brew calculator

[Clint]

Hello all
I've been playing with the brew calculator on the forum....a couple of questions...
I select the style of beer...American pale,
I put in partial mash,
Next..fermentables...2 kg maris otter,250g crystal,250g dextrose, 1.5 kg lme..it calculates out and gives 4. something...I understand this bit! The box is checked matches style and gives an approximate colour..but...when I select more it says,given the stats it matches sweet mead??
Also I can see how to add hops but is there a general time scale or format to follow?

Cheers

Clint

 

[Budgie]

Hi Clint.

The Brewers friend calculator gives you style matches based on stats only. So basically anything that's the same colour, Gravity, abv etc will show as a match. As soon as you start adding hops it'll change.

As far as hops go, you probay want to aim for somewhere around 40 IBU for an APA. The quantities and times very much depend on what you have to hand.

 

[Clint]

Thanks! So I add the ibu rating of the hops into the calculator..and if I'm wrong for the selected style it will tell me? How do I select enough hops to get the required ibu? Do I look at the packets and add the ratings or is it amount dependable? Is there a basic guide anyone could suggest please?

Cheers

Clint

 

[Budgie]

Somewhere on the label it will state the alpha acid content of the hops. That's what you put into the calculator. For example if you choose, say, Perle it'll automatically put 7% in the alpha acid content box. Hops vary from batch to batch though so yours might not be exactly the same. You just adjust it to your AA content and it'll work out what that equates to in IBU. The amount of time the hops are boiled also has a big impact on the final IBU.

Let us know what hops you have and we can work from there.