Creating a recipe

Howdy!

New to the forum. Just wanting some advice on creating a unique recipe. I've got a few brews under my belt and I am tired of making brews that belong to others. Without asking for specifics, It would be really helpful to have a checklist of the basic ingredients that I can then select based on my preferences.
Ex. 1. Hops 2. Extract 3. Yeast etc... Thanks in advance!

grains:
http://byo.com/resources/grains

hops:
http://byo.com/resources/hops

yeast:
http://byo.com/resources/yeast

1. Pick a style you like.
2. If you're doing extract, figure out what the base malt would be (light, pilsner, dark, wheat, etc.)
3. I like to see what flavor and color grains other recipes use in their recipes for that style. Read as many recipes in the style that you can and take notes.
If you have a LHBS, go through the grain bins and taste the malts that are recommended. You'd be surprised how much flavor and aroma come through in the raw grains.
4. Find the flavors you like and experiment with the amounts in your recipe.
5. Go through the same process with hops and find ones you like that fit the style. Then you can experiment with amounts and addition times.
6. Keep reading and talking to everyone here! There's some great info and brewers on this site.
7. RDWHAHB!

amandabab said:

grains:
http://byo.com/resources/grains

hops:
http://byo.com/resources/hops

yeast:
http://byo.com/resources/yeast

Click to expand...

Wow great links. Thanks so much amandabab!

Pastorken said:

1. Pick a style you like.
2. If you're doing extract, figure out what the base malt would be (light, pilsner, dark, wheat, etc.)
3. I like to see what flavor and color grains other recipes use in their recipes for that style. Read as many recipes in the style that you can and take notes.
If you have a LHBS, go through the grain bins and taste the malts that are recommended. You'd be surprised how much flavor and aroma come through in the raw grains.
4. Find the flavors you like and experiment with the amounts in your recipe.
5. Go through the same process with hops and find ones you like that fit the style. Then you can experiment with amounts and addition times.
6. Keep reading and talking to everyone here! There's some great info and brewers on this site.
7. RDWHAHB!

Click to expand...

Good advice. I'll be definitely browsing those grain bins next trip to the LHBS. Thanks!

amandabab said:

grains:
http://byo.com/resources/grains

hops:
http://byo.com/resources/hops

yeast:
http://byo.com/resources/yeast

Click to expand...

This is the best link to a guide on what to put with what. As a noob.. I am just getting the hang of placing flavors etc. thanks for the link amandabab.. Awesomeness!!!

My biggest advice is keep it simple. Especially for your first recipes. If you have more than 3 malts, consider if you really know what each is doing. Until you have a good idea of what individual malts do, adding more can you make your beer taste, "brown."

My simple recipes almost always come out better than the complicated ones.

I would add that you get a copy of "designing great beer" by Ray Daniels

The book is a little dated but gives typical percentages of grain used in all the many styles of beer and is a great starting point.

You can also reference the BJCP style guide which will also give you typical grains, hops, etc used in each style as well as good referenced commercial beers that represent that style

mjohnson said:

My biggest advice is keep it simple. Especially for your first recipes. If you have more than 3 malts, consider if you really know what each is doing. Until you have a good idea of what individual malts do, adding more can you make your beer taste, "brown."

My simple recipes almost always come out better than the complicated ones.

Click to expand...

Hmmmm well said. Makes sense, thanks!

duboman said:

I would add that you get a copy of "designing great beer" by Ray Daniels

The book is a little dated but gives typical percentages of grain used in all the many styles of beer and is a great starting point.

You can also reference the BJCP style guide which will also give you typical grains, hops, etc used in each style as well as good referenced commercial beers that represent that style

Click to expand...

Man I need this book haha