Brew Planner / Tracker

[R-J-M]

How does everybody keep track of there progress and next steps of brewing? other than memory, or reminders on you phone.

As I am only just starting out, I want to be able to log what time I started fermenting, when to add sugar, when to check gravity, when to bottle, etc just until I get into a routine.

Are there any apps that help with this?

 

[Keats]

I just go old school and write everything in a note book.

 

[R-J-M]

I just go old school and write everything in a note book.

then just keep having a quick read to see what's coming up?

Good plan.

 

[Keats]

I use different colour caps for each beer so it helps keep track of what is in each bottle as well. My memory isn't what it used to be!

I've also made notes of any additions to kits that I've done. Just made my first extract brew at the weekend and will be doing some all grain beers soon so will be writing the recipes down so I can adapt those that need tweaking and redo the ones that work out well.

 

[chub1]

I use the Brewers friend recipe page, printed off and filled in with notes pinned to the back. I then keep them in a box file. If any are really good i can go back to them and re brew:thumb:

 

[Keats]

I use the Brewers friend recipe page, printed off and filled in with notes pinned to the back. I then keep them in a box file. If any are really good i can go back to them and re brew:thumb:

Good tip! I did a screen grab of the extract recipe I put together on Brewers Friend but hadn't thought of doing that.

 

[chub1]

Good tip! I did a screen grab of the extract recipe I put together on Brewers Friend but hadn't thought of doing that.

Actually told porkies:mrgreen:
it's the brew day sheet that i use, find it under tools on B/Friend

 

[Bigjas]

I use good old pen and paper. I found this home brew record sheet online and use this as the basis for planning my brew day http://homebrewmanual.com/home-brewing-record-sheets/

I also scribble other notes on the back, things like timings and what went well or not so well. I then use it to help improve my next brew.

Jas

 

[R-J-M]

I use good old pen and paper. I found this home brew record sheet online and use this as the basis for planning my brew day http://homebrewmanual.com/home-brewing-record-sheets/

I also scribble other notes on the back, things like timings and what went well or not so well. I then use it to help improve my next brew.

Jas

I will try this, like the details included, ive printed some off :)

 

[MyQul]

I just use an A4 notepad. When I first started AG I wasnt quite sure what to write down as there so much stuff you could write so I never used to keep very detailed records. I've now worked out the most important/pertinent stuff to me and my set up so now keep better notes

 

[Keats]

Actually told porkies:mrgreen:
it's the brew day sheet that i use, find it under tools on B/Friend

Even better! Not seen that sheet before and it will be really useful when I do my first AG brews to make sure I don't miss anything out. I did forget to add the 0 minute hops for my first extract brew so just threw them in while the wort was chilling.

 

[DethApostle]

I have a blackboard in the brewery with dates written on it for fermenting temps, cooling etc. and also the keg fridge has sticky back blackboard on the front which I write name, abv and a 'serving date' on for newly kegged beers.

Recipes and the like are on Beersmith on the brewery laptop. (read as 'a knackered old laptop with only Linux, Beersmith and Dropbox installed on it!)

 

[Crystal_Ball]

Like others I use a notebook for brew day and then gravity readings until bottling.
I also have a spreadsheet which keeps track of ingredients so I know what individual weights of hops I have in the freezer and any part bags of grain I have stored in boxes. This helps with having to guess or weight anything when planning future brews and shopping lists.

 

[DoctorMick]

I just rely on my memory but this is becoming increasingly difficult to do! :drunk: I do always print off a recipe sheet before a brew so I should really start scribbling down brew date, dates of any readings and dry hop days etc.

 

[DoctorMick]

I also have a spreadsheet which keeps track of ingredients so I know what individual weights of hops I have in the freezer and any part bags of grain I have stored in boxes. This helps with having to guess or weight anything when planning future brews and shopping lists.

I also do this, a stock list is essential for AG. I really need to add date of purchase to mine so I know how fresh grains are, at the minute I just have them in order of when I added them to the spreadsheet which works alright but isn't exactly great.

 

[geetee]

I just rely on my memory but this is becoming increasingly difficult to do! :drunk: I do always print off a recipe sheet before a brew so I should really start scribbling down brew date, dates of any readings and dry hop days etc.

Same here, I just rely on memory as I never have more than 1 brew ongoing at a time. There was once when I had three brews going and I used a spreadsheet to plan when my two fridges would be available for fermenting and cooling but once I had the plan I never really referred back to it.

You could always use a calendar on a smart phone with an alert for each specific event.

 

[Crystal_Ball]

I also do this, a stock list is essential for AG. I really need to add date of purchase to mine so I know how fresh grains are, at the minute I just have them in order of when I added them to the spreadsheet which works alright but isn't exactly great.

I have all purchases going in as positive figures (along with the dates at the start of the row) and then each recipe ingredient in as a negative. This might help with your date tracking. Hopefully no-one is hitting a Best Before date as we have probably had that ingredient way too long!

 

[R-J-M]

Loads of good ideas there. Thanks for the advice, as always!

 

[Leon103]

I use a brew book with all the details and use beer smith which is great for keeping recipes and inventory etc