Brewing techniques guide to modify beer

sidneysaintpe · 01-02-2009, 07:51 PM

I am trying to create a guide for brewing techniques to mess around with beer recipes. I have a lot of books but they never have a consolidated guide to address what I have in mind:
For example......

For:
Dryer beer - Increase mash time, lower mash temp
Maltier beer - Increase mash temp
Thinner beer - use adjuncts up to....% of grain bill
Increase hop bitterness - increase IBUs
Increase hop flavor - add hops 10-20 minutes
Increase hop aroma - add hops <5 minutes
Citrus hop flavor/aroma- cascade, centennial, etc. etc.
______ hop flavor/aroma -
Increase carbonation - add more corn sugar; ___ # Co2

Does this make sense? Please build on what I have here, others will benefit as well!

WBC · 01-03-2009, 12:56 AM

Well, most of this you already have in your head from reading the books you have and reading posts on HBT. I learned the same way and in order for it to stick in your head you need to brew lots of beer and remember what works and what doesn't. Making a list for new brewers is nice but will they remember to look at it? I think a good tool for playing with recipes is Beersmith and the program keeps track of everything if used correctly. It protects you from using hops and then adding more malt without adding more hops to keep the IBU's the same. Keeping a good personal log of every brew session is a good way to be able to review before creating another recipe and trying to change your methods or ingredients and getting the results you want. I think hop combination's are one of the hardest to master as there are so many types. This is where a lot of beer gets ruined because some hops are not too good when mixed with other types of hops.