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Author Topic: Reliability of online recipe builders  (Read 1683 times)

Offline Tmbowden14

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Reliability of online recipe builders
« on: January 22, 2022, 10:09:40 am »
I am getting ready to brew my first non-kit batch and was just wondering how reliable Atlantic Brew Supply's recipe builder is. The reason for my question is the estimated OG is 1.052 and the FG is expected to be around 1.017. I wasn't expecting that large of a fall, but could just be because I am a newbie. Thanks!

Offline denny

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Re: Reliability of online recipe builders
« Reply #1 on: January 22, 2022, 10:12:47 am »
NO recipe software can accurately predict FG.
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Offline redrocker652002

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Re: Reliability of online recipe builders
« Reply #2 on: January 22, 2022, 10:38:37 am »
Usually it will state estimated on the gravity readings.  I have purchased two kits from a company called Austin Home Brew and have been happy with them.  I bought a Shock Top clone for my brother and he says in some ways it is better than the original.  I also purchased a Ranger IPA clone and it was very good.  My gravity readings were a bit off, probably user error on my part for not getting the water amount right. I just bought a Blind Pig clone, so we will see how that goes.  I too am a newbie, I have 4 batches under my belt.  I am seriously thinking of moving on the either Brew in a bag, or partial mash soon, but need to buy a larger boil kettle or pot, and a burner for outside since my stove will not accommodate something that big.  Good luck with your brew.  RR

Offline jverduin

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Re: Reliability of online recipe builders
« Reply #3 on: January 22, 2022, 11:35:25 am »
I am getting ready to brew my first non-kit batch and was just wondering how reliable Atlantic Brew Supply's recipe builder is. The reason for my question is the estimated OG is 1.052 and the FG is expected to be around 1.017. I wasn't expecting that large of a fall, but could just be because I am a newbie. Thanks!
That’s about 67% attenuation which is lower than what I would think many 1.052 beers would see. The recipe, mash temp, and yeast specifics will make varying levels of contribution though.

If I make amber ale with maybe 1 lb of medium crystal in a 5 gallon batch, mash at 153, with a version of the Chico strain for yeast, I’d guess it would finish closer to 1.012

When you say, “I wasn’t expecting that large of a fall”, I’d say that 1.017 seems a bit high for many variations, but maybe not if you are really trying for high FG style. Maybe a big Scottish 80?


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Offline denny

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Re: Reliability of online recipe builders
« Reply #4 on: January 22, 2022, 11:37:01 am »
I am getting ready to brew my first non-kit batch and was just wondering how reliable Atlantic Brew Supply's recipe builder is. The reason for my question is the estimated OG is 1.052 and the FG is expected to be around 1.017. I wasn't expecting that large of a fall, but could just be because I am a newbie. Thanks!
That’s about 67% attenuation which is lower than what I would think many 1.052 beers would see. The recipe, mash temp, and yeast specifics will make varying levels of contribution though.

If I make amber ale with maybe 1 lb of medium crystal in a 5 gallon batch, mash at 153, with a version of the Chico strain for yeast, I’d guess it would finish closer to 1.012

When you say, “I wasn’t expecting that large of a fall”, I’d say that 1.017 seems a bit high for many variations, but maybe not if you are really trying for high FG style. Maybe a big Scottish 80?


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Or if you're using extract
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline fredthecat

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Re: Reliability of online recipe builders
« Reply #5 on: January 22, 2022, 11:49:56 am »
I am getting ready to brew my first non-kit batch and was just wondering how reliable Atlantic Brew Supply's recipe builder is. The reason for my question is the estimated OG is 1.052 and the FG is expected to be around 1.017. I wasn't expecting that large of a fall, but could just be because I am a newbie. Thanks!

im not familiar with that, but if you google "free homebrew recipe builder download" there are several to choose from. ive only used one, but i basically set it up as best as i could with materials, sizes, etc.

on your first brew with it, make your best estimation of OG, post-boil wort volume then compare with the reality. make adjustmenets, and get closer to how the recipe built in the program compares to real brewdays for increasingly better predictions

Offline majorvices

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Re: Reliability of online recipe builders
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2022, 12:12:04 pm »
A recipe builder is only a tool but it is a useful tool. Predicting FG is best done by looking at the suggested attenuation of the yeast. If you are using extract or lots if crystal malt your FG could be relatively high but I agree with the other poster that your attenuation for a 1.052 beer at 67% is way higher than I would expect for an all grain beer with the standard ratio of basemalt. It's really high for an extract beer brewed with pale DME or LME as well. I'd recommend building any extract recipe with pale DME or LME and use steeping or mini mash for the color and flavor malts since you can control what you are adding as opposed to a WAG of what specialty malts a dark extract contains. I'm making a WAG that you are designing with dark extract obviously. ;)

Offline redrocker652002

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Re: Reliability of online recipe builders
« Reply #7 on: January 23, 2022, 10:50:35 am »
So, if I am asking a stupid question please say so, do any of these online tools offer suggestions on ingredients to start with based on your type of brew?  I really want to start making my own stuff, but am still not sure what ingredients bring what to the table.  Or is it truly just a try and note what you did type of thing?  I am thinking of doing smaller batches, maybe two or three gallons, and noting my ingredients and then converting the ones I like to 5 gallon batches, but maybe I am off base here.  Any info, be it here or in another message would be most helpful.  RR

Offline denny

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Re: Reliability of online recipe builders
« Reply #8 on: January 23, 2022, 11:40:31 am »
So, if I am asking a stupid question please say so, do any of these online tools offer suggestions on ingredients to start with based on your type of brew?  I really want to start making my own stuff, but am still not sure what ingredients bring what to the table.  Or is it truly just a try and note what you did type of thing?  I am thinking of doing smaller batches, maybe two or three gallons, and noting my ingredients and then converting the ones I like to 5 gallon batches, but maybe I am off base here.  Any info, be it here or in another message would be most helpful.  RR

The best way to learn about brewing is to brew.  Brew a recipe you've brewed before, but change one thing to see what happens. What helped me was to read through the BJCP guidelines and try to buy beers that sounded interesting. Drink them while you read through th3nguidelines to see what's in them.  But above all, just brew.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline fredthecat

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Re: Reliability of online recipe builders
« Reply #9 on: January 23, 2022, 12:59:31 pm »
So, if I am asking a stupid question please say so, do any of these online tools offer suggestions on ingredients to start with based on your type of brew?  I really want to start making my own stuff, but am still not sure what ingredients bring what to the table.  Or is it truly just a try and note what you did type of thing?  I am thinking of doing smaller batches, maybe two or three gallons, and noting my ingredients and then converting the ones I like to 5 gallon batches, but maybe I am off base here.  Any info, be it here or in another message would be most helpful.  RR

there is something for 5 gallon batches, where you will be able to consume the beer over a longer period of time and learn a fair bit about how homebrewed beer ages for good and for bad. i used to brew 3 or 3.5 gallon sizes and there was often a pressure to move stong along the pipeline because i was running out of one beer.

brewing a 5-6gallon batch over a 2 or 3 gallon batch gets better bang for buck as well since you still just use need one yeast pack and usually i find the standard size equipment to be cheaper or the same price as smaller but less common sized stuff (2, 3 gallon carboys).


Offline HopDen

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Re: Reliability of online recipe builders
« Reply #10 on: January 23, 2022, 01:44:23 pm »
So, if I am asking a stupid question please say so, do any of these online tools offer suggestions on ingredients to start with based on your type of brew?  I really want to start making my own stuff, but am still not sure what ingredients bring what to the table.  Or is it truly just a try and note what you did type of thing?  I am thinking of doing smaller batches, maybe two or three gallons, and noting my ingredients and then converting the ones I like to 5 gallon batches, but maybe I am off base here.  Any info, be it here or in another message would be most helpful.  RR

The best way to learn about brewing is to brew.  Brew a recipe you've brewed before, but change one thing to see what happens. What helped me was to read through the BJCP guidelines and try to buy beers that sounded interesting. Drink them while you read through th3nguidelines to see what's in them.  But above all, just brew.

To expand on this, that was/is one of the ways I learned to create my own recipes to my own likes and tastes.  Instead of changing an ingredient you can and should change a process such as changing your mash temp. As denny said, one change at a time and take copious amounts of notes to reference.

Offline Megary

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Re: Reliability of online recipe builders
« Reply #11 on: January 23, 2022, 01:47:10 pm »
So, if I am asking a stupid question please say so, do any of these online tools offer suggestions on ingredients to start with based on your type of brew?  I really want to start making my own stuff, but am still not sure what ingredients bring what to the table.  Or is it truly just a try and note what you did type of thing?  I am thinking of doing smaller batches, maybe two or three gallons, and noting my ingredients and then converting the ones I like to 5 gallon batches, but maybe I am off base here.  Any info, be it here or in another message would be most helpful.  RR

there is something for 5 gallon batches, where you will be able to consume the beer over a longer period of time and learn a fair bit about how homebrewed beer ages for good and for bad. i used to brew 3 or 3.5 gallon sizes and there was often a pressure to move stong along the pipeline because i was running out of one beer.

brewing a 5-6gallon batch over a 2 or 3 gallon batch gets better bang for buck as well since you still just use need one yeast pack and usually i find the standard size equipment to be cheaper or the same price as smaller but less common sized stuff (2, 3 gallon carboys).

Full disclosure:  I keg 2.5 gallons at a time and can’t ever see moving to 5 or more.

I get what you’re saying about brewing 5 gallon batches and you make some good points.  But there are a ton of equally persuasive arguments that can be made for small batch brewing.  I won’t list them all because I’m too lazy, but any google of “small batch home brew” will likely lead to a myriad of answers.

All I’m saying is, don’t knock small batch brewing, whether it’s 1 gallon or 2.5 gallon or whatever.  Not that you were really knocking it, I suppose.

Brewer’s choice.  There are many ways to brew and each brewer needs to find what works best for them.

Offline Richard

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Re: Reliability of online recipe builders
« Reply #12 on: January 23, 2022, 02:35:30 pm »
So, if I am asking a stupid question please say so, do any of these online tools offer suggestions on ingredients to start with based on your type of brew?  I really want to start making my own stuff, but am still not sure what ingredients bring what to the table.  Or is it truly just a try and note what you did type of thing?  I am thinking of doing smaller batches, maybe two or three gallons, and noting my ingredients and then converting the ones I like to 5 gallon batches, but maybe I am off base here.  Any info, be it here or in another message would be most helpful.  RR
One way to find out what various grains bring to the table is to do the ASBC Hot Steep Sensory Evaluation (https://www.brewingwithbriess.com/blog/the-hot-steep-method-step-by-step-instructions/ ). This is much better than munching on a few grains to find out what flavor each one brings. Go to your LHBS and get 4 oz each of a bunch of grains and try this out. I have tried it and the only problems I ran into were that my coffee filters plugged up and didn't let enough liquid through.
Original Gravity - that would be Newton's

Offline chinaski

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Re: Reliability of online recipe builders
« Reply #13 on: January 23, 2022, 04:29:14 pm »
I am getting ready to brew my first non-kit batch and was just wondering how reliable Atlantic Brew Supply's recipe builder is. The reason for my question is the estimated OG is 1.052 and the FG is expected to be around 1.017. I wasn't expecting that large of a fall, but could just be because I am a newbie. Thanks!
Maybe the next logical step from kits is to brew from an established recipe, but making choices while shopping for the ingredients.  I think jumping to designing your own might not be the best way to go.

Offline BrewBama

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Reliability of online recipe builders
« Reply #14 on: January 23, 2022, 05:02:43 pm »
I am getting ready to brew my first non-kit batch and was just wondering how reliable Atlantic Brew Supply's recipe builder is. The reason for my question is the estimated OG is 1.052 and the FG is expected to be around 1.017. I wasn't expecting that large of a fall, but could just be because I am a newbie. Thanks!

Nothing wrong with being new. Welcome.

You have the right idea to ask questions about what you don’t understand. You’ve come to the right place.

Since each place’s builder is a bit different, in this case I recommend you call Atlantic Brew Supplies. I am sure they’ll be able to explain their recipe builder and help you with the recipe you’re using.

As said above, the best way to learn to brew is to brew. As you brew a few times you may have more questions. Come back and ask.

Also, do some research. I recommend you find a how to brew book so you can understand more. There are several; if you need a recommendation just ask.  You’ll get plenty of reviews.

Also check out some YouTube videos. They can show you how others brew which can give you some ideas that you can adopt in your brewery. Martin Keen (?) brewed thru the entire BJCP guidelines. He’s sponsored by ABS. Check out his videos.
« Last Edit: January 23, 2022, 05:27:29 pm by BrewBama »