Version 1.2 of BrewerTimer is available! Version 1.2 is now a Universal app and runs natively on the iPhone, iphone5, iPod, iPod 5th generation, and all the iPads! Version 1.2 is available now.
It is strongly recommended that you update your program if you are running version 1.0 to correct a bug.
I have been brewing beer continuously for over 25 years. (I first brewed in 1980, but that was so bad that I didn’t try again until 1987.) One thing I often tell new people when they first start off, is that brewing beer is simple and inexpensive. It is up to the home brewer to make it as complicated and expensive as possible.
One of the things that I always made more complicated than necessary was keeping track of the boil time with the additions. I have used kitchen timers, stopwatches, and in the last few years, my iPhone. However, all of these just kept track of the entire boil time and I needed to keep track of the additions.
So, one day I decided that the iPhone was the best tool. I just needed to write a simple app to keep track of all the additions. After a month of working on the app, it became apparent that the simple part only applied to using the app, not writing it! The games that I’ve written were not that difficult, but this app was challenging which made it fun to write.
I had several goals for the app, and it was these goals that made writing the app challenging for me:
1) It needed to be easy to use. Brew day has enough issues, and using the timer should NOT get in the way.
2) Easy to add and delete additions in the app.
3) It needs to run in the background and notify me of addition times so I can listen to music while brewing.
4) The program has to have the ability to pause the timer so people can turn off the flame to add additions or malt extract.
5) The app must be a Universal app, running on the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad.
After months of testing with other brewers, I finally met these goals and came up with BrewerTimer for only 99 cents! (Breaking the rule of making things as expensive as possible.) I really hope your BrewerTimer removes some of the complexity out of the brew day that we brewers can make so complicated!
One thing I noticed about home brewers, it is really a home brewing community. We are always helping and learning from others. I often invite new brewers to my house and have them help me brew 10 gallons. All they have to bring is a carboy, stopper, and air lock. At the end of the day, I send them home with half the wort (as long as they stay and help clean up!)
Because it is a home brewing community, I am really hoping that people email suggestions to me so I can incorporate some suggestions into future releases. While I have this program working the way WE feel is ideal, I cannot anticipate all possible scenarios. So, do not hesitate to contact me with any idea or feature that you would like to see incorporated into this app. Email me at: support@wordguess.net with any of your suggestions, comments, or concerns. If you like the app, please leave positive feedback in iTunes!
Date First Released: October, 2012
Mark Lopatka