Recipes
1) First make sure you are logged in (you must have an account to be able to share recipes). 2) Edit the recipe you want to share. 3) Click the Share Recipe toggle in the top under Efficiency.
You can also click Share under the Recipe Tools menu to get a unique URL for sharing the recipe. The recipe will then be listed in the Beer Recipe section!
Groups have the option of Auto Scaling shared recipes. Recipes will be auto scaled to 5 gallons or 20 Liters. Hop schedules will also be summarized for viewing, copying and exporting so pro breweries and homebrew clubs can feel safe sharing their recipes.
Click the 'Recipe Tools' menu at the top, then the Scale button.
Click the 'Recipe Tools' menu at the top, then the Copy button.
Click the 'More...' button on the right hand side of the bar next to the mug icon (same line that starts with 'Original Gravity'). Your preferred brewing equations can also be setup under your profile.
Yes, click the 'More...' button on the right hand side of the bar next to the mug icon (same line that starts with 'Original Gravity'). From there the Style's OG, FG, ABV, IBU, and SRM will be provided next to each equation. Sometimes it takes picking a different equation to make it match up.
IBUs are mainly from hops, but the boil gravity factors into hop utilization. The sweeter the wort in the kettle, the harder it is for the hop acids to convert to bittering units.
In the fermentables box, click the down arrow (▼) below the fermentable line, or click the '▼ All' button to see the lovibond, ppg, and other options.
In the fermentables box, click the Add Custom button and specify the lovibond and ppg values for your ingredient.
In the fermentables box, click the down arrow (▼) below the fermentable line, or click the '▼ All' button to see the late addition checkbox.
A portion of the extract (dry/liquid), usually 50% can be added at the end of the boil. This results in higher IBU values because of a lower boil gravity.
In the recipe editor, additional gravity (sugars) from the late addition are excluded from the boil gravity for IBU calculation purposes. On the brew steps page, a time of 10 minutes is provided. The longer the late additions are boiled, the greater the reduction in IBU. At 10 minutes, the reduction is negligible and this value strikes a good balance between integrating the late additions into the kettle and getting it back up to boiling, with the IBU boost from doing a late addition.
Yes, the calculator fully supports No Chill brewing.
What is No Chill brewing?
No chill brewing extends the IBU contribution from hops because the wort stays at a higher temperature for much longer. For more information, see our blog post about No Chill brewing.
How do I setup No Chill brewing in the recipe editor?
To activate the No Chill feature, click the 'More...' button on the right hand side of the bar next to the mug icon (same line that starts with 'Original Gravity'), then look for the No Chill box.
Look for the 'custom attenuation' checkbox in the Yeast section. Higher attenuation means lower final gravity. An attenuation of 100% would give an FG of 0.000.
For now, attenuation is the only way to fine tune the FG. Fermentability is another route we are considering, but this is not part of a scheduled release at this time. Many factors go into FG such as ingredients (freshness, grind), mash temperature, yeast, fermentation temperature, etc. The FG reported by the recipe editor is an estimate.
Yes, enter a boil time of zero minutes.
There are many things to double check.
1) Do the amounts for each ingredient match? 2) Does the batch size match (defined as amount going into the fermentor)? 3) Does the boil size match? 4) Is the boil time the same? 5) Is the efficiency the same (defined as Brew House Efficiency)? 6) Are the same equations being used? (click the More... button to see which equations are being used) 7) For FG, is the same yeast attenuation value being used? 8) Make sure the correct factors such as the type and use of each hop addition, late extract additions, are all accounted for.
Keep in mind, rounding errors could be part of the reason. Brewer's Friend does not round until the end!
In general the numbers should agree, but if you checked all these things and there is still more than a 3-5% difference, please contact us via the forum under the Recipes for Review section and we will be happy to investigate.
Yes, click the 'More...' button on the right hand side of the bar next to the mug icon (same line that starts with 'Original Gravity'). Then look for Matching Styles section at the bottom.
Note: The list of matches is based only on the batch statistics. It does not analyze the types of ingredients used. Often the yeast or hop profile is a distinguishing factor in a style (but not always). Getting that right is up to you.
At Brewer's Friend, brewers may choose two different options for batch size.
Fermentor: how much wort made it into the primary fermentor.
Kettle: the ending kettle volume, right before being drained.
Use the target drop down next to the batch size field on the recipe editor to set this. The default setting for batch size target is 'fermentor', but it can be changed under general settings.
The water requirements feature factors in the batch size target. For recipes set to kettle mode, it will provide an estimate for how much wort is going into the fermentor based on the equipment profile selected.
For Extract and Partial Mash Brewers: Most extract and partial mash brewers will do a partial boil and then top off with clean cool water. Partial boil brewers should set their batch size target to 'fermentor'. In this scenario, it is important that kettle losses (kettle dead space, misc losses, and hops absorption) are kept to a minimum because these losses hold back sugars the calculator assumes are part of the OG. Leaving behind more than a few ounces of wort in the kettle and then topping off can reduce the actual OG by a point or two.
Doing a full wort boil for extract / partial mash is also supported. We recommend setting the batch size target to 'kettle' in this scenario, especially for equipment profiles that have kettle dead space or misc losses configured.
For Partial Mash, All Grain and BIAB Brewers - make sure to know the definition of efficiency! The type of efficiency used by the recipe editor for calculations is determined by the batch size target. Fermentor uses Brew House Efficiency, and Kettle uses Ending Kettle Efficiency. For more about efficiency, see the following links:
Boil size is how much wort you will be boiling at the very start of the boil. This value is used for IBU calculations. For All Grain brewing (or any recipe set to batch target 'kettle'), start by entering an estimate. After the grain bill is setup, check the Recipe Tools -> Quick Water Requirements section to see what the system calculated as the actual starting boil volume based on the recipe and the selected equipment profile.
There are four main types of efficiency in the brewing world.
More details about the Brewing Efficiency Chart
More details about the Brewing Efficiency ChartThe type of efficiency used by the recipe editor for calculations is determined by the batch size target. Fermentor uses Brew House Efficiency, and Kettle uses Ending Kettle Efficiency.
For Extract Brewing: For extract batches, the efficiency value only impacts steeping grains. Set the number fairly low to start with, say 25%, and raise it from there if you notice you are beating the target OG. The gravity impact from steeping grains in an extract batch is minimal, but the recipe editor gives you full control over how much of a sugar contribution they provide.
In partial mash brewing, 50-60% may be more reasonable, but set it low until you start consistently beating it.
For Partial Mash, All Grain and BIAB Recipes: Efficiency is based on the batch size target:
When batch size target is set to Fermentor: efficiency stands for 'Brew House Efficiency', which captures your entire system. It factors in sugar losses all the way to the fermentor.
When batch size target is set to Kettle: efficiency stands for 'Ending Kettle Efficiency', which is how much of the sugars from the grain were converted and made it into the kettle at the end of the boil.
Ending Kettle Efficiency is always higher than Brew House Efficiency because it does not count losses from trub, hops absorption, and kettle dead space. Thus ending kettle efficiency and volume happen to be more portable across equipment. If you are brewing with your friends, you may want to set the recipe into kettle mode and share it that way.
The Brew Feature calculates four types of efficiency: If you are interested in tracking efficiency in detail, create a 'Brew Session'. It tracks conversion efficiency, pre-boil efficiency, ending kettle efficiency, and brew house efficiency! Each efficiency value flows to the next, and the value can only go down in subsequent steps.
For more information see: How is efficiency calculated in a Brew Session?
First time doing an All Grain batch? Congratulations! We suggest you start with a conservative efficiency value like 55-60% for your first All Grain batch. Raise it from there as you improve. If you exceed it, hey, you'll have a bit higher ABV - cheers!
Recipe Design Notes:
Pre-Boil / Ending Kettle / Brew House Efficiency are NOT constant across recipes - it depends on your system AND the recipe.Efficiency is only constant for similar recipes (same amount of grain, same amount of hops), on the same equipment, with the same brewing practices.
For beers that use more grain (eg, high gravity beers), pre-boil efficiency, and subsequent efficiencies will be lower because of higher grain absorption. When brewing a high gravity beer make sure to pad in 5%, 10%, maybe even 20% efficiency loss depending on how strong your beer will be.
Hops absorption impacts Brew House Efficiency. A super hoppy beer may see a Brew House Efficiency reduction of 1-3%.
Fermentables are the backbone of a beer recipe. Fermentables are the sugars yeast digest to make alcohol. Fermentables give a beer color, flavor, mouth-feel, and sweetness.
Add fermentables by entering their weight and selecting them from the drop down. The drop down contains a pre-populated list we maintain that is cultivated for accuracy and brevity. The list contains grains by country, adjuncts, sugars, and extracts.
As you enter fermentables, the OG of the recipe will increase. The color each grain imparts is also estimated, and recipe's color (SRM) will change. Gravity can also effect hops utilization, so the recipe's IBUs can change as well!
Sorting: Use the sort button to reorganize the list in order of weight.
Extract Batches: For recipes using the Extract brew method, only extracts and sugars are available as fermentables in the drop down.
Stats on Fermentables: To see what the PPG and Lovibond for a fermentable is, click the down arrow (▼) below the fermentable line, or click the '▼ All'.
If you do not see the fermentable you are looking for in the drop down, click the Add Custom button. This will bring up a custom fermentable line where you can provide a name, the PPG (points per pound per gallon), the Lovibond value (how dark), and if the item needs to be mashed. Grains are typically mashed, but sugars are not. Usually the manufacturer provides these numbers, but you can also look at similar ingredients as a guideline.
If you want to use the custom fermentable across several recipes we recommend you add it to your Inventory as a 'Custom Fermentable'. It will then appear at the top of the fermentables drop down list.
The Mash Checkbox: The sugar contribution from mashed ingredients is impacted by the efficiency setting at the top of the recipe. Most likely the box is checked for any grain that is crushed, but left unchecked for raw sugars.
The Late Addition Checkbox: Use this to exclude the fermentable from the estimated boil gravity used in the calculator. To reveal this for a standard fermentable, click the down arrow (▼) below the fermentable line, or click the '▼ All' button. This is usually done for about half of the total fermentables in an extract batch, but can also be done in any brew method when boosting the gravity with sugar. Doing it this way increases IBUs (higher utilization), so you get more bitterness out of the same hops.
The OG value: This is an estimation of the per-line gravity contribution based on the fermentable's ppg, amount, and recipe batch size. Line item OG values will not always add up to the batch OG because of small rounding differences. For recipes set in Plato mode, the per-line OG figure is really just an estimate. Reason being - the gravity to Plato conversion is not linear. This has to do with physics, not software. Instead of reporting the per-line Plato value independent of the other sugars (which would be inaccurate), the system takes the percentage gravity contribution and multiplies that by the batch OG. That is what the brewer is actually interested in anyway.
Steeping grains give flavor, body, and freshness to extract based recipes - and are highly recommended! This section works exactly like the fermentables section above, but only shows grains in the drop down list. It is only available if the recipe is setup with the Extract brew method.
Hops are the spice of beer, they add bitterness, complex flavor and aroma, and the characteristic signature of each beer. Add more hops, and increase the IBU contribution. For reference, each hops entry displays its individual IBU, utilization, and AAU.
Enter the hops amount, and start typing the hop variety. An auto-suggestion box will come up to help complete the selection. Not all varieties are listed, but if a match is found, and the AA box is empty, the default AA for the hop will be entered.
Sorting: Use the sort button to reorganize the list in order of when the hops are used in the recipe. Very handy if you decide you want to change around hop additions, times, or even change one hop to be First Wort instead of Boil.
Alpha Acids - AA: Alpha Acids refer to how much bitterness the hops impart. This should be written on the hops package. If not, you can use the recommend guideline from the system, which is considered the 'average' for that variety. The AA numbers vary from year to year, field to field.
Time - how long the hops will be boiled in minutes: This field is only applicable to boiled hops and aroma hops (though a low time is usually specified for aroma hops). For Dry Hops the time field turns to days - eg the number of days to soak the hops in the beer. For Mashed Hops, the field is always blank and a value of 5 minutes is used for IBU purposes. For First Wort Hops, the field is always blank and the recipe's boil time is used to calculate utilization (see more on FWH below).
Type - the form the hops come in: Leaf / Whole, Pellet, and Plug are the most popular ways hops are sold. Fresh hops - right off the vine, wet, not dried like all other hops. Pellet hops impart a + 10% utilization factor, but only with the Tinseth IBU equation. Read our blog post about the types of hops.
AAU = Alpha Acid Units: Reported as (ounces of hops * alpha acid). For example, 1.5 ounces of Cascade with an AA value of 7 would be (1.5 * 7 = 10.5).
Customizing the Auto Complete List: The hops auto complete list will suggest hop varieties as you start typing. It will also fill in the system default AA value for that hop when you press enter. As you setup the recipe, the editor overrides the default AA values with what you have entered on the recipe.
The hops auto complete list also includes your inventory. You may setup custom hops in your inventory, or override system default AA values. If there are multiple hops with the same name, the default AA value for that hop variety is taken from the last one in the list.
Hops Use: Relates to how the hops are used in the recipe, with the most common being 'Boil'. Read our blog post about Dry Hopping. Read our blog post about First Wort Hopping.
A hop stand is a technique where hops are exposed to the wort after the boil but before fermentation.
In a Whirlpool hop stand, the whirlpool is started after the boil and extra hops are added.
With a hopback the wort is pumped or drained through a container holding the extra hops on the way to the fermentor.
Hop stands avoid vaporizing the essential oils and are said to result in smoother bitterness and flavor. The temperature and time of the exposure greatly impacts the utilization (for the purposes of IBU calculations). Given the wide variation in process and equipment out there, the utilization factor is left up to the brewer. A value of 10% is generally accepted, but could vary based on process. The hotter the temperature and the more time, the higher the utilization.
When selecting Whirlpool or Hopback as the hop use, two new fields will appear.
The utilization of the hops (normally 10%, but could be zero if done at lower temperatures or for a short time).
The temperature at which the hop stand is performed at.
For more information on hop stands see this excellent and detailed write up by BYO (Mar/Apr 2013).
First wort hopping (FWH) is the method by which a hop addition is added to the boil kettle prior to lautering your grain bed. For more details on the process of using FWH, Read our blog post about First Wort Hopping.
The recipe calculator treats FWH additions as boil hops for the entire boil time of the recipe. Additionally, a utilization multiplier is applied to scale up the bittering of the FWH addition. By default that scalar is set to 110%, but you can manually enter a custom utilization boost by entering a different percentage in the 'Scale Util.' field. That percentage represents the entire utilization multiplier, meaning a value of 110% represents a 10% increase over a regular boil hop.
The mash guidelines section is the place to provide temperatures and times for the mash process. Volumes are optional. For all grain recipes, an optional starting mash thickness field appears (normally between 1.0-2.0 qt/lb or 2.0-4.0 L/kg).
Given the wide variation in mash processes, equipment, yeast strains, and fermentation temperatures, the mash temperatures do not factor into the estimated FG of the recipe. What you can to do adjust FG is change the yeast attenuation.
The Brew feature is where mash thickness, infusion temperatures, and water volumes are tracked.
Here is our approach to mashing: On the recipe page, enter temperatures, times, and rough amounts. The fields are all optional. From there, save the recipe, then click the 'brew' button. The system then uses your equipment profile to figure out exactly how much water your will need for the mash. (You can setup your equipment profile under the gear icon in the upper right.) Then go into the brew feature's Mash Calculator tab. From there you can adjust the mash ratio, grain temp, mash temp, and do infusions, etc. It saves every detail along the way. It also helps zero in on the target water volume for the brew.
This is a free-form section for adding anything else the recipe calls for. Examples include Irish Moss, yeast nutrient, flavors, spices, etc.
Salts and Acids added to the Mash or Sparge will affect the Mash pH, otherwise none of these values impact the recipe stats. If you want something like raw fruit to change the gravity, that would need to be added as a custom fermentable.
This section also provides a place to input the priming method, amount, and CO2 Level. These fields are all optional. Examples: Method: Dextrose, Amount: 3.5oz, CO2 Level: 2.2 Volumes Method: Keg, Amount: 11.2 psi @ 40F, CO2 Level: 2.4
The yeast drop down contains a pre-populated list we maintain that is cultivated for accuracy and brevity. You can contribute to this list from your inventory or shopping list. See contributing for more.
Fermentation Temperature: The temperature you intend to ferment at during primary fermentation.
Yeast Pitch Rate: The yeast pitch rate you are going with for this recipe. Use the link to the yeast pitching calculator for more information. The yeast pitch calculator will automatically be populated with details from your recipe.
Starter: Check this box if this recipe calls for a starter. To obtain a pro brewer's pitch rate a starter is practically required with one pack of liquid yeast for a 5 gallon / 19 liter batch. High gravity batches and lagers generally call for a starter. The exception is when using dry yeast - extra packs can be purchased to meet the desired pitch rate more easily than making a starter.
Custom Attenuation: You can enter a custom attenuation value for the yeast. At present, this is the only way to impact the estimated FG of the recipe.
Cells Required: Reports the number of cells (in billions) needed to hit the target pitch rate. This is based on the batch size and the OG. Larger batches and/or stronger batches require more yeast to achieve the same pitch rate. This option only appears if you have selected a target pitch rate. Click the 'Yeast Pitch Rate and Starter Calculator' link below the pitch rate drop down to pre-fill our yeast pitch calculator with values from the recipe. The yeast pitch calculator page has detailed information regarding pitch rates, pitching like the pro's, and starter requirements.
This is where the target water profile should be entered. It is not necessarily your local water profile, unless you want to brew without any mineral adjustments. Several profiles are provided in the drop down. For details about each profile see our Summary of Target Water Profiles page.
If you have setup water profiles under your account, they will be available in the drop down as an option. The idea is to provide the exact mineral levels in ppm, and notes that include any recommended water adjustments.
To assist in going from the source water you are brewing with to the target water profile, we have two water chemistry calculators:
Water Chemistry – Basic – Basic calculator for adding salts and hitting desired ion levels. This calculator is built into the brew session feature.
Water Chemistry – Advanced – Computes mash pH using state of the art engine written by Kaiser. Supports slaked lime, acid additions, multiple water sources.
For more information on Water Chemistry: The water chemistry article at this site is a handy guide to understanding more about brewing ions.
Yes! Recipes can be setup in either Plato or Specific Gravity. Click the 'More...' button on the right hand side of the bar next to the mug icon, then look for the Sugar Scale section on the lower right.
The default Sugar Scale can also be set as a profile option under the General Settings tab.
If you find a recipe you want to switch between Plato or Specific Gravity, simply edit the recipe and switch the radio button under the 'More...' option.
Equation: Plato = -616.868 + (1111.14 * SG) - (630.272 * SG^2) + (135.997 * SG^3)
Notice that this is not a linear relationship, which means plato(sg1) + plato(sg2) != plato(sg1 + sg2). As you adjust fermentables, each individual plato value will change because of this.
To add your own grains/extracts to the fermentables drop down on the recipe editor first add them as 'Custom Fermentables' under My Inventory. Even if they have a zero quantity in your inventory they will still appear in the drop down.
The Hops auto complete list can also be customized via the My Inventory list. You may override the default AA value (last one wins) and add additional varieties of hops.
BU/GU is one way to measure of how balanced a beer will be. The BU/GU ratio is the amount of bittering units per gravity unit. Less hoppy beers like a Light American Lager will have a ratio as low as 0.20, while an IPA will have a ratio around 1.0 or even higher.
BU = bittering units (IBUs), GU = gravity units (OG).
Example: An IPA has 70 IBUs and a gravity of 1.060. Take 70 / 60 and get 1.17 - bitter!
Keep in mind though, details like final gravity, yeast, specific grains, and even water chemistry influence the perception of bitterness.
In the recipe editor: The BU/GU ratio is located in the More... panel, under the IBU section.
The equipment profile selected for the recipe, under the More... dialog, is used by the brew feature and the water requirements feature. If no equipment profile is selected, your default equipment profile is used.
The system allows multiple equipment profiles under an account. This way you can have one profile for your main brew rig, a second for a process variation (like squeezing hops or straining wort), another for small batches, and yet another in different units.
The way we have defined efficiency and batch size targets makes this possible. Brew house efficiency and batch target 'fermentor' go together, while ending kettle efficiency and batch target 'kettle' to together.
For more about efficiency and batch size, see the following links:
Diastatic power (DP) is a measurement of a malted grain's enzymatic content. The purpose of the malting process is generally to break down the protein structure of the raw grain, by soaking the grains in water and then sprouting them. The term "modified malt" or "highly modified malt" refers to how broken down this protein structure is during this process. Highly modified malt, for example, has almost all of the protein structure broken down, and that is the most common type of malt available to us. The malt is then dried in a kiln, where these sprouts fall off, leaving behind the malted barley grain. Light colored grains like pilsner malt are kilned the least, while the darker colored grains like Munich II are kilned to a darker color. For even darker grains and specialty grains, the malt is sometimes roasted to make ingredients like crystal/caramel malt, roasted barley or others like victory malt.
In addition to changing the protein structure and fermentability of the grain, malting also develops the enzymes needed for mashing so that the starches can be converted to fermentable sugars during the mashing process. Beta amylase and alpha amylase together are diatase enzymes, and we as brewers are probably familiar with them. This type of enzyme is where the term "diastatic power" derives from. During the saccrification rest (the mash at temperatures of approximately 146-158° F), these are the enzymes responsible for converting the starch from the grain into fermentable sugars. Diastatic power is an indicator of the amount of those enzymes available to do this conversion, and is described in degrees Lintner in the US. In Europe, often the diastatic power is given in degrees WK, which stands for Windisch-Kolbach units. You can convert WK to Lintner using the formula Lintner=(WK+16)/3.5. To convert the other way, WK=3.5*Lintner – 16. In general, a diastatic power of at least 30°L is required to convert a mash, although it could take longer than a mash with a higher DP.
For custom fermentables, enter the diastatic power for the grain on the manufacturer's malt analysis sheet in the box provided. This will default to 0, so if you are adding grains with diastatic power, add the correct DP in degrees Lintner in the box.
Since the roasted and highly kilned malts are processed in the way they are, few specialty malts have diastatic power. Some of the highly modified base malts, such as US two-row, may be as high as 160° L. Some malts, like Munich malt, due to the way they are processed, have enough DP to self-convert but not enough extra DP to convert other additions to the mash.
For most batches, the DP should not be a concern since usually you will be using a base malt with plenty of DP in the mash. There are exceptions, however; if you are making a beer with a lot of adjuncts this could be an issue. For example- if you are formulating a recipe for a cream ale using 20% flaked corn, 20% flaked rice, 5% crystal malt, and the rest an undermodified base malt, you may not have enough DP for conversion. Or in the case of a Belgian wit with 40% unmalted wheat and 60% base malt, you may need to ensure your recipe has enough DP to convert the entire grain bill. The way to determine the amount of DP in your mash is to add up the grain amounts, and then average the grain's DP together to find your mash DP. Our software will make it easy for you- with a green check showing adequate DP for your recipe.
In the case of partial mash brewing, since less grain is in the mash, it is very important to ensure that there is enough base grain with enough DP to convert the rest of the grains. A good rule of thumb is to have twice as much base malt to the amount of specialty grains in the mash (ie 2 pounds two-row base malt per pound of specialty grain). Checking the DP of the mash instead of using this rule of thumb can be more accurate especially when limited to a small mash due to equipment limitations. Our software will make it easy for you- with a green check showing adequate DP for your recipe.
So many brewers grow or buy fresh hops. Also known as "wet hops", these hops are used fresh off of the plant and not dried before use. Generally, brewers will use approximately six times the amount of fresh hops as dried or pelletized hops due to the water content of them. Our IBU calculator has been updated to provide a better estimate of IBUs provided by fresh wet hops. Simply choose "fresh" as the type of hops in the dropdown when you add it to your recipe.
Many brewers make their recipe by stating a certain percentage of grains in the recipe. To do that in Brewer's Friend, in the Recipe Builder create the recipe by filling out the information at the top (like the name of the recipe, the type, and so on). When you reach the "fermentables" area, glick the "goal" tab at the top left of that area. Highlight either the OG or ABV goal that you desire for your recipe, and click "set goal". Enter the grain type in the long box, and then add the percentage of this grain desired. Continue with further recipe additions. The total percentage will tally at the bottom of the "fermentables" area. See example below:
To adjust the amount of grain, click the unshaded box with the grain amounts. You can adjust either the percentage OR the grain amounts by clicking between them, if you need to adjust either of them. See example below on adjusting the amount of grains:
Adding fermentables or changing the grainbill is easy, and will of course change the percentages accordingly so that you will reach 100%. You can continue to adjust as needed by choosing the box that you wish to revise.
