Designing mobile app to help with homebrewing

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shortymike

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Hello HBF!

I'm doing a module called 'Mobile Application Development' as part of a university level computing degree, and as part of the grade, we have to build a fully functional Android application.

I decided early on that I'd love to do something related to homebrewing. I'm aware there are already a lot of apps that are made to assist in the homebrewing process but a lot of them seem to have a single function, and as a result, you need to have 5 or so different apps on your phone.

My aim is to make an all-in-one brew app. My current plan is to include:
  • A calendar to help plan your brews and set reminders far in advance so you don't forget.
  • Multiple timers that can be paused and adjusted without affecting the other timers. You can also set the timers to give you warning before they go off which the user can set.

I've come here today to ask what you all would like to see in an all-in-one brewing app that might not be available at the moment or something to help streamline the planning process.

Thanks in advance!

P.s, it'll be free when it's done :grin:
 
Hi Shorty and welcome to the forum.

As I mentioned on other threads, I use the Wort App for Android that I find really useful. I can't really think of what else it needs other than an ability to share our recipes with other Wort users.

One thing I feel lets that software down is initial set up. I was getting some strange brews well short of what I was expecting. This wasn't the fault of the software, it was more to do with me using the authors standard numbers. For instance, he has as default 0.5L for Mash loss while I was losing closer to 2L. This meant my brews were ending up well short of what I wanted. If I were presented with the screens to change my numbers on first start up then I don't think I'd have had this problem.

Good luck with your project, my Son is a first year student in this same field and I'm trying (miserably) to learn to program Android myself. If you need a beta tester I'm fine installing apk's so if you want to contact me privately I'll send you my email address and you can send me when you get the software up and running.
 
I quite like the integration with the calendar idea - that'd be really useful.
 
Recipe scaling is a must. So you can change the batch size and all other calculations (ingredient weights and volumes) stay the same.

The main challenge I think you'll have is getting all the specs right for all possible grain etc. Also you'll need to preprogramme defaults for say alpha acids in hops, but make sure they can be overwritten and ideally saved so you don't have to constantly reset them (something that annoys me about Brewers friend app).

Timers are good, especially if they are generated automatically from the recipe. So start the timer at start of boil, for example, and it will automatically ping you for other additions.

Good luck, that's no small undertaking.
 
As some one with a freezer full of assorted hops, I'd love a stock-keeping function for hops and grains that could keep track of what you have and adjust accordingly after each brew.
 
Hello HBF!

I'm doing a module called 'Mobile Application Development' as part of a university level computing degree, and as part of the grade, we have to build a fully functional Android application.

I decided early on that I'd love to do something related to homebrewing. I'm aware there are already a lot of apps that are made to assist in the homebrewing process but a lot of them seem to have a single function, and as a result, you need to have 5 or so different apps on your phone.

My aim is to make an all-in-one brew app. My current plan is to include:
  • A calendar to help plan your brews and set reminders far in advance so you don't forget.
  • Multiple timers that can be paused and adjusted without affecting the other timers. You can also set the timers to give you warning before they go off which the user can set.

I've come here today to ask what you all would like to see in an all-in-one brewing app that might not be available at the moment or something to help streamline the planning process.

Thanks in advance!

P.s, it'll be free when it's done :grin:

Looks like you have lots of suggestions so far - I'd also appreciate a stock-keeping section (especially if it could automatically deduct ingredients when you tell it you've made a brew).

Which university?
 
As a logistics guy, an inventory function would be great. Ideally, one where I could set replenishment levels so if my stock of Maris Otter gets below 1.5kg or Fuggles drops below 50g, for example, I get a reminder to order some more.

You could even have a basic database of recipes that could lookup against your inventory to suggest something to make. So, for example, you have everything in your inventory to make an ESB or a 70/-, so the app makes a suggestion for you to brew it. This could be useful for people who often brew the same styles. If the app tells them they've got everything in to make a porter, when they normally do pales and bitters, they might give it a try.
 
Thanks for the great response everyone! I'm in the process of planning out all the main features now :) Thanks for the links HebridesRob and jenivida!

To answer your question Herb, I'm at Edinburgh Napier.

I'm still taking ideas if anyone has any suggestions, and I'll try to update this every now and then to keep people in the loop about how that project is going! Thanks for the support everyone!
 
About time you started brewing.

Looking like I might be doing a double decoction pilsner style this weekend if the postie arrives with the grain. Got a wee fridge to allow me to lager without using the fermentation fridge.

Should have brewed a special ale for tomorrow seen as it is our silver wedding anniversary
 
As some one with a freezer full of assorted hops, I'd love a stock-keeping function for hops and grains that could keep track of what you have and adjust accordingly after each brew.


Stock management against you recipes that you kick off is the feature that I think would be super useful. I am surprised beersmith et all don't do it.

The beer calculation and brew day assistance is relatively well documented and implemented but something you can scan in your purchases and manage your store cupboard against brew days with would be awesome.
 

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