Fermentables Drop Down (yet another)

AHarper

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My issue with the fermentables list - but I'm sure it's the same problem that others have - is as a result of the user additions to the list (and I must admit here that I am guilty of adding a handful but without knowing the consequences) where the drop down list is now hopelessly out of order and it is becoming difficult to know where to look for a named grain.
What I think has happened is that we each like to use our own way of naming the malts that we use (I copied the names from the suppliers website - as that is what I bought it as) but the same grain can be named 5 different ways by 5 different people so now there are 5 different entries in the list - BUT they wont be together in the list but spread all over it.

The problem about changing the list now - other than sorting the order they are displayed in - is if any are deleted it will mess up a users recipe if the reference to a named grain has been removed in the interim. Well maybe - I don't know for sure.
What might resolve it if the Original list of fermentables was moved to the top - in the order it was at before - and all additional users entries tacked on at the end - sorted alphabetically. That may not be practical to do I don't know how the list is sorted all I know it is all over the place.
It would appear that the order is based on the Supplier's name rather than the fermentable type. i.e. All Maris Otter types listed together and all Munich Types listed together (and there are surprisingly lots of them - 23 variations and 8 of them German! including Dark Munich and Munich Dark!!!! Argh!!!!)

I personally don't care who actually supplies the grain even if the SRM or PPG is different for each supplier. I would have though that altering the amount used can adjust the result - or am I missing something here? Whatever the reason for the changes - however well intentioned - it has resulted in complication. Pity.

Examples of drop down sort order that are confusing;
upload_2019-1-21_17-48-56.png



upload_2019-1-21_17-49-53.png


Sorry if this seems picky but it's not so user friendly now - and I am a friendly user....
 
Well I just took another look at this and... well it DOES work if you start typing the grain type in the drop down box - you get ALL the entries that include the typed value so giving a reduced selection. I may have been too hasty in complaining - well not complaining but bickering (so my mrs says...). It DOES work it is how you use it that is important - something I say to her!!!!!
 
I can't type In the fermentables section on my mobile which I use 90% of the time to access brewersfriend. I have to scroll down through the myriad fermentables. So I've found it's easy to just select ingredients for recipie through my inventory.
 
Seems to me it is an overcomplication of what was once easy. I'd go back to the generic fermentables listing organized by country, the primary reason being that grains are variable between years and batches, secondarily it's just a lot easier to find stuff. So that Root Shoot Two-Row from this brew won't be the same as the Root Shoot Two-Row the next time you use it! So if I were designing this based on what I've read, I'd start with the generic listings, let people add specific grains to their own listing as custom fermentables and let people select from their inventory. I know what malts my LHBS carries and can make judgements about what to buy based on 1) Country of origin, 2) Malt house and 3) Availability. In those rare cases where brand matters, I can create a custom fermentable. And even rarer, if I keep bags of material on hand, I can add that to the inventory and select from there. Or I can sub on the fly if my LHBS is out of something.

23 returns from typing "munich" into the search bar is not helpful. Nor are 6 for the search "2-row" unless I specifically know the SRM I'm looking for. "Crystal" returns 39 rows, granted, I can use the Lovibond rating to improve my results.

It seems to be to be a trade of usability for detail. I can see where some might want the detail and they should have the opportunity to use it. Most of us, I'd wager, don't need to know the SRM of the 2-row before going to the LHBS to buy beer supplies. It'll be in a range we need and that will be good enough.
 
23 returns from typing "munich" into the search bar is not helpful. Nor are 6 for the search "2-row" unless I specifically know the SRM I'm looking for. "Crystal" returns 39 rows, granted, I can use the Lovibond rating to improve my results.

It seems to be to be a trade of usability for detail. I can see where some might want the detail and they should have the opportunity to use it. Most of us, I'd wager, don't need to know the SRM of the 2-row before going to the LHBS to buy beer supplies. It'll be in a range we need and that will be good enough.

What is useful to some, may not be useful to others. I'd guess this is a big balancing act trying to please the masses. Another assumption on my part would be - there had to be numerous requests for more. Enough so that more are being added.
 
What is useful to some, may not be useful to others. I'd guess this is a big balancing act trying to please the masses. Another assumption on my part would be - there had to be numerous requests for more. Enough so that more are being added.
Fair enough. Now how to account for variability of malt from year to year and batch to batch.... Actually my suggestion was meant to satisfy most. Now what was my specification for SRM of two row for my Kentucky Common?
 
Fair enough. Now how to account for variability of malt from year to year and batch to batch.... Actually my suggestion was meant to satisfy most. Now what was my specification for SRM of two row for my Kentucky Common?

I still can't wrap my head around the fact that I put in 2, or two, and all 2-row doesn't pop up...
Someone else might know why, or not notice.
 
I still can't wrap my head around the fact that I put in 2, or two, and all 2-row doesn't pop up...
Someone else might know why, or not notice.
I tried - the list didn't come up when I typed in "2", but when I typed in "2-". "2" brings up everything with the number in it. "two" won't find results because that combination of letters isn't found in any of the malts.
 

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