How to read the recipe

[MadSkeletor]

Ok, this is going to be a super noob question but whatever. I see a lot of recipes listed like they must be spit out from some kind of program, but I'm a little confused as to what the times mean by the hop additions. Obviously I know they signify when to add hops, but I don't get if it means like 30 minutes into the boil, or 30 minutes after the previous hop addition.

So for example, if you see something like this:
.25 oz. Yakima Goldings (4.5% AA, 60 min.)
.25 oz. Yakima Goldings (4.5% AA, 45 min.)
.25 oz. Yakima Goldings (4.5% AA, 30 min.)
.25 oz. Yakima Goldings (4.5% AA, 15 min.)
.5 oz. Yakima Goldings (4.5% AA, 0 min.)

Does it mean you add the first hops once it boils, then 15 minutes later you add the 2nd hops, then 15 minutes later the next, etc.? Like it's a 60 minute total boil not a 145 minute boil?

I'm planning on doing my first AG batch coming up and don't want to screw it up

So far I've only done 2 extract brews and I just bought them as kits from my local homebrew store and they had all of the directions listed out as steps.

 

[davesrose]

That recipe is 60 minute total boil time. So you add your first .25 oz. Yakima Goldings once the boil starts. For this particular recipe, it looks like you then add .25 Yakima every 15 minutes....and then .5 oz at flame out. The minutes usually mean minutes of boil.

 

[a10t2]

It will almost always be timed from the end of the boil. So a 60 min addition goes in an hour before flameout, a 15 min addition goes in 15 minutes before flameout, etc.

 

[Yooper]

I like to start the boil, and then set a digital timer for 60 minutes. Add the "60 minute" hops, and then the other hops per the recipe at the time indicated.

I like a digital timer, because I can see when 15 minutes is left, and so on, so it's easy to add the hops at the right time without me having to think about it.

 

[homebrewer_99]

That is a perfect example of a good noob-type question.

Whenever I have multiple hop additions I pre-measure them into baby food jars and put a small slip of paper in the jar (numbering each addition) so I know which one was added when.

 

[Teufelhunden]

That is a perfect example of a good noob-type question.

Whenever I have multiple hop additions I pre-measure them into baby food jars and put a small slip of paper in the jar (numbering each addition) so I know which one was added when.

This is also what I do.

 

[rico567]

It should be added that not all recipes give hop addition times according to the "minutes to go in boil" rule. The rule is, "Be sure you understand the recipe."

 

[tvtoms]

I was confused by that too until I watched some videos of people actually doing things.

It's based on starting a timer at the first sign of a rolling boil right? So 15 minutes simply refers to "15 minutes into the boil, add this" "30 minutes into the boil, add that" correct?

 

[rico567]

No. Not always. You run into people who do it the other way. Usually you can tell by the fact that the list starts with "60 min" and goes down to "5 min" or "flameout" (0 min), rather than the way you describe, where it would "count up" for the additions. But not always- it just depends on who did the recipe. There is no accepted format, nor is there any sanction if someone doesn't follow a particular format. You're going to have to interpret a particular recipe, and then wing it.