Timer for Hop Schedule

[famous]

Hello all,
I have started to get bolder with my home brewing, by entering the world of partial mashing.
I found that I could prep everything in advance, but once I got to the hop schedule I was left worried about timing of the numerous additions I needed to make.
After a few brews, and some googling I found that there is no timer I could find that was specifically built for a hop schedule.
So, being a geek and a home brewer I decided to make one.

In the screen grabs, you can see a timer that has 40 minutes remaining. Two hops additions have already been added, and a third (the Cascade at 45mins) is showing an alarm that needs to be cleared. Then you can see there are still three more hop additions to go.
I've tried to make the view as simple, yet as informative as required. What's been, what's current and what's coming up.

The next image shows you how to enter the data (all in a single screen app to keep it simple).
Labels for hops can be what ever you want, as it is simply free text. i.e the name, quantity (if that helps you tip the right one in).

The boil time is defined by the first entry, then each following hop addition simply defines the duration it should be boiled for. Flameout additions are time = 0.

Reminder alarms are visual and audio.
I built this for IOS devices, and currently have it running on an ipad. https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=927858031&mt=8

Now I'm looking for a IPA recipe with a busy hop addition schedule so I can enjoy bittering with confidence.

 

[duboman]

Actually if you use BeerSmith you can use the timer for your brew day that is in the software. I am not sure of the app version but the desktop version has one and it is integrated with your recipe. You simply pull up the brew sheet of your recipe and click on the timer, it goes from Mash in all the way through the boil and sounds an alarm at the end of each step or time for hop addition. SInce I brew with my laptop in my brew room it works out perfectly.

 

[jbb3]

I use a free app on my phone called Brew Timer. You can set it up to include your full mash-in to flame out schedule or just the hop schedule or whatever you want.

 

[pvpeacock]

I just use SIRI to set timers for me and have all my hops set out in small bowls with post-its telling me whether each is the 60 min. addition, 15 min. addition, flame additions etc.

 

[famous]

Actually if you use BeerSmith you can use the timer for your brew day that is in the software. I am not sure of the app version but the desktop version has one and it is integrated with your recipe. You simply pull up the brew sheet of your recipe and click on the timer, it goes from Mash in all the way through the boil and sounds an alarm at the end of each step or time for hop addition. SInce I brew with my laptop in my brew room it works out perfectly.

Thanks for that,
Yeah I have been told about beer smith. However I didn't want to pay that much money and I only wanted the timer function not all the other features.

 

[famous]

I just use SIRI to set timers for me and have all my hops set out in small bowls with post-its telling me whether each is the 60 min. addition, 15 min. addition, flame additions etc.

Cheers for your comment.
That is kinda what I was doing before my timer, but doing it that way you have to figure out when to set the timers for. My way reverses the process so you just have to enter how long the hops should boil for and the timers are set accordingly.
I know that is pretty trivial but the reason I made it was because I felt under pressure at boil time to quickly work out times off the clock and write them all down and then sit there clock watching. This way I can prepare in advance and just hit start when ready. I figure for more experienced brewers they will already have a system in place, and be much more relaxed.
Also, I do like brewing with larger hop schedules.

 

[famous]

I use a free app on my phone called Brew Timer. You can set it up to include your full mash-in to flame out schedule or just the hop schedule or whatever you want.

Hey jbb, thanks for that. Brew Timer looks pretty good. I didn't find that before.
I still prefer my analog view of a timer counting down. Simple visual cues which is they way my brain likes it. But of course I'm biased

 

[jbb3]

Hey jbb, thanks for that. Brew Timer looks pretty good. I didn't find that before.
I still prefer my analog view of a timer counting down. Simple visual cues which is they way my brain likes it. But of course I'm biased

Have you ever really brewed a batch of beer in your life? Or are you just trying to sell your geekdom on this site??

Buzz off...

 

[brewguyver]

Have you ever really brewed a batch of beer in your life? Or are you just trying to sell your geekdom on this site??



Buzz off...

Do you know anyone on this site who isn't showing off their geekdom? I don't. Then again, vendor attempts to drive sales will probably be banned ... unless of course that person was to register as a vendor (hint hint).

The beersmith mobile app does do a countdown timer - I usually just use that. Then again i'm more of a one app to rule them all type of guy.

To famous - next step: Figure out how to get that app to connect to a steamproof bluetooth hopper so the hops drop automatically!


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

 

[jbb3]

Do you know anyone on this site who isn't showing off their geekdom?

If you're a brewer and have info or product experience to share, great!

If you're a vendor, be a vendor and sell your wares, in the proper forum, cool!

But a first time poster, lying sack of sh!+ pretending to be something they aren't in order to try and slide under the radar to sell something, I can't let go unnoticed.

 

[famous]

Some protective questions about my intentions with my post, which I can understand. You are trying to keep this a forum for brewers and not a commercial space. I think that is a good thing too.

I am a novice brewer, and I'm in NZ so I use a local forum. (http://www.forum.realbeer.co.nz/profile/Shem)
And I use brewtoad for a source of recipes, https://www.brewtoad.com/users/42004

The reason I posted here (and other beer forums) is to discover if there is any interest in this timer app. If there is I'll go the extra step of releasing it to the world for people to use. If not, I'll just keep it for personal use. Releasing to itunes store isn't trivial, neither is maintaining it or supporting other users, so I'm not going to do it if people don't want the app.

If my use of this forum breaks etiquette, I'll pull the post.

 

[cernst151]

If you're a brewer and have info or product experience to share, great!

If you're a vendor, be a vendor and sell your wares, in the proper forum, cool!

But a first time poster, lying sack of sh!+ pretending to be something they aren't in order to try and slide under the radar to sell something, I can't let go unnoticed.

Jesus dude, no need to be a prick. The guy wrote an app and is trying to share it with people and you feel the need to crawl up his ass over it? Relax, have a homebrew!

 

[cernst151]

The reason I posted here (and other beer forums) is to discover if there is any interest in this timer app. If there is I'll go the extra step of releasing it to the world for people to use. If not, I'll just keep it for personal use. Releasing to itunes store isn't trivial, neither is maintaining it or supporting other users, so I'm not going to do it if people don't want the app.

If my use of this forum breaks etiquette, I'll pull the post.

I'm curious about the app. If it's free, and available for Android, I'd give it a shot. I used Brew Timer for my last couple brews and it crashed twice so I'd like something stable and the visual you've got is pretty cool.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

I think people would buy it for their tablet or phone for say 5 bucks or so

 

[famous]

I think people would buy it for their tablet or phone for say 5 bucks or so

I thought 5$ was too steep for this simple app, so I went for the minimum price point.
I didn't get to test the app on many different devices so I expect there may be some issues to fix up once people try it out.
https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=927858031&mt=8