How sure of your recipes when posted

[niquejim]

I wondered how many times you brew a recipe before you post it into the database.

I see some recipes that look very good and some others that.........................don't , so it got me thinking of my own recipes.
Every beer (except the Mango) turned out well at least 3 times before posting.


So how do you do it?

 

[Evan!]

The vast majority of my recipes have only been brewed once or twice, so I don't have the ol' 3rd-time's-a-charm thing like you---but I do make damn sure that the finished product is any good before I post it in the database. I mean, I'm representin' with my recipe pulldown, and I don't wanna have any plonk in there, ya know?

 

[the_bird]

I'm not sure it's necessary to RE-brew something before including it in the database, as long as it came out well when you did make it. To me, the key questions are

1. Did you actually brew and drink the beer (not just samples during fermentation, or at bottling)?

2. Was it really good?

3. Would you recommend the recipe to a friend?

 

[cubbies]

Pretty much only once or twice. However, I brew a plethora of different beers, and have only put two in the database. That does not mean my beers are bad by any stretch of the imagination. For me to post in the database it typically has to a) be very good. What I would consider to be an above average homebrew b) have this confirmed by at least one of my friends. Meaning they have tried it and liked it and last, but certainly not least c) I like for it to at least be close to style. I tinker a lot and a lot of times I make beer that doesn't exactly have a classification. Is it a stout? A porter? A pout? Who knows?!?! I don't end up posting those.

 

[Evan!]

I wondered how many times you brew a recipe before you post it into the database.

I see some recipes that look very good and some others that.........................don't , so it got me thinking of my own recipes.
Every beer (except the Mango) turned out well at least 3 times before posting.


So how do you do it?

niquejim, given the name of your brewery, I thought you might like this shirt:

 

[Glibbidy]

Mine are rock solid, tried and true.
I use an excel spreadsheet to formulate my recipes, and it's a PITA to migrate them to the database. So I usually only add them once in a great while.

 

[z987k]

I think it need 1 thing to be in the database. A damn good beer. If it's not to style there's still probably a place for it.

 

[beerbuddy]

I was very skeptical about posting a recipe. The SWBMO and I liked it but what do we know. Only after it was critiqued by other home brewers did I feel it was ready to post. Oh and this particular recipe was my third batch tweaking it a little each time.

 

[SRFeldman79]

I haven't entered one yet, but the rule I plan on following is similar to what the bird said plus:

2. Was it really good?
2a - Good enough that SWMBO, myself, and at least one friend suggested I make more and ASAP.
2b - Good enough that I try to hide bottles from SWMBO and myself so that I can get excited and find it and enjoy it again til the next batch.

3. Would you recommend the recipe to a friend?

 

[cheezydemon]

I posted one only after I brewed it the first time and it was my best ever, and after I had brewed it again with nearly identical results.

(BTW it is the caramel maerzen.........I am trying to let this batch go until September. God help me have strength)

 

[ohiobrewtus]

I only add a recipe after I've tasted it and think that it's worth posting. For every recipe that I post there are probably 6-8 that don't get posted.

I don't wait to brew it multiple times before posting, but the recipes that I do post end up being the ones that I do all my repeat brews on.

 

[Bobby_M]

I purposely only post the crappiest beers to screw with everyone.

 

[niquejim]

I purposely only post the crappiest beers to screw with everyone.

Those are the ones I was talking about....................................................

Evan, I like the shirt.
I named my brewery after all the burrowing owls in my area(10+ nests with 1 mile), then discovered there is a burrowing owl vineyard, found that photo online while drunk one night and decided to combine it into Drunken Owl

So what style beer should I try to make and call ******* Owl

 

[the_bird]

I purposely only post the crappiest beers to screw with everyone.

Must be a ***** to narrow it down, eh?

 

[cheezydemon]

I don't think that any of us are so good that we should post a recipe after 1 brew. What if you accidentally screwed up somehow and made it better than the recipe.

Just out of consideration, I do it twice just to make sure it is consistent.

 

[BierMuncher]

We can post recipes on here?????

How does that work????

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

I think a recipe should only be posted if you think it is something special. Really special... For example, an every day brown ale recipe or a non-descript APA should not be posted. Now if it is an APA or brown session that is out of this world or something you feel is near perfection then post away. I just think that a database such as the one you all have put together should be of the very best beers you can produce.

That said, I agree with some earlier posters that you should brew something twice to be sure it is really as good as you think. Also, you should have it peer reviewed by a couple people you know will be honest and hold you to strict standards. I am not interested in homebrews that taste worse than commercial beers but are "cool" because I made them. I want homebrew that I can give to a beer connaisseur and have him/her say, Wow that is special, where did you get it.

I have posted 2 beer recipes here and those are the only brews I have made that really wowed my trusty beer panel. I make rather good beer (not to pat my own back) but to make a very good beer (postable) is most difficult and a posted recipe should be the best we all have to offer.

Just my 0.02, I just brewed a tweaked version of BierMuncher's Newcastle clone so I am excited!

 

[Yooper]

I've posted a few of my most interesting (and easiest) wines, and some of my best (and most interesting) beers. Some decent recipes I have, like my California Common, are pretty good and I'll share if someone asks. Once a few ask, I'll post it. The ones I've posted in the database, though, are tried and true favorites.

 

[EdWort]

I've posted only the beers that have a custom made tap handle for my kegerator.

 

[Beerthoven]

I think a recipe should only be posted if you think it is something special. Really special... For example, an every day brown ale recipe or a non-descript APA should not be posted. Now if it is an APA or brown session that is out of this world or something you feel is near perfection then post away. I just think that a database such as the one you all have put together should be of the very best beers you can produce.

That said, I agree with some earlier posters that you should brew something twice to be sure it is really as good as you think. Also, you should have it peer reviewed by a couple people you know will be honest and hold you to strict standards. I am not interested in homebrews that taste worse than commercial beers but are "cool" because I made them. I want homebrew that I can give to a beer connaisseur and have him/her say, Wow that is special, where did you get it.

+1 !

And please, if a style label is attached to a recipe, then the beer should fit within the style. If you can't be constrained to brew to style, then don't attach a style label or label it "other" or some such. I'm tired of seeing way overhopped "ordinary bitters".

I haven't posted any recipes because I'm not there yet. There are so many crappy recipes out there on the internet, that I want to make sure what I post here is worthy of this community and everything it has taught me.

 

[Sir Humpsalot]

I only brew once before posting... however....

Usually what happens is I make a recipe and decide I don't like it for one reason or another, so then I reformulate it and try again. That narrows it down, but usually there's still something here or there that's a little off. I try a third time, if necessary, to get exactly what I'm going for. Then, if I'm still a little off, maybe I'll notate how to do it next time, but not even bother brewing it before posting the recipe. Afterall, if it's a tiny change in formulation, you already know what you're gonna get...

For instance with my Hefe Candy, I wanted a honey hefeweizen. I brewed it and it wasn't that great, so I tried again. And again. Finally, I got what I believed to be the best you can get with a Honey Hefeweizen. It has nothing to do with the style guidelines of course, but it has everything to do with the nature of the ingredients. For instance, to get a good honey flavor, you need a good amount of honey. But honey ferments dry, making the beer kind of watery and alcoholic. So then you try using more brumalt and cutting back the honey, and try again. Finally, I cut the honey down to only a nominal amount, cranked up the brumalt, and mashed high for a really sweet beer. And that, to me, is the best tasting beer you can get if you are intent on combining honey and WLP300 and trying to meet peoples' expectations as to what a honey hefe should taste like... because a thin, overly-dry beer just wouldn't meet my expectations for a honey hefe.

Of course, others can feel free to disagree.

 

[mrk305]

I think a recipe should only be posted if you think it is something special. Really special... For example, an every day brown ale recipe or a non-descript APA should not be posted


I disagree. Some of us noobs might want a recipe for an easy to brew every day beer. Looks at Edwort's Haus Pale. Two grains, dry yeast and 1 hop and lots of people (like me) brewed that as their first all grain.

 

[the_bird]

I disagree. Some of us noobs might want a recipe for an easy to brew every day beer. Looks at Edwort's Haus Pale. Two grains, dry yeast and 1 hop and lots of people (like me) brewed that as their first all grain.

Not just for n00bs, either. Some of the best recipes in the world are the simplest - think, Guiness clones (pale malt, flaked barley, roasted barley, single hop addition), or hefeweizen (wheat malt, pils malt, single hop addition).

Related, some of the WORST recipes are those that swing for the fences and try and do too much.

 

[Beerthoven]

Don't confuse simplicity with "non-descript." No one is saying that posted recipes need to have 7 malts and 7 hops to be good.

I agree with the_bird. Too many recipes try to do too much and fail miserably.

 

[EdWort]

Related, some of the WORST recipes are those that swing for the fences and try and do too much.

Yep. Practice KISS (Keep it Simple Stupido) in homebrewing makes life much easier.

 

[bradsul]

I think a recipe should only be posted if you think it is something special. Really special... For example, an every day brown ale recipe or a non-descript APA should not be posted. Now if it is an APA or brown session that is out of this world or something you feel is near perfection then post away. I just think that a database such as the one you all have put together should be of the very best beers you can produce...

I disagree, I'd like to see many examples of brown ales that people made and thought were good enough to share. If this means they had to brew it 3 or 4 times before it was 'right', so be it. If they got it the first try, that's great too! There are ratings on the thread that can be used by other members to sort of 'validate' the recipe if they've made it.

By your criteria recipes that show a classic example of the style would be omitted. My posted dry stout for example wouldn't qualify, it is a classic example of the style, it's a good solid recipe that is extremely tasty, however there is nothing 'special' about it.

 

[BierMuncher]

I remember a time when people complained there weren't enough recipes in the database.

If I were to post a recipe...it would only be one that I brewed and enjoyed and wanted to share with others.

And if the recipe made it to the database, I'd be likely to provide some sort of write up about the beer along with anything else that might help someone decide whether to invest an afternoon brewing it or not.

And in the off chance that I did have some recipes worthy of posting, you can be sure that for every recipe that "made it", there were 5 that didn't.

This of course is all hypothetically speaking.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

Don't confuse simplicity with "non-descript." No one is saying that posted recipes need to have 7 malts and 7 hops to be good.

This is what I was going for. I very much agree with the KISS attitude to brewing, and obviously EdWorts Haus is a very special beer! That was my point, if you have crafted a brew that is good enough to be famous in a very large community such as this, that is a truely special brew and recipe. My point was, if you gather some notes together, make some APA recipe, drink it and say, yeah thats pretty good... don't post that. I don't have an interest in brewing a mediocre recipe and don't know why anyone would. I know for a fact that many of the seasoned experts on here have many recipes that I am sure are incredible that a noob could brew there first time with great results. That's not to say a first timer will make the Haus Pale as well as Ed, but it is a good starting point.

I have only just started to make my own tweaks and drop the training wheels, so this idea is very important to me. I think most people here do a very good job of posting recipes when the beer is genuinely fantastic.

My one other note, I really like how BierMuncher has the reviews of his beers in the recipe thread, with pictures and all. Some others have done that too and I really think that helps. I need to do that for mine now.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

You shouldn't post a recipe in the database unless you've actually had it and like it so much that you'd serve it at a wedding.

 

[niquejim]

You shouldn't post a recipe in the database unless you've actually had it and like it so much that you'd serve it at a wedding.

That's what I'm talking about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have not gone through every recipe here but I'm sure someone put in a recipe that they haven't even brewed yet, but looked good on paper. I've seen that on other sites

 

[bradsul]

I think the key concept here that everyone really wants is to not have the HBT recipe database turn into the recipator.

 

[Chris_Dog]

I would like to think most of the recipes posted are tried and true. I am not sure what is the point of sharing them otherwise. I don't think you would post a recipe for mediocre spaghetti on a cooking forum. It would be impossible to know with the pot still on the stove.

That all said it is easy enough to tell the good ones from peoples comments.
Cheers!!!
Chris

 

[bradsul]

...That all said it is easy enough to tell the good ones from peoples comments...

That's a good point I think, in order for the database to be of real value, people need to post comments when they brew a particular recipe - even if it's just to say 'hey I brewed this and I like/dislike xyz about it'.

Rating the thread would help out as well. Some of the major recipes have had this but I imagine more of the recipes have been brewed than have actually been commented on.

 

[mrk305]

I think the key concept here that everyone really wants is to not have the HBT recipe database turn into the recipator.

Yeah! That is where I started getting my recipes before I found HBT.

 

[Bearcat Brewmeister]

I have always been under the impression that we want to keep it from getting cluttereed like some recipe databases online, so until now I have only posted recipes that have placed in competition or got positive reviews during an HBT beer exchange. As long as you get positive reviews from neutral experienced observers (BJCP judges or our piers in this community), I say post away. I am not sure that "well, SWMBO likes it" is enough of a ringing endorsement (although a few SWMBO's in our local homebrew club are BJCP certified).

 

[tgrier]

I will offer my 2 cents.

I would think most people have enough experience to read a recipe and figure out if it is something they would like. I enjoy reading all the different recipes to learn what I like and do not like and to learn what an IPA or a APA looks like or what common threads there are....
I liken it to making a good gumbo.. you start with basic roux but the other stuff is personal choice and sometimes it tastes good and sometimes not but if you know how to make it . you can read other recipes and get a basic feeling if it is going to "work" or not.

So I say post em. If they suck or look like they will not work I move on.

 

[Bobby_M]

If you want a tried and true, proven recipe, buy Jamil's book or buy a kit from AHS. I don't understand the snobbery. If I post a recipe, and you've never had any of my beers, I wouldn't expect you to brew it. If I post one that is still in progress, I'll note that it's untested. If it sucks, I'll go back and say it. If you really think they should only be award winners, house specialties, etc, I might as well take mine down. I rarely brew the same recipe twice.

Maybe the answer is a separate required field with a dropdown that lists certain attributes like:
Comp BOS
Comp 1st
Comp 2nd
Comp 3rd
Peer Recommended
Brewer Recommended
Untested

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

That is a really good idea Bobby!

Mods, is there any way to add that. I think that would satisfy both sides of this debate. Those who are looking for a great recipe can find those, and those who prefer to peruse many recipes can see all of them.

Here is the first vote anyway!

 

[Mutilated1]

If I've posted a recipe in the recipe section, then its a good beer that I've brewed and enjoyed.

Now I've posted a few other recipes in the Ingredients sections before brewing them or before tasting them, but the ones that show up in my recipes link are good. I wouldn't post it under my name if it wasn't tested and good.

 

[the_bird]

That is a really good idea Bobby!

Mods, is there any way to add that. I think that would satisfy both sides of this debate. Those who are looking for a great recipe can find those, and those who prefer to peruse many recipes can see all of them.

Here is the first vote anyway!

I like Bobby's idea in theory.... but...........

We all know that competitions are a crapshoot. Hell, I've drunk Kaiser's absolutely wonderful beer, which Ray McNeill has called worthy of a Gold Medal, and it scored a 30 for some unknown reason. I'd wager that most of us don't enter competitions, and that those that do, brew a lot of great recipes that don't happen to be entered.

With respect to feedback received from other brewers... I kinda feel like Garrison Keilor here, but reading the feedback that people give on other brewers' beers, I think we tend to be too nice, everyone seems to be above-average. I can't BLAME anyone for that, but reading a negative review (even constructively negative) is pretty uncommon. We all focus in on the positive attributes of whatever we're drinking when giving feedback. I think that's human nature. So, I'm not sure if my sending my beer to someone else here, who tells me that it's good, can I really TRUST that feedback? I mean, when someone REALLY likes it, you can tell... but when it's just pretty good, or average? Do they say "it's a little bit too thin," or do they say "hey, it's really drinkable!" I know I've gotten "good" feedback on beers that I know myself were nothing extraordinary.

I guess I don't stress about the database as much as some others do. I love having it mostly for the drop-down menu; in effect, I'll start by looking at a brewer that I know and respect, then look at what recipes THEY have decided are worthy of putting up into the database. Like, we all KNOW that BrewPastor is a helluva brewer, so I'll click on HIS recipes instead of perusing the entire IPA section. That may be backwards from how others use the database.