willing to make the change in the next version.  Don't be disappointed if he doesn't though as there are many who like/have adapted to the way it works now.

[Derek Toering]

Oginme I can't get brewlog to show sub folders as per your picture  (Left side pic)

Is it a setting?

[Oginme]

Double click on the '>' next to the folder you want to expand.  You can do likewise to an expanded folder to shrink it back down.

[Derek Toering]

I don't have the >.  The only way to see if a folder has sub folder is to double click the folder