Homebrewer's etiquite!

I have a question about Homebrewing etiquite. Generally speaking, how much does a recipe have to change before you can give it your own name?

My first 2 batches were my own recipe (extracts) and my 3rd will also be my own (lawnmower beer). However, the batch I will be brewing May 12th I will be looking for an extract recipe for a Vanilla Cream Stout as a guideline.

I'm a firm believer in giving credit where credit is due and I will never slap my name on someone elses brew, but the question is, where does one draw the line?

I always call it a "variation of", or "based upon", designation and still give it a brown paper bag or clever name.

It depends. I agree with homebrewer_99 for that instance...basically though most styles have been classified, you see what I am saying? In other words a Stout is a Stout is a Stout...and there are twists and turns along the way. I am sure it is quite possible that two people can formulate near identical recipes.

The thing is though, that those two brews will most likely be different anyhow because of differences in malt quality, water chemistry and the big one...procedure. To date, the only recipe I ever followed was Palmer's APA, but even that I changed (totally different hops, different crystal type and mash temp). With what I know now, I most likely would make it roughly the same way if I had never made an APA....because quite frankly it is a well defined style imo. There are just certain things you expect from an APA in general.

But in general if you say "I wanna make a Stout" and use say the Guiness recipe, you should probably do as homebrewer_99 suggests and cite it.

There is nothing new under the sun

I think if you brew it, you can name it whatever you want. Even with the exact same recipe, chances are that the results will be quite different depending on the brewer.

I tend to look at lots of recipes and take what sounds good. That way I can say my recipe is original.

i rarely make an exact copy of a recipe anymore. even if you do, chances are your method will be slightly different than your predecessor, so it will come out different. i'd say name it whatever you'd like to your friends and if you feel morally inclined, tell them where you got it

Many times you are forced into a substitution of one grain or another, etc because of LHBS availability.
And on your second attempt, I'm sure you may change something.

I almost always change something on a recipe, usually the hops, so I give it whatever name I feel like.

What recipe is it?

I'm sure they'd be flattered.

Say you did a stout with 1/2 lb of biscuit instead of victory, it's "based on". If I just change a yeast, but the grain & hops are exactly the same, just say so.

I'd say hops, yeast, malt; change two & it's yours.

olllllo said:

What recipe is it?

I'm sure they'd be flattered.

Click to expand...

I haven't picked on yet. I'll do my serious search this weekend. I may do like my other brews, and get a feel for the style by looking at different recipes and then just use BeerSmith to put my own ingredients together.

Thanks for all of the opinions.

If I am brewing someone else's recipe exactly I would say so (haven't done this yet), if I am making a clone I say so, if I make purposeful changes though, then I consider it my own.

Get creative with your use of labels. Hell, Everyone likes reading a book on their beer bottle. This could be as cool as Genesis. Orfy begot Hobgoblin, who's days were of 2 months and 12 days, Begot Drunkensatyr's..................