BillTheSlink

Recipes 

If you could only afford one or the other next month and you had just embarked on your all grain career and want to learn as much as possible and yet not be overwhelmed, which would you buy?

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Drinking: Ed Worts Apfelwein, Store bought Bass, Salvator. Can't brew in Winter and I needed bottles.


Primary: Bass Clone Austin Home Brew Supply
Went down in a blaze of glory due to mold infection.

ON DECK: Moosebutt Faux Lager

marubozo

Recipes 

Both are great books, but it depends on what you want to get out of them. If you want tried and true recipes that will get you off on the right foot, brewing classic styles is perfect. But if you really want to learn how good beer is made and all the details behind it, then designing great beers is the right choice (although it can be a bit intense at times).

Rick500

Recipes 

I bought Brewing Classic Styles first. It's been very helpful for me to brew some great tried-and-true recipes first, and get my processes down before I start creating my own recipes. That way, if something isn't right, I pretty much know it's a brewing process problem that needs to be fixed, not a recipe.

weirdboy

Recipes 

For me, it's Designing Great Beers, no question. If I really need a reference for a recipe, there's plenty here, and other places on the web. The information in Designing Great Beers transcends recipes.

cimirie

Recipes 

Personally, brewing classic recipes is the better way to learn. The recipe maker (usually) knows what to expect and will relay that. You as a beer appreciator usually know more or less what to expect from certain classic styles. It will help you learn which aspects of beer-making contribute which qualities.

After you have some of those under your belt, designing great beers really will give you a lot more tools and understanding. It'll take you to the next level.

Just my 2 cents.

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Primary: Billy Corrigan Ale, malted cider experiment, Optimator clone
Secondary: Sorachi Ace IPA
Bottled: Dark Lord Clone Imperial Stout, Winter 2010 Spiced Ale Ambassador Brown Ale, Michigan Berry pLambic
Kegged: Old Woodward ESB, Strawberry Blonde
On Deck: Honey brown ale, dry stout

chemman14

Recipes 

I plan on purchasing both

size

Recipes 

i agree with this, I love this book. use it near daily.

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"If marriage didn't exist, would you invent it?" -Doug Stanhope

Grinder12000

Recipes 

Brewing Classic Styles - you will buy both sooner or later (and then like 10 more) but Brewing Classic Styles is wonderful.

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Grinders Island Brewery - Pipeline (Batch #)

Carbing Zythos IPA
Next up - Award winning Dbl Chocolate Stout Batch #4 (96) On deck - Belgium Pale Ale(97), Weizenbock(98)Some sort of boring Amber (99).

greenleer

Recipes 

How about the obligatory "It depends".

What's your expectation? There aren't any recipes in Designing Great Beers, just tons of info to help you understand how to create great recipes to style. I don't consider that a drawback, but someone else might.

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"If meth is made by boiling water with hops and the sugar from malted barley, then yes. I'm making meth."

schielke

Recipes 

Give the library a try, they might have em both! Then you can decide what you need for reference.