Common Questions

Many people have asked me, "Why make another online recipe website? Aren't there sites out there already?".

First, Smart Brewer is brewing software first and a list of beer recipes second.

Smart Brewer allows a user to add/modify/update and delete their own recipes. This is different from virtually all the sites out there that just allow a user to "Post" their recipes.

Smart Brewer also categorizes based on a standardized set of styles created by the Beer Judge Certificate Program. Finding a particular style based on the ingredients you already have is easy.

Just my two cents,
Andy

SmartBrewer.com - Email #1

Below is the content of my first user email. My hope is that people will start seeing Smart Brewer more as brewing software and less as "another place to post a recipe".

-Andy


Hello All,

Thought I'd send out an email outlining some of the recent improvements on SmartBrewer.com. I've been adding function to the site almost daily. Most notable are the following features:


1). Smart Brewer now has working "My Ingredients" inventory section. Once logged on users can add/modify/delete ingredients AND use this inventory to find recipes.

2). Users can browse recipes using the "Advanced Search" to find recipes they have ingredients for (either some or all).

3). Smart Brewer now has the capability to copy and modify recipes in the "My Recipes" section. Once logged in ANY recipe can be copied into the "My Recipes" section.

4). Every recipe now calculates the "Smart Brewer Efficiency" located in the upper right hand corner. The Smart Brewer Efficiency is minimum efficiency needed to achieve the brewer;s stated original gravity for a beer.

6). The "Smart Brewer OG" displayed on each recipe automatically calculates the Original Gravity a brewer could achieve based on the ingredients and the efficiency the brewer claims.

7). The International Bittering Unit Calculator is fully automated!! Smart Brewer approximates the bitterness of a given beer based on the hops added, type of hops and the length a hop might be boiled. Try clicking on the "Smart Brewer IBUs" on a recipe to learn more. Here's an example recipe:

http://www.smartbrewer.com/recipes/recipedetails.php?id=5

8). We have 41 Recipes and counting!!! My favorite is the Papa John Pilsner, I just finished bottling this beer two days ago. The Lager Yeast leaves a remarkable finish with just enough hops so you'll notice:

http://www.smartbrewer.com/recipes/recipedetails.php?id=93

I need your feedback!! What works? What doesn't work? Also, if you're a brewer please add one of your favorite recipes.


-Andy

Final Goal??

So, at this point I have people actually browsing the recipes (Thanks Google Analytics) but far fewer people actually trying to use Smart Brewer for its intended purpose: To share and develop recipes.

I think people are hesitant to enter all their ingredients because they don't want to spend the time creating an inventory list only to browse through 37 recipes. I probably wouldn't.

It's sort of dilemma. I need quality recipes for people to begin to use Smart Brewer but to get quality recipes I need people to actually enter them. I suppose I could enter 5 or so a day and eventually there will be enough content but I am just one person and I really have only brewed about 20 times. It would be great if people posted recipes that they brew or recipes they really like but how do I get them to do this?

I guess this dilemma isn't much of a big deal, I'll get through it. However, there's other much bigger problems that I'm not sure how to work through.

I think a key component will be the videos section. People are much more likely to watch 30-45 second videos on individual sections if they have questions. Need to get started on that.

-Andy

Cleanup

Cleaned Up printing for "My Ingredients", cleaned up "searchme.php" and fixed grains to include "createdby" and "updatedby".

-A

Users' can now vote on recipes

I also cleaned up "Ingredient Admin" so other users can add to the public database.

Progess...

1). Added a comment section to all recipes
2). Added new icons to login/update/modify recipes
3). Revised advanced search here
4). Fixed profile so user can change their username
5). Added a couple of Yeasts