Understanding Recipe Formulation

Hello all, I am really wanting to start creating my own recipes but I am having a hard time understanding how to make one. From what I've read, the way to go is to pick a base style and then pick ingredients accordingly. The part where I get lost is formulating the quantity of fermentables. How do I know how many pounds of base malt and/or specialty grains to use? Then how do I calculate what X amount of grain will add to the beer? I know each type of grain/extract will have different effects across the board(color, gravity, taste, etc.), but I honestly have no idea how to anticipate what the grain/extract will add the the beer aside from color. Not into all grain yet but partial mash is my next endeavor after another couple extract batches.

Beersmith will tell you.  Start by inputting a clone recipe play around with the sliders, buttons and stuff you will see how everything works

Hello,

in conjunction with using BeerSmith for designing beers, I would suggest getting hold of a copy of Designing Great Beers by Ray Daniels.  Not only will it give you a good history of different styles, but it will give you insights to the ratios of grains, what hops are used, yeast, etc.  It will provide you with a wealth of info that you can translate into creating your own recipes.

By taking haerbob3's advice of starting with a clone, coupled with understanding that style you are looking at (using Designing Great Beers), you will not only better understand how to use BeerSmith by playing with the sliders, etc., but you will also know why you are making those changes.

You will eventually figure out a good starting point for the amount of extract or base malt to use for your particular setup. After that it's a matter of adding your specialty grains, watch your ratios, and adjust to get the OG within the style guidelines.  Before you know it...it will become second nature.

Hope that helps.

-Dan

In the end there is only one thing that will teach you what a particular ingredient will do in a beer. beersmith can tell you how much sugar it will add and how much color it will add and take a shot at how much residual sugar it will add but none of these things will tell you how the beer will taste when you add say 10% crystal 40. The only way to know that is to add 10% crystal 40 and brew it.

This is really nice if you ask me because it's why we are homebrewing. if we just wanted great beer there is already a plethora of that around. we want to MAKE great beer and in order to do that you need to learn all about what beer can be made of and how each of those things tastes when put in a beer.

Designing Great Beers is a great read as well and a good way to get into a process that can seem daunting at first. Just remember to have fun!

There are many ways to formulate recipes.  I can only tell you my approach using BeerSmith.  First I pick the style I want to design to and read whatever I can, making notes on base malts, flavoring malts, color malts, sugars, hops, yeasts and any flavor notes that I want to include.  I then look at other recipes, especially those that score high in competitions or which are highly rated by others, and refine the malt and hop lists.  Designing Great Beers, as was suggested is a great resource for this as well.  Though I use it mostly for the ingredient descriptions lately.

I used to go out and get a few commercial examples just to taste and determine if I wanted to brew that style and record which flavors I did get from the beers, but that was only the first time I tried an unfamiliar style. 

With those notes in hand, I select that style on a blank formulation sheet, update my profiles accordingly, and then add the base malt.  I increase the base malt to get the OG in line and then start adding the specialty malts for flavor.  I generally have a good idea of the % of each I want to add based upon the style guide and recipes I've researched.  As I am doing this, I will adjust the base malt down to keep the OG where I want it. 

The I adjust the color with any color malts, add any sugars for flavor or to help contribute to dryness of finish.  I'll then select the yeast, which will have an impact on FG, ABV, so I go back to those and readjust, usually just the base malt at this point. 

Lastly, I will add the hops into the mix to fit the style and match the bitterness, flavor and aroma profile that I want.

The finishing touches are any additions to water (rarely for me), clarifying agents, adjust the fermentation profile and then a review of everything.  I compare the recipe to my notes, make sure the malts are in general balance for the style, and make any last minute adjustments. 

I will mention that I have never entered any competitions, but was very pleased when I received a copy of Classic Styles this past Christmas and saw that most of my recipes were reasonably close to those in the book.  I attribute this to the recipe review and profile research step.

This is all very helpful, thanks guys. I just really want to understand why I add what I add to my brews. I will definitely start experimenting and pick up that book a couple of you mentioned. Cheers!

This may help:    http://beersmith.com/blog/2013/02/16/designing-beer-with-denny-conn-beersmith-podcast-55/

Hi - Just recently there was a recipe collaboration that took place in the Recipes section of the forum:  http://www.beersmith.com/forum/index.php/topic,10061.0.html

It was a fun exercise that gives some pretty good insight into building a recipe based on a robust porter.

-Dan

I agree you need to start with Beer Smith. That will help you get within the guidelines of a particular style but, there is a book you should get too. It is called "Designing Great Beers". That could be helpful. The charts are hard to follow if you are not that skilled at brewing but, it is a start. You should also get a copy of the BJCP guidelines. That will help you understand style guidelines. That was my method for figuring it out. Back when I started brewing they didn't have software. Hell! They didn't have computers back then. You guys got it easy now! I had to use recipes from other people and books. The BJCP guidelines however, showed me if I was on the right track but, it was the ProMash software that made me realize what was what and, Beer Smith is what most homebrewers use these days. All you can do is use Beer Smith, read books, join a beer club, and brew all the time. Ask any time. I am willing to answer your questions anytime.

Thanks Freak, appreciate it!!