Announcing 'Mash Made Easy', a mash pH adjustment assistant

[Silver_Is_Money]

Announcing the launch of 'Mash Made Easy' version 1.00, and version 1.00 Metric.

Mash Made Easy is a simple and intuitive spreadsheet that was made possible in large part by the hard work of a number of Beta test assistants selected from among the members of HomeBrewTalk.com. The spreadsheet functions within Excel 2010 or later, LibreOffice, OpenOffice, and Google Sheets.

Mash Made Easy is free, yet complete and fully functional. You may download it at this website:

https://mashmadeeasy.yolasite.com/

My hope is that you will discover it to be the most intuitive and easy to operate software of its type, and I feel confident that its output advice will be accurate enough to enhance your all-grain brewing experience.

 

[enkamania]

On the mash ph tab, it calculates amount of baking soda needed, which shoots my sodium through the roof. I can't delete it or change it.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

For some reason your Honey Malt and Carapils additions did not populate the calculated DI Mash pH field. I must ask what software you are launching it under, as obviously there is a serious problem here which I must quickly rectify. My output looks like this. I developed this spreadsheet in Linux using LiberOffice. Perhaps I will need to run it in Excel to try and see what issues arise, and how to circumvent them, but my Beta Testers sent me numerous screen shots which are not exhibiting your issue. I am however well aware that the spreadsheet will not function properly in Excel versions that pre-date the 2010 release of Microsoft Office and its edition of Excel. I just made notice of this explicit on my website.

 

[enkamania]

I'm using Excel 2016. Is there a way to disable Baking Soda, I never use it.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

I'm using Excel 2016. Is there a way to disable Baking Soda, I never use it.

You are free to simply not add it. But the problem I'm seeing in your screen shot runs far deeper than this, as I have stated above, and as can be seen in the difference between your screenshot output and mine. There seems to be a problem when launching my spreadsheet in Excel 2016 which did not materialize during my nearly 6 months of Beta testing. Your output calling for almost 10 grams of soda ash is not at all correct.

Could you try saving my spreadsheet as an 'xlsx' file, launch it again from that file format version, and then let me know if it still fails to populate the DI mash pH column properly.

 

[RPh_Guy]

Big thanks for this and for making it cross-compatible. I exclusively run Linux (Mint Cinnamon) so this makes me happy

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Big thanks for this and for making it cross-compatible. I exclusively run Linux (Mint Cinnamon) so this makes me happy

Thanks! After an unexpected disaster of a first release, this is indeed refreshing, but as something like 99% of potential users who should be able to get full benefit from my spreadsheet are using Excel in one version or another, I will need to rectify the Excel issue(s) quickly. That I'm a retiree on a tight budget who does not have a computer running Windows or Excel is the immediate issue that I must overcome here. For now I have only Linux and LibreOffice.

 

[enkamania]

I saved as xlsx (there were some error warnings, I clicked OK to all. Sorry I didn't get a screen shot) The DI mash is now showing for all grains. The calculations look a lot better.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

I saved as xlsx (there were some error warnings, I clicked OK to all. Sorry I didn't get a screen shot) The DI mash is now showing for all grains. The calculations look a lot better.

Thank you kindly! The answer for me then is simply to get hold of Windows and Excel, save my spreadsheet(s) in Excel using their 'XLSX' format, and then place these revised versions (which I will update to reflect version # 1.10) onto my website for general download access. Until I can do this, I urge Excel users to apply this simple file format fix to version 1.00 on their own.

NOTE: Your 'Maris Otter' base malt is a "pale ale" type malt. In the lower right hand corner of 'Mash Made Easy' (MME) there is a drop down field by which to adjust 'Mash Made Easy' for the predominant low color base malt as seen in your recipe. Click on this drop down field and select "Pale or Pale Ale" from the drop down to achieve a more proper pH adjustment output match to Maris Otter.

 

[MSK_Chess]

there should be parameters to changes the strength of acid additions

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

there should be parameters to changes the strength of acid additions

I agree, and I have the code for this with regard to Phosphoric Acid developed and running within a separate spreadsheet here at present, which I will need to consider transitioning into a future release of MME.

But in all of this I must remain focused upon keeping 'Mash Made Easy' simple, easy, and intuitive to operate and use, and I must resist the urge to turn it into a Swiss Army Knife of bloatware, whereby in the process it loses it's very identity as an easy and intuitive to use spreadsheet, which from the very onset has been my primary goal and outlook for it (in addition of course to reliable output), as is reflected within its very name.

Is this acid strength (percentage) issue also a common for Lactic Acid, or is it mainly a concern with Phosphoric Acid?

 

[day_trippr]

.

 

[MSK_Chess]

I agree, and I have the code for this with regard to Phosphoric Acid developed and running within a separate spreadsheet here at present, which I will need to consider transitioning into a future release of MME.

But in all of this I must remain focused upon keeping 'Mash Made Easy' simple, easy, and intuitive to operate and use, and I must resist the urge to turn it into a Swiss Army Knife of bloatware, whereby in the process it loses it's very identity as an easy and intuitive to use spreadsheet, which from the very onset has been my primary goal and outlook for it (in addition of course to reliable output), as is reflected within its very name.

Is this acid strength (percentage) issue also a common for Lactic Acid, or is it mainly a concern with Phosphoric Acid?

Its actually for making a sour wort and using it for acidification. But sure I understand the approach is to make the process simplified. It is to be lauded.

 

[day_trippr]

.

 

[soccerdad]

Looks both promising and interesting. Thanks for working on this.

 

[spittybug]

When I try to open the Excel file I get a Microsoft warning. Office File Validation. Says it could be very dangerous......

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Version 1.10 has been placed onto my website replacing version 1.00, and hopefully the Excel compatibility issues and warnings are now solved. My son has Excel, and he modified both the standard and metric versions for me. Please let me know if the version 1.00 issue has been resolved with version 1.10.

https://mashmadeeasy.yolasite.com/


PS: There was and is no danger with the 1.00 version from earlier today. Essentially the problem is that Microsoft does not like to play fair with Linux, which is a competitor. The current 1.10 files were entered onto the website from Windows after the compatibility issues were fixed. 1.10 was saved in the newer 'xlsx' format using Excel.

My apology for all of the inconvenience. Certainly not the best way to launch new software. To say the least it has been quite a stressful day for me.

 

[day_trippr]

.

 

[jcav]

Thanks going to give this a whirl!

John

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Day_Tripper, that's one I've certainly never heard of before. My son just left with his 3 children. I'll have to get him to rectify this later, hopefully tomorrow sometime. When it rains, it pours. My stress level is going through the roof right now. More apologies.

For now I'm pulling the files down from my website until my son can work on it further in Excel and resolve the protection issues. Hopefully sometime later in the day tomorrow.

PS: As stated above and on my website, the spreadsheet files are known to not work in Excel versions earlier than 2010, so to state that it will not work in Excel 2003 is merely stating the known and obvious.

 

[day_trippr]

.

 

[Murphys_Law]

What you're doing is pretty cool. I wouldn't stress to much!

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

OK, rather than stress, I dug into my version 1.10 files using the only tools available to me, Linux and LibreOffice Calc, and I re-did the protection scheme, and then I export/saved them into the Excel 'xlsx' format, and lastly I placed them back onto my website and made them available for download again.

There are definite differences between LibreOffice in Linux and Excel in Windows, and the way they protect spreadsheets is one of them, but for now I'm hopeful that I'm getting back onto the right track. If not, I'll wait for the assistance of my son, but for now I ask that someone please download and try the version 1.10 files in Windows/Excel (2010 or later please) to see if these freshly uploaded versions work without the compatibility error flags going up, and without the end user being asked to enter a password.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

I'm proud to report this morning that my son has tested the current (version 1.10) release of 'Mash Made Easy' as downloaded from my website using Excel 2007, and he reports that it is working properly, with no compatibility warning flags or file protection issues. Per my son, Excel 2007 is the first Excel to use the 'xlsx' file format, so conversion to that format and modifying the protection means seems to have been the key. I'll update the website to indicate that it functions fully and properly in Excel 2007 and later versions. Enjoy!!!

 

[Big Monk]

Glad to see you got it released!

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Glad to see you got it released!

Thanks much RPIScotty!!!

In addition to celebrating my spreadsheet release, I'm also looking forward to the return of the public release version of your spreadsheet!!!

 

[Big Monk]

Thanks much RPIScotty!!!

In addition to celebrating my spreadsheet release, I'm also looking forward to the return of the public release version of your spreadsheet!!!

I don't think a water only sheet will be coming back out. We have water calcs built into out public brewing sheet though.

 

[Javaslinger]

Nevermind... I found it

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

So where do you put your starting water mineral levels, etc? or does this assume you're beginning with RO or distilled water?

Select the "Water" page tab which is seen in the lower left hand corner. This will take you to your source and dilution water data entry page. Enter your mineralization and alkalinity data for both sets of water, select your chosen percentages of each, and then return to the Mash pH page.

There are three of such page tabs. (1) Mash pH, (2) Water, and (3) Sparge Water Adjustment.

 

[IslandLizard]

I'm proud to report this morning that my son has tested the current (version 1.10) release of 'Mash Made Easy' as downloaded from my website using Excel 2007, and he reports that it is working properly, with no compatibility warning flags or file protection issues. Per my son, Excel 2007 is the first Excel to use the 'xlsx' file format, so conversion to that format and modifying the protection means seems to have been the key. I'll update the website to indicate that it functions fully and properly in Excel 2007 and later versions. Enjoy!!!

Thank you for your dedication and hard work to create something so easy for something so difficult and mystical for many brewers! You've opened a gateway for beginning all-grain brewers and all-grain brewers who never bothered with their water to gain control over their water and mineral content in an easy to understand fashion.

I've tested it out on Excel 2013 for Windows and so far, so good!

There are a few areas that may benefit from some cosmetic tweaks, but the functionality is excellent from where I stand.

Perhaps consider adding a preferences/advanced options area where defaults can be changed. For example, a user defined dilution of their Phosphoric Acid, etc.

The "Base Malt Type" drop down was a complete surprise to me, as well as the location of it. I like it, it has a lot of elegance, but could be easily overlooked by a novice.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Thank you for your dedication and hard work to create something so easy for something so difficult and mystical for many brewers! You've opened a gateway for beginning all-grain brewers and all-grain brewers who never bothered with their water to gain control over their water and mineral content in an easy to understand fashion.

I've tested it out on Excel 2013 for Windows and so far, so good!

There are a few areas that may benefit from some cosmetic tweaks, but the functionality is excellent from where I stand.

Perhaps consider adding a preferences/advanced options area where defaults can be changed. For example, a user defined dilution of their Phosphoric Acid, etc.

The "Base Malt Type" drop down was a complete surprise to me, as well as the location of it. I like it, it has a lot of elegance, but could be easily overlooked by a novice.

Thanks for the great feedback! Selecting variable Phosphoric Acid % concentrations via a "preferences" page addition is on my radar screen for the next update.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Looking forward to trying this out

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Announcing the release of 'Mash Made Easy' version 1.20.

In response to your requests for the ability to variably select Phosphoric Acid concentration, 'MME' now allows the user to easily select the actual percentage concentration of their Phosphoric acid.

https://mashmadeeasy.yolasite.com/

 

[Contrarian]

This is interesting, I'm looking forward to trying it out. Thank you for putting this together.

One functional request is to have control over the concentration of lactic acid used - I use 80%.

Another minor niggle is I'd prefer to input the metric document with lovibond malt specs and have a readout in SRM. But that is really just personal preference, might be the impetus I need to move over to SRM and EBC.

 

[The_Bishop]

Any reason the sheet doesn't show magnesium and/or sodium concentrations? Or total calcium? Those are important to know, as well.

Edit: Never mind. I'm blind. It's at the top. The sodium would be nice, though. And maybe a way to accommodate Calcium Chloride solutions?

 

[jgourd]

In the spirit of openness and sharing in the homebrew community (plus we like to learn), I would suggest protecting the formulas (and other cells that you do not wish to be changed) with blank passwords. This way anyone can easily un-protect them to show the formulas used to calculate things (and re-protect them back). It is relatively simple to remove password protection nonetheless using LibreOffice (even without knowing the password), but I thought I'd suggest a slight improvement.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

The sodium would be nice, though. And maybe a way to accommodate Calcium Chloride solutions?

Sodium is listed right along with chloride and sulfate on the lower right hand side.

Calcium and Magnesium are listed separately along the top/center because they contribute to pH reduction in the mash.

Sodium, chloride, and sulfate do not contribute to mash pH reduction.

https://mashmadeeasy.yolasite.com/

 

[The_Bishop]

Doh. Don't know how I missed that. Thanks, and sorry.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

One functional request is to have control over the concentration of lactic acid used - I use 80%.

If it is common to use Lactic Acid in strengths other than 88%, then I will certainly be looking into incorporating this feature into a future version 1.30.


https://mashmadeeasy.yolasite.com/

 

[MaxStout]

Just downloaded v. 1.20, trying it out for an upcoming wheat beer brew. Very intuitive. Thanks for sharing this!