How do you keep notes?

[ryantollefson]

What is everyone doing to keep notes about their brews & later drinking of it?

Simple paper journal, spreadsheet, note sheet from AHA, something else?

I would like to have a good way to track my beers, so I took fairly detailed notes on a scratch pad, and snapped some pics with my phone, but I would like to put it all together. Any suggestions?

 

[TheCADJockey]

I have a journal from some bookstore that is bound with dark wood covers and has a cord to tie it shut. It sounds pretentious but I keep little things like this because I received a bunch of art from my past grandfather, handed down, who made his own books in a similar fashion. I would just like some day to hand down to children & grandchildren something nice. Even if whatever I keep in them is of no interest, I cherish my grandfathers work just being able to see his handwriting and thought process.

 

[Auger]

I have a three ring binder filled with graph paper that I use for writing down recipes and feedback (hypothetically...I don't follow through with the feedback as often as I should). It also has various labels, recipe cards, drawings, and chickenscratch stuck in there. Last year when I started using Brewsmith, I print out the recipe then make hand notes on that as needed.

 

[flars]

I write all my notes on the back of the recipe sheet. I have a recipe sheet for each brew kept in a binder.
Starts with date of brew, steep or partial mash time, boil time, yeast pitch rate and number of cells, start/end of active fermentation, daily fermentation temp tracking (for first four to seven days), occasional SG readings after about 14 days, yeast harvest, final gravity, bottling day, bottled volume, amount of priming sugar, days to carbonation, and tasting notes after carbonation.

Sounds like a lot, but only takes up about three-quarters of the sheet.

 

[rekoob]

years ago I was using Strangebrew software and would print the brew day sheet and keep my brewing, racking, OG, FG, kegging notes on that. after brew day I would punch a few holes in the top and put it in a 5 x 8 three ring binder. and fold the sheet to to fit by still show the name and date of the beer at the top.
I stopped using strangebrew some time ago and it would seem that software is no longer being kept up. I was then using just a sheet of paper in the binder to keep notes on.
Now I am making the transition to beersmith and if I decide to stick with this software I will either do the same thing as I did with strangebrew or I will start keeping my notes in the software (if that's an option and can be backed up).
I will most likely print and keep as I have been just so there is always a history even if the computer dies.
Looking forward to hear what others do and maybe get some good ideas.

 

[kcmobrewer]

Beersmith notes. Everything on my computer is backed up to an external hd weekly so I'm not worried about losing it.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[phyllobeddo]

I've been using Evernote lately. I can access it at work and go over recipes and record beer thoughts.

 

[sumbrewindude]

I have two -

For recipe building and long term notes/results I use Brewtarget with a weekly backup.

For the actual "brew day" I use a regular notebook, as the LHBS includes a sticker sheet with the actual grain and amounts ordered (that get's trimmed and stuck into the notebook), along with a handwritten notes for hop addition times, my MR/SG/OG measurements, as well as volume/temp measurements that occured during the brewday. Not a fan of expensive electronics around hot, sticky liquids.

 

[dkevinb]

I use Word. I keep a copy of my brewing log on Dropbox so I can access from anywhere, including my tablet while I'm brewing on the patio.

 

[Homercidal]

I use beersmith. It is supposed to keep good records. Though I will admit, a lazy person can still not have good notes.

I created a brewday worksheet in Excel that lists everything and all times and events can be written down in it. Now if I can only remember to print a bunch off and have them on hand for brewday, I'd be all set!

 

[unionrdr]

I started with a one-subject note book, brew sheets from kits & BS2. The recipe, notes & all can be uploaded to their cloud for storage in case your comp or software goes south. I do need to start a hard copy to keep all of them in one place as a backup though. I keep all kinds of notes on them about the brewday, day to day checking & thoughts along the way. so much so that I'm now writing a book about my journey through this happy madness of home brewing. Looking to release it 11/1. Then a good amount of my stuff will be in a book at last.:rockin:

 

[Homercidal]

Here is a PDF of the Brewing Log Sheet I made up. I used a few different sources for inspiration, and basically just tried to give a place for any and all possible notation and events so I could get a clear snapshot of the brewday, and really of the whole batch. My intention is to keep a binder with notes on every batch. I tried doing this electronically, but I'm not getting it done with that method.

Homer's Brew Log

 

[passedpawn]

Beersmith

 

[CJ-3]

I write long notes on paper while brewing and then organize it on a speadheet a day or so later. I find it helpful to keep it on the computer for easy reference.

 

[Natdavis777]

I keep everything in BeerAlchemy. In my notes section for each recipe, I have how much water, what ratio of RO/tap water, mineral additions, mash times/rest, etc.

If the beer turned out not the way I wanted, I tweak the recipe, but it keeps the original recipe brewed in my log so I know what has been altered. I also have a freakishly good memory, so I usually remember the next time I brew, what flaws and good points I encountered last batch/brewday


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[ballsy]

Excel spreadsheet.

 

[fuzzy2133]

I use the Basic Brewing Log book and Beer Smith. Then I have a journal type book for experimental things that do not have a home in the other two (like the gravity of thawed frozen concentrates from the store.)

 

[Devin]

All of my notes are kept in a writing journal. Recipes that I end up liking are transferred to Brewtarget on my PC. I have never been one for keeping notes on my computer....not sure why. I guess I just like the old school style of actually writing it down.

 

[Krieger]

I used to use iBrewmaster on my iphone(and my wife's tablet), I'm currently using beersmith for android on my tablet and phone. I'm currently waiting for this: Brew Journal to come in. I'll likely switch to that in the long run. I also keep various recipes I use for reference or in case I'm lazy or want to try something new in Evernote.

 

[BreezyBrew]

I use BeerSmith for the projected information, and info sheets for during brew day, fermentation and after. I keep a notebook of the BeerSmith recipe, water sheet and a location for important numbers to write down all the info.

 

[bobeer]

I usually email myself recipes so I'll never lose them. I also copy the recipes into a journal that I also write my numbers in, brew day notes, and tasting notes in. I should probably get into electronic notes since I'm an IT guy but I never have a computer around on brew day. I try to stay off of computers and not look at screens in my spare time so the notebook works for me.

 

[Peruvian802]

I print out my recipes from word/pages and then make notes on them. I keep them all in a folder.

 

[b-boy]

Beersmith. I create folders for each brewday and add my recipes to the folders. I also copy/paste anything I got on the recipe online along with that person's notes and the web url so I can revisit it.

I admit to forgetting to enter information sometimes, although I'm getting better about it.

My note taking is inversly proportional to the number of beers I've consumed during the brew session.

More beers = less notes.

Too many beers = No notes, bad beer, and a second degree burn or two.

 

[ChefRex]

Horribly

 

[JimRausch]

I design my recipes on Brewtoad, even ones that are basically kits. Print those out and use them as a worksheet to work on. I add Brunwater water changes, and keep detailed notes of the actual process, making sure I add volume and sg measurements. Then eventually tasting notes. These all go in a 3-ring notebook.
Recently, my notebook was getting too full to add new ones, so I decided to archive older brews and put the basics of everything on an excel worksheet. I also keep track of my brewing grains and hops available on excel.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

I have an excel spreadsheet with a tab for each recipie. I also have a separate small ( 3x5) notebook with tasting impressions at segveral dates. When I rebrew a recipie I refer to my tasting notes to make recipie adjustments.

 

[Cheesy_Goodness]

For now I just print the recipe and scribble any changes in the margin along with strike temp, strike water volume, etc.

I've been working on a spreadsheet that keeps track of each recipe and all of the extra grain I have on hand (ie if I'm placing an order for a grain bill that contains crystal 40, the spreadsheet will tell me that I've got a half pound of it already and don't need to order it), but it's got a few problems that need resolved before it's ready to be depended on.

 

[gfinockio]

I've been using Evernote lately. I can access it at work and go over recipes and record beer thoughts.

I'll second Evernote - super easy to use, lots of options, can create sub-notebooks, file pictures, clip websites, etc. I also keep my tablet handy while brewing, so if I think of something I take a note down, or look up an old recipe, etc.

 

[mikescooling]

boy am I low tech, I use a legal pad and note card in my pocket.

 

[merline]

I use Brewmate to create my recipes. On brew day, I print out the associated recipe to follow along. And I add alot of notes (temps, times, etc). Then after the yeast has been pitched, I transfer my "numbers" into a spreadsheet. The original paper gets put in a 3-ring binder. I also don't like bringing a computer into the kitchen on brew day. So far, I only refer to the paper notes when brewing the same recipe. The spreadsheet is referenced often to check things.

 

[Calichusetts]

Beersmith plus this journal:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1463593155/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Beersmith is great for planning but I like the journal to keep track of the actual brew day/fermentation/bottling, etc.

 

[LabRatBrewer]

Beersmith, then printed out and hand written notes added during brewing and the sheet saved in a 3 ring binder.

 

[Clarke]

I design my beers with an excel spreadsheet that I created using the formulas from here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Beer_math

Then I hand write my final recipes into a little black book I acquired, I keep track of everything with this book, recipes, tasting notes, recipe changes, thoughts, ideas. It is a bit disorganized, my every brew thought goes into this book and it is one of my personal treasures. I like to thumb thru it and remember good and bad beers and off thoughts, I like seeing the book age as it wears and dream that my daughter will one day have this book and think of me. Silly I know.

 

[unionrdr]

Not really. That's pretty much what I do. There's enough in there that I'm using it to jog my memory to right a book on home brewing.

 

[Vegetarisk]

I take notes in what I guess you could call a journal format. Brew day I'll take note of the recipe, and usual stuff like steep times/temps, boil time, wort cooling time/temp, OG, yeast pitched,etc., as well as describing anything else I did (or didn't do) while brewing like how I aerated the wort, did I filter or not, etc. I'm still new enough to home brewing that I'm slightly neurotic about my process so recording seems to ease any anxiety I have by the time I'm done!

Then once fermentation begins I'll take note of the lag time, how vigorous fermentation is, did I use an airlock or blow off tube, and the temperature. I'll monitor and record anything I see for the first few days and then leave the beer alone!

Bottling day I don't record much other than the amount of priming sugar I used and how bottling went. Recipes I will either save to Beersmith 2 or if it's something I put together off the internet, I'll save a pdf copy of the recipe.

 

[jrc64]

Good Old fashioned handwritten notes. Here's a tip... one of the most important notes is the tasting notes. This is where you can mark the adjustments of future batches . Take detailed taste notes.

 

[Quaker]

I use Beer Alchemy. On brewday I jot the recipe/process on a 4'x4' whiteboard I got for $5 at our office junk sale. Throughout the brewday and fermentation I update actuals in green. In the end I take a photo and upload in the BeerAlchemy photo section on the recipe.

This pic was a partigyle session

 

[Transamguy77]

I use the Brewersfriend brew day sheets, it's got the basic info and then I hand write my other thoughts and tasting notes.

 

[planetscott]

I use Brewer's Friend. I can access it on my lap top, Android phone and Nexus tablet. I can print the recipe when buying ingredients. I can send a link to the recipe to others who wish to use it. I am a premium member at Brewer's Friend and it is worth it.

http://www.brewersfriend.com/

 

[KeninMN]

I use the Notes function in Facebook, using a format I designed myself. I'm able to add hyperlinks and upload photos. I can also access them anywhere I have access to the Internet. You can either share them with the world or mark them as private.