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eltorrente · 02-08-2013, 03:00 AM

"How To Brew" and "Designing Great Beers" are great books, and should allow you to formulate your own recipes.

Use recipes for the first few beers to get you on the right track maybe, but you need to figure out how to design your own great beer. You will NEVER EVER duplicate anyone's beer, with a given recipe. Too many variables that are different in your brewhouse and techniques compared to whoever came up with the original recipe.

Start with simple recipes - like Pale Ales with one or two grains, and you'll make good beers. Switch out a certain grain with another grain and see how it affects the taste. Same with hops. Build from there. Pretty soon you'll be able to read about what a certain style calls for, and be able to simply come up with your own.

Don't get addicted and too reliant on someone else's recipes, or trying to make clone beers all the time. You can do better when you learn your own system and tastes.

**Glynn** · 02-08-2013, 04:42 PM

I personally love brewing classic styles, I use the grain profiles for what ever style I'm making as inspiration. The grain bill i brewed yesterday came from that book, i just changed the hops.

**Jeffinn** · 02-08-2013, 08:36 PM

Brewing Classic Styles has become my "go to" book.

ImperialStout · 02-09-2013, 10:27 PM

I borrowed 80 Classic Brews and discovered most, if not all recipes are written for extract. Some negative reviews said the same things, the AG conversion recipe was not accurate and neither were the hops and yeast selection for the style. I don't know. It makes me wonder if several people say the same thing. On the other hand the overall rating is positive and two guys from a brew club I just joined recommended it so bought it. Also bought the Scotch Ale, Barley Wine and IPA books from the Classic Beer Style series. Didn't buy the Stout book as it got bad reviews, too technical and chemistry formula driven. I have read "How To Brew" by Palmer and "Designing Great Beers" by Daniels so figure with all these resources, and this web site, a bad beer can only be attributed to operator error.

ImperialStout · 02-10-2013, 01:53 AM

Deleted by me. Didn't see I already replied.

**Darwin18** · 02-10-2013, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImperialStout

I borrowed 80 Classic Brews and discovered most, if not all recipes are written for extract. Some negative reviews said the same things, the AG conversion recipe was not accurate and neither were the hops and yeast selection for the style. I don't know. It makes me wonder if several people say the same thing. On the other hand the overall rating is positive and two guys from a brew club I just joined recommended it so bought it. Also bought the Scotch Ale, Barley Wine and IPA books from the Classic Beer Style series. Didn't buy the Stout book as it got bad reviews, too technical and chemistry formula driven. I have read "How To Brew" by Palmer and "Designing Great Beers" by Daniels so figure with all these resources, and this web site, a bad beer can only be attributed to operator error.

BCS is certainly written towards extract brewers but the all-grain conversions are accurate IMO. Jamil Z is an all grain brewer and those are the same recipes he has used to win numerous competitions. All my ribbons, except one or two, are recipes straight out of BCS. A few of his recipes will deviate slightly from BJCP guidelines, but he usually will explain why in his synopsis for that recipe.

Crito · 02-16-2013, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darwin18

BCS is certainly written towards extract brewers but the all-grain conversions are accurate IMO. Jamil Z is an all grain brewer and those are the same recipes he has used to win numerous competitions. All my ribbons, except one or two, are recipes straight out of BCS. A few of his recipes will deviate slightly from BJCP guidelines, but he usually will explain why in his synopsis for that recipe.

Just got the book. I like it. Recipes and are based on styles. A good reference book. Just brewed a wee-heavy based on it.

**Darwin18** · 02-16-2013, 02:06 PM

Excellent, I'm glad you like it! I made the Scottish 70 schilling last fall and it took an honorable mention in it's category in a local competition. My favorites out of there are the Kolsch, which is a repeat brew for me, and his Vienna Lager. Those two are definitely my favorites. The Belgian Pale Ale recipe is also another favorite. I wonder if I can find a way to have Jamil autograph my thumb worn copy....that would be quite amazing.

**PhelanKA7** · 02-16-2013, 02:12 PM

I'm partial to "Extreme Brewing" by Randy Mosher myself. I consider Randy to be the Kung-fu master of homebrewing.

mdgagne · 02-16-2013, 02:13 PM

Regarding BCS, I'm pretty sure that I've heard Jamil say that he started with AG recipes and converted them to extract because the publisher felt they would reach a larger audience.

BCS is my goto when formulating recipes.