how did you choose recipes when you first started brewing?

[brew_newb]

I'm just getting started and I'm not sure where to find beer recipes or how to pick one.

 

[Mark1964]

just open a book close your eyes and pick a page :thumb:

 

[PD]

you don't say if your kit or all grain..kits are easy. Just pick a style, lager Pale Ale Stout etc.

With All grain you really need a good book when you start, something similar to Graham Wheelers or Marc Ollosson's that contain many tried and trusted recipes for all grain or extract brewing. Life is a lot easier to begin with.
However some folks enjoy the challenge of designing their own beers right from the word go and will use some beer soft-wear on the computer to make up recipes, its your choice.
Google beer recipes, and you get thousands.

 

[Dieseljockey]

You'll find the recipe button in the top left hand corner...most will get you started. :thumb:

 

[Stihler]

Find a nice commercial beer that you really like.

Research its style and then based upon that research come up with a recipe.

There are programs available to assist in this regard.

One such program is BeerTools.

BeerTools (http://www.beertools.com) has a free online version. Being internet based it is, therefore, platform independent.

================
Here is the recipe of the first beer I made, my Beam Me Up Scotty Stout which always comes out quite nice.

This is an extract and specialty grain recipe.

BEAM ME UP SCOTTY STOUT (Foreign Extra Stout) – 5 gallons (18.9 litters):
7 lbs. (3.18 Kg) of dark, unhopped Liquid Malt Extract
1 lb. (0.45 Kg) light Dry Malt Extract
1 lb. (0.45 Kg) of Crystal Malt (40-80 L)
1 lb. (0.45 Kg)of Chocolate malt
1/4 lb. (0.11 Kg) of Black Patent Malt
1/4 lb. (0.11 Kg) Roast Barley
2.0 oz. (56.70 g) of Northern Brewer (8.5% alpha acid) – boiled 45 minutes [HBU = 17.0]
1.0 oz. (28.35 g) of Goldings (4.2% alpha acid) – boiled the last 5 minutes [HBU = 4.2]
Wyeast Activator smack-pack #1098 – British Ale Yeast
1 Teaspoon Irish Moss – added to final 10 minutes of the boil
1/2 cup (0.24 litters) of honey for priming

For the Liquid Malt Extract I usually use the generic extract often sold at homebrew shops. This extract is generally sold in plastic jars containing 7 lbs (3.18 Kg) of liquid malt extract. If you purchase two cans of liquid malt extract which should yield about 6.6 lbs (3.0 Kg) then the amount of light dry extract used should be increased to 1.5 lbs (0.68 Kg).

Note that the crystal malt should be cracked prior to steeping. The other grains do not require cracking before steeping, however.

In theory rather than use all light malt extract and used specialty grains to adjust the color and roasted character. However, I've played around with this recipe several times and it never came out quite as good as what is produced by the above recipe.

I hope this helps.


- Scott

 

[kev]

http://hopville.com

http://beersmithrecipes.com

K

 

[scott78]

I started AG, I didnt want to have to buy 3-4 types of grain and only use 20g of each so i just got a sack of lager malt and 3-4 packs of hops.
GWs books are good as a guide for hop levels and boil times but the fun really started after reading 'how to brew' by John J. Palmer.
after reading that the simple lager malt/single hop had additions like rice krispies, rolled oats, corn flakes. golden syrup, sugar, dark sugar. due to the book you knew how much to add to get the right SG at the end.

 

[Baldbrewer]

Grain suppliers sell various recipe packs of AG , extract etc if you know what beer you like and want to make without buying loads of ingredients these are a good bet.

Also read our magnificent recipes on here! :thumb:

 

[Baz Chaz]

When I returned to AG I bought the GW book and picked out styles I fancied a go at, learned a lot doing the different styles, how things work, what affect adding/removing ingredients make to a brew :idea:

Now I tend to brew the beers I like, or as near as I can get :thumb:

 

[wilsoa1111]

im now making up my own recipes but the free recipe packs downloaded as extras with beersmith 2 are for me, better than any book, but unfortunately sometimes lack a description tastewise

 

[Brew_George]

After 2 extract kits I did my first BIAB (last night). I went for a Hefeweizen as it involved 50:50 Pilsner Malt:Wheat Malt and 1 Hallertau hop addition at 60mins... seemed to me like a nice easy introduction/transition to mini-mashing before getting recipe books out.