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Best McBrew Alternatives ranked by AI · updated Aug 2026

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McBrew is a Mac-focused homebrewing application for formulating beer recipes and estimating brewing parameters. It is intended for homebrewers who want recipe calculations and batch planning in a desktop tool.

Developer: McBrew Price: Free 🎯 github.com/alienator88/McBrew

Top 6 McBrew alternatives

πŸ’‘ Pick it for modern cross-platform brewing logs, inventory tracking, and hardware integrations.

Brewfather is a comprehensive brewing software with advanced features for recipe formulation, water chemistry, and brew day tracking.

Pros

  • Extensive recipe customization options
  • Mobile app support

Cons

  • Steep learning curve for beginners
  • Limited inventory management

Free version available, premium plans starting at $4.99/month

3 Brewer's Friend logo

Brewer's Friend

Brewer's Friend

πŸ’‘ Pick it for browser-based recipe design, water chemistry, inventory, and community sharing.

Brewer's Friend is a web-based homebrewing suite covering recipe design, brew calculators, batch logging, and brewing utilities. It targets hobbyists who want...

Pros

  • Broader calculator and logging toolkit than Hobbybrew
  • Accessible from any modern browser
  • Large recipe database and active community

Cons

  • Many useful features are restricted to paid plans
  • Interface can feel busy compared with Hobbybrew
  • Less polished hardware automation than Brewfather

Freemium, Premium from about $7.99/month

πŸ’‘ Choose it for a free, open-source desktop recipe calculator with broader platform support.

Brewtarget is an open-source software for creating and managing beer recipes. It offers various tools for homebrewers to design and track their...

5

Grainfather

Grainfather

πŸ’‘ Pick it if you want recipe management paired with connected Grainfather brewing equipment.

Grainfather is a brewing system and companion software platform for homebrewers, with recipe management, brew profiles, and connected equipment controls. It is...

Pros

  • Provides connected control and guided workflows unavailable in McBrew
  • Useful recipe and brew-profile management for Grainfather equipment owners
  • Companion software is available on modern web and mobile platforms

Cons

  • Best features are tied to Grainfather hardware
  • Less equipment-neutral than McBrew and other recipe calculators
  • Buying compatible hardware substantially increases total cost
6 BeerTools Pro logo

BeerTools Pro

BeerTools

πŸ’‘ Choose it for a desktop-focused, equipment-neutral recipe tool without a recurring subscription.

BeerTools Pro is brewing software for designing recipes, calculating brewing targets, and managing batch information. It is aimed at homebrewers who want...

Pros

  • More detailed recipe and process planning than Hobbybrew
  • Supports equipment-specific brewing calculations
  • Desktop workflow suits brewers who prefer local software

Cons

  • Smaller user community than BeerSmith or Brewer's Friend
  • Less modern cloud and mobile support
  • Paid software has less entry-level appeal than free tools

One-time purchase; current price varies by edition

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