BeerSmith 2 Mobile Homebrewing

I'm a long time BeerSmith user, started with version 1.3 I figured it's high time I moved to using a tablet rather than a bulky laptop. I kinda wish I hadn't. Clunky slow interface, local search doesn't work when using nested folders, can't import BeerXML, can't import equipment profiles or water profiles, no export, no backup/restore. Unless you use the cloud function, you're humped. There are free products that do all of these things, yet we're held captive with paid software. Not impressed.

Loses recipes. No import of beer.xml files Lots of tools. Generally a good app, but constantly messes up my recipes lists with duplicates and lost recipes. There are 2 built in tools to try to recover lost recipes so this is a known bug. No way to transfer recipes from one phone to another phone (except to your online account and back, one at a time)

I've had this app for three days and have been migrating recipes from another app. In three days I've had one folder and two recipes disappear, twice. I was able to recover the recipes by "rebuilding" the recipe list in the options menu, but now I can't trust the app to store my recipes. Otherwise I love the app, but so far its calculators are not worth the risk or the time lost backing up recipes on another platform and restoring them in this app. Definitely not an app worth paying for.

Some of the worst UX/UI I have ever come across. For example pressing the Save button and then nothing happens. Then having to press Cancel to get back to a previous page. Weird brew day timer issues where I can't pause or resume properly. And some really basic features are missing. How do I make a copy of a recipe? How do I make a copy of equipment?

Oldie but goldie. Desktop and mobile versions were written long before industry standard moved to the cloud or became more "social". These features were implemented along the way. Some may think that they're not super intuitive, but are working good enough. Only thing for Brad, you'd rewrite it as progressive web app (as competition is slowly doing). These are the future, soon app/playstores will be gone! ;)

The Desktop software is great and the app is useful for some situations. The problem is that there isnt seamless cloud integration. you have to physically move your desktop files into a cloud folder. It would br great if they entirety of your data were accessible via cloud.

Although the app is very good for building your recipes it is terrible at doing calculations if things change. I use it for building the recipe bit that is all. Half of the time my mash calculations are off, it carries a grain bill weight I have no idea where it gets it from, possibly from. Adding grain to the recipe after selecting infusion type. And it doesn't matter how many times I input my measured FG it will never save it at the top of the recipe. My Saisons frequently attenuate 86-90% and even if I go and update my brewday measurements in the recipe it will never show at the top of the page. In these respects it's not that great. Not sure if it's better than Brewers friend to be honest. If the fixed some of these issues of be happy with it.

First of all, I've been using the desktop version 2 - never upgraded to version 3. I got a tablet, so I decided that I'd get the Android version. After struggling a bit, I figured I can send profiles and recipes from one to the other using the "Cloud" which allows to share 15 recipes for free. I was also able to copy my equipment from the Desktop version to the tablet (transfer a recipe with the right profile to the cloud - check the profile details within the recipe and save to your mobile instance). So people that complain it's not possible to go from one to the other, please try and check online info before complaining. I think the 15 recipes for the free cloud account is good enough to get you going. If you want more, you should get the full cloud account. This being said, the UI is not the greatest - I agree. I guess you get used to it after a while, but It's not the case for me yet. I'm used to have the desktop brewsheet printed where I can check off things and write readings so it's easier to follow. But, the essential info is there and that's the important. I do think it's a good tool that needs getting used to it. It does allow me to plan and execute my brew day using a recipe I developped on the Desktop verstion - that's all which is important. Therefore, I guess it's an allright tool for me.

Hi Brad, love the desktop version and the mobile app (desktop is better with more resolution for water adjustments). Will there be a future version which integrates desktop and mobile more closely, so a separate purchase is not required for both applications?

I can't trust this app, recipes or entire folders disappear randomly, ingredient values change periodically. It's fine for building a recipe but I have to store past recipes elsewhere. I'm looking for an alternative.

It was difficult to dial this into my system. I tried several times and could never get it right. My numbers were always off, anywhere from half a gallon to a full gallon. My efficiency was always way low. I took the last batch entered it into brew father and I was within 1 point.

My recipes are magically deleted. Could never export them anyways because they want you to pay extra for their cloud service. So now they are just gone. The UI is atrocious. Can't believe I paid for this. This is supposed to be the industry standard and it barely functions. FIX THIS!

Not very clear on how everything adds up and when it came time to figure out how much water to add it made me ruin a batch because I misread it. So kind of my bad but had it been clear I'd have given 5 stars. Still a great app and helps me calculate all my mash loss and any other variables to have a great brew each time (after I kind of figured out the water. this time I didnt hit my volume for my fermenter I was aiming for so it was less than 5 gallons. I wish this was better)

Three stars at best from my perspective. My experience has been if you are trying to develop a certain beer recipe from a known recipe it is resistive to doing so. In the past I have been very positive regarding Beersmith products. Not any more, my enthusiasm has sharply diminished. I would look else where for a brewing software.

Handy but overly complicated to use when compared to the desktop app. One issue tho. I'm unable to enter in the OG value in my recipe. It just won't save the number.

Stupid to use. Can't actually edit half the things you want to on your phone(even though you PAY for the app), you can't collaborate with anyone, and best thing is after you pay for the app you can only store 15 recipes on the cloud. really beersmith? Really wanted to like the app but I can't after trying to use it for 6+ months.

great app. Just wish I could add a second packaging step and have it calculated based on that per package type.. example- I have a 21L batch but I want to keg 19L at 2.5/volume carbonation.. the other 2L I want to bottle. the amount of CO2 is calculated for the entire batch of 21l not the 19l I am kegging so if I were to follow it, the beer would be under carbonated.. hope that makes sense

Pretty poor, and clunky interface, there are better options out there, that are both more user friendly as well as offer better options.

Very helpful with calculations and conversions! Opens the recipes in the cloud but not as flexible in recipe adjustments compared to the desktop version.

It's time to change User Interface and make mobile version at least close to the desktop version and show the options desktop version has like export/important, bu:gu calculation on the recipe form and other

App just deleted all recipes without rhyme or reason. All historical brews and all future ones too. Don't trust the app save hard copies if you want them to survive. Otherwise it works as expected but not deleting your users data seems pretty basic of an ask

This App just lost all of my recipes, I'm actually heartbroken.. I worked hard on those recipes. Ive had reliable and FREE apps before this one and they have never lost anything!

Good for ballpark estimates and storing recipes. That's it. FG estimates don't account for yeast's maximum attenuation or necessary cell count, so writing recipes that use adjuncts like sugar or honey have to be calculated manually, otherwise you'll get a false estimated ABV and FG due to the app calculating attenuation in the 90th percentile. Mash profiles also don't affect estimated FG at all. I could write a recipe that mashes at 152 and one at 160 and they'd have the same FG.

Lost recipes on upgrade, javascript errors, no way to revert to back v2, wont save new recipes.... useless. Look forward to a new version to fix it all.

Very good, complicated at first, but as your brewing experience grows, so will your ability to get more from the app.

It's ok, can't get the mash set up to save, keeps reverting to default, no sparge volume calculator. Still needs work

Good app, nice that they make updates. I just wish that I could sync inventory from my computer. Useless to not have my inventory list available when at the brew store.

Cool for getting a general recipe in the works when you're just getting started. BUT the gravity, SRM, and IBU outlines have never matched up on the brew day. I've had better luck when my friend made recipes for me on the PC version.

App seemed great until it decided to delete all of my recipes for no reason 3 times in a row. Super dissapointed with what I thought was a great app