Recipes kept secret?

Just wondering if most people share or keep there recipes secret?

I have tried other homebrewers beer and some will tell you what they put in it, Others are like " I aint tellin!! "

I have had no problem sharing what i did, or what hops i have used.
But others seem a little closed mouth at times...

I'll share any of my recipes! Some of them are just variations of other people's recipes.

.... try perusing here for a while, think you'll find your answer.

Keeping a recipe "secret" is about as fuktarded as it gets. Great recipes are, frankly, dime-a-dozen. Great beer is made from great ingredients and great processes (including things like pitching enough yeast and temperature control). The recipe is really a pretty small thing, as long as you are within reasonable parameters. A really BAD recipe can make a bad beer, but there are lots of ways to make avery good beer - they just may be a little different.

No secrets.

I think we have an awesome database, with some of the best recipes around, and every one I know shares their recipes. Even one of the best homebrewers I know, Jamil Zainasheff, puts his recipes out there.

If some arrogant homebrewers think their recipes are better than Jamil's and don't choose to share them, that's fine with me. In my opinion, a recipe is just a guideline- 10 brewers can make the same recipe and it'll be totally different. Water chemistry is a huge part of beer, and it's different for everyone. Also, since beer is only malt, water, hops and yeast, I would guess that just about every combination of those ingredients has been done and there aren't any real "secrets" anyway.

If someone's beer is so great they won't share the recipes, have them show you all their medals for that beer. Actually, even the pro medal winners I know share their recipes, so that's not such a big deal either. :cross:

It's hard to imagine not sharing. If some brewer thought my beer was good enough for them to brew, I'd be ecstatic.

But it would probably be someone else's recipe anyway. So far I've brewed recipes by Ed Wort, Yooper, King Brian, Cheshire Cat, and a few others. The way I see it, if my beer turns out great, I know who to thank. If it turns out lousy, I know who to blame - me!

I'm flattered to share my recipes. I think its a bit of an honor. Meanwhile, I feel like my beers are at least 80% process anyways.

Even most of the breweries out there will share their recipes. Just look at the "Can You Brew It?" Podcast on The Brewing Network.

all recipes are just takes on others recipes. all mine are just tweeks on others. you tweek them to what you like. they wont give you the recipes because they dont want you to know they stole it from some other person.

the recipe doesn't make the beer or the food dish for that matter. the brewer and the chef make it a beer or a meal.

I appreciate everyone on this site who shares recipes. I just wish I could taste the originators beer to see if I came close.

Now that I think about it, there IS a guy here who was reluctant to share a "secret ingredient" to one of his brews...

Edcculus said:

Now that I think about it, there IS a guy here who was reluctant to share a "secret ingredient" to one of his brews...

Click to expand...

Oh no, the mind reels at the possibilities. I suspect that's one secret ingredient best left unrevealed. Unless it's Simcoe hops, which are the secret ingredient for beer that tastes like grapefruit.