dirtygreek

Recipes 

I won't be trying this too soon since I'm a complete amateur, but I'm very curious. Buying a mix and brewing it is great and all, but how do you actually create a recipe? Where can I find information on how much of what would be good together to create certain types of beers that I can call my own? Recommended books? Websites?

Thanks!

homebrewer_99

Recipes 

I think you first have to have a better understanding of what each ingredient does for you before you start formulating recipes. This knowledge will come with experience (and asking others), so start brewing other recipes you think you would like.

Now, that's just a generalization so don't anyone start flaming.

After your brews are ready you need to decide for yourself what you did and did not like about it. With knowledge of your ingredients you can tweak it to your tastes.

There are plenty of books (Borders usually has a large HB selection) on clone beers that are informative, and there's a million recipes on the net.

Gook luck.

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HB Bill

AlaskaAl(e)

Recipes 

Just to piggyback a bit...I was in the same boat as you not too long ago and I'm just starting to figure out how to make what I like. I actually only did one kit beer but I've done quite a few borrowed recipes from the web and I'd add more/less of one thing or another to tweak the taste to my liking. I've made a few of my own creations but it's basically taking what you like from your previous attempts and putting them together. Partial mash brewing is your friend, the possibilities are almost endless.

George

Recipes 

I checked out a great book at the local library, Designing Great Beer by Ray Daniels. It was very interesting to me, an all grain brewer. I can't remember if it really deals with extract/partial mashes.
Another great resource is Zymurgy. It's a really good magazine. Six issues annually, under $40, recipe packed pages. Many, if not most, articles have something to do with the effects of certain ingredients on recipes. Most beers have recipes for both all grain and extract brewers.

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On tap: Small-Dry Hopped w/cascade
Small -no dry hops
Red
Rye
Secondary:More red and rye
Primary: Brown (11 years at this and this is my 1st)

Janx

Recipes 

For recipe design, I also recommend Designing Great Beers...very in depth.

By far the easiest way to design recipes, extract or AG, is to get some software like ProMash. It will help you get the color, bitterness and gravity right within the style guidelines. There are still a lot of variables, but if you nail those 3 things, you'll usually make drinkable beer. Cheers!

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Oh don't give me none more of that Old Janx Spirit
No, don't you give me none more of that Old Janx Spirit
For my head will fly, my tongue will lie, my eyes will fry and I may die
Won't you pour me one more of that sinful Old Janx Spirit

Ken Doggett

Recipes 

I have both sets of software and I think I like Pro Mash best, although I find Beer Smith very easy to use. Either will help you design better beers that will stay within the category styles you are trying to achieve. Both allow you to use literally hundreds of combinations of grains and other ingredients. Keep your records - you may find you have developed a new beer through personal experimentation that is awesome. The software has made brewing even more enjoyable.

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Water = potential beer wasted.