Brewculator Documentation

Menus

• Record - All of the database functions are in this menu.
  • Open Recipe - displays a list of recipes that have been saved in the database BrewculatorRecipes (creator Bclr; type reci). If the list is empty no recipes have been saved. When upgrading from one version of Brewculator to the next, this will automatically try to convert the recipe format to the new format (if the format changed).
  • Save Recipe - allows one to name the recipe in progress and save it to the recipe database.
  • Beam Recipe - displays a list of recipes from the recipe database. Selecting one and clicking OK will beam the recipe to another Palm that has Brewculator installed. The other user has the option to accept the recipe into their recipe database.
  • Delete Recipe - allows one to delete a recipe from the recipe database.
  • Export Recipe - is similar to Save Recipe. It allows one to name the recipe in progress, and then save it as a memo in Memo Pad.
  • Export Database - creates a memo in Memo Pad that is a dump of the current ingredient database. There are sections for each ingredient. If you want to add ingredients and know specifications for them, this allows you to do that. Here's the current format (20021204).

    [malt]
    <name as string>:<color in degrees Lovibond as real>:<specific gravity in gravity points pounds per gallon as integer>:<diastatic power in degrees Lintner as integer>:<fermentability as integer (0|1|2)>  /* 0 is non-fermentable (like lactose); 1 is partially fermentable (most grains that are mashed or steeped); 2 is totally fermentable (any pre-processed sugars or malt extracts) */
    ...
    [hops]
    <name as string>:<alpha acid in percent as integer>:<description as string>
    ...
    [yeast]
    <name as string>:<flocculation as string>:<attenuation in percent as integer>:<temperature range in degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius as integer>
    ...
    [water]
    <name as string>:<liquid? as boolean (0|1)>
    

  • Import Database - reads the memo created by Export Database and writes a new ingredient database.
  • Clear - erases the recipe in progress.
• Options
  • Preferences - allows one to change information about their brew setup. If you're steeping grains, the efficiency should be set from 40 - 50%. If you're mashing, the efficiency will be higher, around 75%.
  • Water Profile - is where you input key information about your water. This information comes from the water company. If you're not planning on imitating key water styles from famous brewing centers, then you don't need to fill in any information here or on the Water form. Any salts added on the Water form are added to your local water (left column) and displayed in the right column. If distilled water (H2O) is added on the Water form, the numbers in the right hand column become diluted.
  • About Brewculator - displays the About form.

Forms

• Malt
  • The ingredients that can be added to the beer are listed in the top box. Selecting an ingredient displays information about it underneath the box. The first value is the color of the ingredient (in Malt Color Units). In the U.S. this value represents how much color will be added if 1 pound of the ingredient were added to 1 gallon of water. Could someone from Europe let me know if grain bought over there is marked in MCU's for kg / l. Currently if the Metric Sytem preference is checked, this displays EBC as 1 pound / gallon. The Specs page displays EBC correctly. The second number is original gravity. It can be displayed in English (1 pound / gallon) or Metric units (1 kg / liter) and specific gravity units or degrees Plato. The last number is diastatic power displayed in degrees Lintner. Clicking on the Add Grain button will add the selected grain to your recipe (bottom box). Each time Add Grain is pressed, the new grain will be added after the highlighted grain already in the recipe. The Remove button will remove the selected grain in the recipe. The + and - buttons will increase or decrease the amount of the grain in the recipe by 1 ounce (about 28.35 grams) increments.
• Hops
  • The ingredients that can be added to the beer are listed in the top box. Selecting an ingredient displays information about it underneath the box. The first value is the percentage of alpha acid in the hop. The second section displays characteristics of it. Clicking on the Add Hop button will add the selected hop to your recipe (bottom box). Each time Add Hop is pressed, the new hop will be added after the highlighted hop already in the recipe. The Remove button will remove the selected hop in the recipe. The + and - buttons will increase or decrease the amount of the hop in the recipe by 0.25 ounce (about 7 grams) increments. The time box (lower right) shows the amount of each hop is added before the end of the boil.
• Yeast
  • Highlighting one of the yeasts displays information about it. Flocullation is how much the yeast cells clump together. Attenuation is a measure of how efficient the yeast are at producing alcohol. For each yeast I have used the top of its published range.
• Water
  • Salts and distilled water (H2O) are listed in the top box. These can be added 1 gram at a time for salts and 1 gallon at a time for distilled water. This page is for if you are trying to emulate a specific water style.
• Specs - lists the specifications of the beer.
  • Volume of Batch - is the final volume of beer that is being made. This value can be changed on the Preferences form.
  • Volume of Boil - is the volume of beer that is being boiled. This value can not be greater than Volume of Batch. This value can be changed on the Preferences form.
  • Efficiency - is another user defined value. If you're steeping grains, the efficiency should be set from 40 - 50%. If you're mashing, the efficiency will be higher, around 75%.
  • Total Weight - of the fermentables (everything on the Malt form).
  • Color - the calculated value of the color of the beer (the higher the number, the darker the beer). For example, in degrees Lovibond 0 is clear water, 10 is very yellow, 20 is deep copper, and 30 is black. On color Palms running OS 4.0 and higher, clicking on the color value switches the screen to display the color of the beer. Clicking again switches back to the Specs form.
  • IBU - the calculated value of bitterness (the higher the number, the more bitter the beer).
  • OG - the specific gravity of the beer before it is fermented.
  • FG - the specific gravity of the beer after it is done fermenting.
  • Potential Alcohol - the percentage of alcohol by volume in the finished beer.
• Notes - just like Memo Pad.