# Recipes Expressed As Percentages



## Bribie G (19/11/11)

Note to brewers, not having a crack at anyone in particular but here's my award winning beer that's got me in line for the Nobel Prize and everyone is welcome to it. 


*American Pale Ale Nobel Prize Winner* (American Pale Ale)

93.14% Pale Malt Perle Bairds
4.9% Torrified Wheat
1.96% Caraaroma

0.7 g/L Magnum (11% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil)
1.3 g/L Cascade (5.5% Alpha) @ 20 Minutes (Boil)
1.3 g/L Cascade (5.5% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil)
1.3 g/L Centennial (9.7% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil)
1.3 g/L Cascade (5.5% Alpha) @ 0 Days (Dry Hop)


Single step Infusion at 65C for 60 Minutes. Boil for 60 Minutes

Fermented at 19C with Wyeast 1056 - American Ale


A lot of guys post recipes in the above format. So here's a grain bill that conforms exactly to the above:





oops maybe I really meant




I see this all the time, extra batch info needed i.e. brew length would be ideal. :icon_cheers:


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## beerdrinkingbob (19/11/11)

Gave me a giggle......... Good point too, so many bloody variables in this game!


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## stux (19/11/11)

You at least need an OG

Everything else can then be inferred, including batch size


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## bradsbrew (19/11/11)

A percentage recipe is good, that way you dont need to adjust to meet your volume size. 


edit= wouldn't you get the same OG and bitterness regardless due to it being % and g/L ?
Cheers


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## np1962 (19/11/11)

Stux said:


> You at least need an OG
> 
> Everything else can then be inferred, including batch size



You need an OG, from there you can enter the recipe in software or spreadsheet or whatever and adjust amounts for your batch size while keeping percentages the same.
The other thing that is missing for me is a total IBU.
What annoys me about the format shown here is the use of gm/L for the bittering addition.
I'd much rather see gm/L for flavour/aroma/dry hopping and then a total IBU figure from which you can calculate the bittering addition AFTER you have entered all other additions.
Cheers
Nige


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## np1962 (19/11/11)

bradsbrew said:


> A percentage recipe is good, that way you dont need to adjust to meet your volume size.
> 
> 
> edit= wouldn't you get the same OG and bitterness regardless due to it being % and g/L ?
> Cheers


Using gm/L for the bitterness addition will change the total IBU depending on your preboil SG, boil off, losses to trub etc... Assuming OG is post boil gravity.
See previous post for suggested format to fix this.


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## Bribie G (19/11/11)

Brad, not knocking percentage recipes but if you look closer you'll see that in the example I posted (which is what you often see on the forum) there's no indication of batch size or how much water you need. I could use the ingredients in the first photo in a 60L brew and it would still conform to the recipe, or use 100k of grist in a 30L brew and it would still conform.

If using software, I far prefer the "23L" style and actual ingredient quantities, where it's dead easy to scale up or down once you have it entered in BM or BS or whatever you are using. Also easier for the manual guys with a calculator or a quill pen


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## bradsbrew (19/11/11)

NigeP62 said:


> You need an OG, from there you can enter the recipe in software or spreadsheet or whatever and adjust amounts for your batch size while keeping percentages the same.
> The other thing that is missing for me is a total IBU.
> What annoys me about the format shown here is the use of gm/L for the bittering addition.
> I'd much rather see gm/L for flavour/aroma/dry hopping and then a total IBU figure from which you can calculate the bittering addition AFTER you have entered all other additions.
> ...



I would think the greatest peice of information would be the efficiency. If you have the efficiency the rest will work itself out, well it will on brewmate anyway.



Cheers


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## pk.sax (19/11/11)

Show proof or it didn't happen.

I've seen people post % recipes as well and they have a batch size in it. Most software even spit out the exact grain bill for the batch and IBUs etc.

Most likely the brewer fucks up using Ctrl+C >Ctrl+V


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## sim (19/11/11)

Yeah, OG and IBU, and that could do it ...almost.

I think percentages get hairy when any of the efficiencies between systems changes. ie: your mash eff is 85% lets say your 20 litre recipe for full strength beer is something like:

3kg pale
500g crystal

but then i come along an my efficiency is like 60% (heaven help me), so i scale it up by % and all of a sudden i have a same strength beer with discusting amounts of specialty malts:

6kg pale
1kg crystal

Same could be said for hops, sorta. 10g/litre in your 10min APA with cascade you say, but i dont have any cascade so i roll with galaxy. I brew my beer that gives new meaninig to the term "hoppy", and gives Pasito a run for its money. Or you have a stronger boil than mine and what you like for IBU is way lower than what i would get with my lesser efficiency.

I like the idea of percentages though.


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## np1962 (19/11/11)

bradsbrew said:


> I would think the greatest peice of information would be the efficiency. If you have the efficiency the rest will work itself out, well it will on brewmate anyway.
> 
> 
> 
> Cheers


The simplicity of the format means there is no need to know what someone elses efficiency is.
Of course I am using BS for my recipes so it's pretty easy to add a recipe this way, and from what I've heard Brewmate is easy to use also.


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## Fourstar (19/11/11)

Bribie G said:


> Brad, not knocking percentage recipes but if you look closer you'll see that in the example I posted (which is what you often see on the forum) there's no indication of batch size or how much water you need. I could use the ingredients in the first photo in a 60L brew and it would still conform to the recipe, or use 100k of grist in a 30L brew and it would still conform.




Yeah, need OG, batch size and IBU. without the vitals the recipe is "dead" 

I also prefer hopping for recipies done in % this way. reserving g/l for the exceptions noted.

e.g. IBU 35

60 min Magnum = 20 IBU
10 min Cascade = 15 IBU
0 min Centennial 2g/l final volume ( only use g/L for 0 min and dry hopping and note the calcuation. Is it based on final volume or starting boil volume?)

This way, the AA of the hops YOU have on hand is not an issue. x is always going to be the grams you require based on your IBU math. One beer is never going to be indentical to the other when made brewer to brewer. At least this gets you in the ball park with repeatability.


Edit: Also the only time i advocate using % for recipes is scratching something up quickly to give recipe ideas for newcomers or if you read/learn about recipes/ingrediesnts used in commercial beers and you want to start breaking it down to come up with a clone yourself on the fly.


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## bradsbrew (19/11/11)

Just ran it through brewmate with eff the only thing I preset at 70%. Edit = yes as stated above giving hop additions in IBU would be better. 66L batch



*The Award winning recipe that I stole from Bribie* (American Pale Ale)

Original Gravity (OG): 1.050 (P): 12.4
Final Gravity (FG): 1.013 (P): 3.3
Alcohol (ABV): 4.91 %
Colour (SRM): 7.4 (EBC): 14.5
Bitterness (IBU): 75.6 (Average - No Chill Adjusted)

93.14% Pale Ale Malt
4.9% Torrified Wheat
1.96% Caraaroma

0.7 g/L Magnum (12.5% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil)
1.3 g/L Cascade (7.8% Alpha) @ 20 Minutes (Boil)
1.3 g/L Cascade (7.8% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil)
1.3 g/L Centennial (9.7% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil)
1.3 g/L Cascade (7.8% Alpha) @ 0 Days (Dry Hop)


Single step Infusion at 66C for 90 Minutes. Boil for 90 Minutes

Fermented at 20C with


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## [email protected] (19/11/11)

I prefer % but as others have said there needs to be OG, efficiency and total IBU.
Efficiency is another thing in itself though, the age old question of what type are they using?


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## bradsbrew (19/11/11)

And now quickly adjusted to a 20L batch.



*The Award winning recipe that I stole from Bribie* (American Pale Ale)

Original Gravity (OG): 1.050 (P): 12.4
Final Gravity (FG): 1.013 (P): 3.3
Alcohol (ABV): 4.91 %
Colour (SRM): 7.4 (EBC): 14.5
Bitterness (IBU): 75.4 (Average - No Chill Adjusted)

93.14% Pale Ale Malt
4.9% Torrified Wheat
1.96% Caraaroma

0.7 g/L Magnum (12.5% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil)
1.3 g/L Cascade (7.8% Alpha) @ 20 Minutes (Boil)
1.3 g/L Cascade (7.8% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil)
1.3 g/L Centennial (9.7% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil)
1.3 g/L Cascade (7.8% Alpha) @ 0 Days (Dry Hop)


Single step Infusion at 66C for 90 Minutes. Boil for 90 Minutes

Fermented at 20C with


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## pk.sax (19/11/11)

*Tony's LCBA* (American Pale Ale)

Original Gravity (OG): 1.046 (P): 11.4
Final Gravity (FG): 1.012 (P): 3.1
Alcohol (ABV): 4.52 %
Colour (SRM): 3.3 (EBC): 6.5
Bitterness (IBU): 23.0 (Tinseth)

68.42% Pilsner
19.65% Vienna
5.96% Carapils (Dextrine)
5.96% Wheat Malt

0.4 g/L B Saaz (6.8% Alpha) @ 45 Minutes (Boil)
0.4 g/L Cascade (5.9% Alpha) @ 45 Minutes (Boil)
0.6 g/L B Saaz (6.8% Alpha) @ 20 Minutes (Boil)
0.6 g/L Cascade (5.9% Alpha) @ 20 Minutes (Boil)
0.8 g/L B Saaz (6.8% Alpha) @ 0 Minutes (Aroma)
0.8 g/L Cascade (5.9% Alpha) @ 0 Minutes (Aroma)


Single step Infusion at 65C for 90 Minutes. Boil for 90 Minutes

Fermented at 18C with Safale US-05


Recipe Generated with *BrewMate*

^ Thats how brewmate does it. I don't seea batch size - irrelevant imho with all the info in there.

edit: beaten by Bradsbrew


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## sim (19/11/11)

Brad, I tend to notice a higher eff when i brew larger batches. If you were to adjust for a decrease in mash efficiency % when you scale down to 20litre, in relation to the amount of brewing water used the specialty malts used would be higher than they should.


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## np1962 (19/11/11)

practicalfool said:


> *Tony's LCBA* (American Pale Ale)
> 
> Original Gravity (OG): 1.046 (P): 11.4
> Final Gravity (FG): 1.012 (P): 3.1
> ...


Agreed, all the info needed is there. 
I still wouldn't blindly add .4gm/L of BSaaz and Cascade @ 45 but at least the total IBU is there and I can accurately calculate that addition to give the correct amount.
Nige


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## sim (19/11/11)

If you use the percentage thing for grist info this should include iether you mash eff% or the amount of water you used expressed as a % - like bakers recipes do. Otherwise the percentages are not keeping in correct proportions.


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## sim (19/11/11)

Does no one take my point, or am i just great at killing a thread??


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## [email protected] (19/11/11)

sim said:


> Does no one take my point, or am i just great at killing a thread??



Its raining and i have nothing better to do , so i was fiddling around in BS.

I might see your point? i have probably just confused myself further.

Thinking about it again as long as you have the OG you should be able to adapt the recipe to your system

Playing around with efficiency and batch size 60 to 80% the spec grains do change considerably, but i would have thought that it would all be relative 
to your extract potential / mash efficiency, if you have poor extraction % are you not going to need more grain anyway?

haha i dont think i made sense...


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## pk.sax (19/11/11)

The way I see it, as long as the conversion is complete - do an iodine test - the efficiency is purely an extraction figure, i.e., how much of the sugar remains trapped in the grain and system.

Given that assumtion, the spec malts should be scaled just the same as base malts?! Am I right there?


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## np1962 (19/11/11)

Sim,
I do see your point and to an extent it does work the way you are saying but perhaps not to the extremes you have suggested.
I personnally make several assumptions when I see a recipe on a homebrew forum. Two of which are that a standard batch is about 23L into the fermenter and the other is average efficiency = 75%.
As I say, these are MY ASSUMPTIONS.
There are several other assumptions I make but I won't ellaborate in fear of upsetting the_new_darren. :icon_cheers: 

Nige


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## Thirsty Boy (19/11/11)

Bribie G said:


> Brad, not knocking percentage recipes but if you look closer you'll see that in the example I posted (which is what you often see on the forum) there's no indication of batch size or how much water you need. I could use the ingredients in the first photo in a 60L brew and it would still conform to the recipe, or use 100k of grist in a 30L brew and it would still conform.
> 
> If using software, I far prefer the "23L" style and actual ingredient quantities, where it's dead easy to scale up or down once you have it entered in BM or BS or whatever you are using. Also easier for the manual guys with a calculator or a quill pen



the whole point of posting recipes with % numbers instead of absolute numbers - is exactly what you are pointing to as a fault.

Using percentages the recipe is entirely independent of the particular brewers batch size or system efficiency, thus the exact same recipe is just as valid and requires no tweaking to be used on my system as yours. No need to include the information that of course this recipe is for MY system, where I am brewing a 25L batch, oh and that means 25L post boil volume which by the way i measure before not after I cool, and of course you'll need to know that i get 89% efficiency, thats mash lauter efficiency by the way, measured pre-boil.... so you'll need to adjust it for your volumes and efficiencies, whichever way it is you measure them - and if you pass the recipe on you'll have to do it with all that information - or its useless.

use percentages and you dont need to make any changes at all - just plug them into your standard recipe and off you go. As pointed out by other people, you do need total OG and IBU figures though.

these days i only ever give recipes in percentages, i find that its simply too hard to convey all the information you actually need to make a recipe make sense if you try to use absolute figures.

The porter i just made

OG 1.054 - Golden promise base malt, 8.5% flaked oats, 5% Chocolate, 5% roast Barley, 5% light munich, 1.5% Spec B. Mash for a medium dry finish.

38IBUs Millenium for bittering, US Cascade pellets 1.5 g/L cube hops.

And thats all you need to know to be able to brew that recipe.


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## sim (19/11/11)

Beer4U said:


> if you have poor extraction % are you not going to need more grain anyway?



well, yes you need more grain to up to meet the desired OG, but the specialty grain to batch volume ratio is important to consider. If you just scale everything up in percentages your that ratio will change (you now have more specialty) which will give you a more intense specialty character than before and higher final gravity. This might be a negligable amount but take my prevoius example and say your using choc malt instead for a brown ale:

3kg pale
250g choc

scaled with the same percentages is now black!
6kg
500g

i know thats an extreme example but it illustrates what im getting at.

Percentages are nice an all, but its in relation to efficiency/batch volume.


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## Thirsty Boy (19/11/11)

sim - i see your point, but its my opinion that making "significant" adjustments for efficiency should not be done by simply altering the amount of base grain. All the grains should be altered proportionally.

so I see how you think a recipe should change if your efficiency changes considerably... and in this case it indeed does, using percentages means you change the whole recipe proportionally and therefore there is no issue.

the example you give is a result of some of the brewing programs calculating colour incorrectly. Extract efficiency is not about "sugar only" extract includes colour and flavour compounds. if you are only getting 70% - you are only getting 70 of the colour too.


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## yardy (19/11/11)

where would the brewing world be without BribieG :icon_cheers:


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## Nick JD (19/11/11)

sim said:


> 3kg pale
> 250g choc
> 
> scaled with the same percentages is now black!
> ...



How have the ratios changed here? 6000/500 = 12, 3000/250 = 12.

You've lost me. If you double the water volumes as well then you're making the same beer.

Oh, wait - now I see. You mean if one person is getting 50% efficiency and the other 100%, then the 6kg/500g beer will be much darker? Point taken, now I understand. 

But don't you think the brewer in question has more issues than getting the recipe right if they have to double the ingredients to make the same beer? 

I'd say most AG brewers on this site are within 10% in efficiency figures - and that's just how much we're all leaving behind trapped in the grain, really.


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## bradsbrew (19/11/11)

sim said:


> Brad, I tend to notice a higher eff when i brew larger batches. If you were to adjust for a decrease in mash efficiency % when you scale down to 20litre, in relation to the amount of brewing water used the specialty malts used would be higher than they should.



Yep and that comes down to knowing your system and adjusting accordingly. The brew wars hosted by babbs for the brew conference is an example of how a recipe does not gaurantee the same beer. Unless you have a Herms, Rims or proprietry made brew system you are not going to consistently get the same beer on the same rig with the same recipe, even with these the results can differ and even then ferment regime may alter it as well. 

I look at all recipes as a guide and tune to meet my system and my prefered tastes. And I will create my own recipes using the weight not % but when referencing another recipe prefer %. 



Cheers


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## sim (19/11/11)

Thirsty Boy said:


> if you are only getting 70% - you are only getting 70 of the colour too.



Right. i can totally pay that. I guess i thought that mash efficiency was one thing, and flavour and colour extraction efficiency was another. Along these lines, someone was saying how Jamil uses a "no-sparge" so he gets a lower efficency and can use more grain to get a bigger flavour. If what you say is true he's got a lower efficiency but also a lower colour and flavour extraction, so a case of one step backwards and no steps forward. Interesting.

i like the percentage thing, i just thought flavour and colour were independant of mash efficiency.

So, percentages and OG and IBU it is then.


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (19/11/11)

Recipe for my home Pale Ale:

100% malt
100% hops
Yeast

I see the point - brewmate always exports as % & g/L. I only picked it up the other day when a newer brewer asked for actual quantities because he wasn't at that point yet.

IBU and OG should be the bare minimum. Maybe volume.

Goomba


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## Goofinder (19/11/11)

How is the recipe from the OP any more difficult to understand than this:


> 4000 BB Galaxy
> 225 Carapils
> 500 Polenta
> 
> ...



4000 what of BB Galaxy? Grains? Do I need to count them out by hand? 20 Motueka flowers (at) 20 minutes? It's a bit hard to count them out when they come compressed. It might be easier if you used pellets.

Volume?
Expected OG, IBU?

 :lol:


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## bradsbrew (19/11/11)

Lord Raja Goomba I said:


> I see the point - *brewmate always exports as % & g/L.* I only picked it up the other day when a newer brewer asked for actual quantities because he wasn't at that point yet.
> 
> IBU and OG should be the bare minimum. Maybe volume.
> 
> Goomba



No it doesn't, you are exporting 'forum freindly'. Try exporting 'normal' and you will get this information which is better IMHO.

*Stoutinator*
Oatmeal Stout

*Recipe Specs*
----------------
Batch Size (L): 20.0
Total Grain (kg): 4.900
Total Hops (g): 68.00
Original Gravity (OG): 1.052 (P): 12.9
Final Gravity (FG): 1.013 (P): 3.3
Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 5.11 %
Colour (SRM): 40.5 (EBC): 79.7
Bitterness (IBU): 35.5 (Average)
Brewhouse Efficiency (%): 70
Boil Time (Minutes): 90

*Grain Bill*
----------------
1.882 kg Vienna (38.41%)
1.000 kg Wheat Malt (20.41%)
0.900 kg Flaked Oats (18.37%)
0.500 kg Roasted Barley (10.2%)
0.318 kg Pale Ale Malt (6.49%)
0.300 kg Chocolate, Pale (6.12%)

*Hop Bill*
----------------
25.0 g Aurora Pellet (10.3% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil) (1.2 g/L)
20.0 g Willamette Pellet (7.1% Alpha) @ 0 Minutes (Boil) (1 g/L)
23.0 g Willamette Pellet (7.1% Alpha) @ 0 Days (Dry Hop) (1.2 g/L)

*Misc Bill*
----------------

Single step Infusion at 66C for 90 Minutes.
Fermented at 20C with 


Recipe Generated with *BrewMate*


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## Tony (19/11/11)

I think posting recipes in % is far better.

It doesnt mater what sizee brew you make, what your efficiency is etc etc...... you can get the percentage right and scake up and down from there.

Probably more difficult to add into brewing software but if you cant do that.......... give up!

cheers


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## Phoney (19/11/11)

Before beersmith 2 came out, working out percentages when plugging in figures was a right royal pain in the arse. Havent used promash so dunno how the other side do it...

If i was given an option; i would prefer my recipes given to me without percentages. Just grain & hop weight and a batch size, and then i can use the scale tool in BS to match it to my system. Much less fiddling around.


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## Tony (19/11/11)

phoneyhuh said:


> Havent used promash so dunno how the other side do it...



We do it the same as we have done it for 10 years............. Bloody Promash dodgy "wont release an update" morons  

I tell ya...... I have got to know promash very very well and its got to the point where i couldnt be bothered trying to learn a new program....... but sometimes........

Im promash all you can do is enter the malts and up and down the amounts to get the percentages right. Would be awsome to just enter the % i want..... i formulate recipes by % in my head mostly.

cheers


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## stl (19/11/11)

sim said:


> Right. i can totally pay that. I guess i thought that mash efficiency was one thing, and flavour and colour extraction efficiency was another. Along these lines, someone was saying how Jamil uses a "no-sparge" so he gets a lower efficency and can use more grain to get a bigger flavour. If what you say is true he's got a lower efficiency but also a lower colour and flavour extraction, so a case of one step backwards and no steps forward. Interesting.
> 
> i like the percentage thing, i just thought flavour and colour were independant of mash efficiency.



I reckon you could be onto something. The colour seems to "come out of" (e.g.) dark roasted grains quite easily and may happen independent of mash activity, so any given amount of it in a specific volume batch should produce the same colour wort regardless of whether it's brewed by someone who gets 60 or 90% efficiency. On the other hand, the brewer achieving higher efficiency probably has a different sparging technique which might affect how much colour is leeched from the grain in the same way it affects the efficiency in the first place. And on the third hand, I really couldn't give a shit if the beer is 40 EBC or 80 -- I'll drink it! :icon_cheers:


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## wraith (19/11/11)

I Also prefer recipes as a %.

Wraith


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## Bribie G (19/11/11)

Great comments so far, but I think my original point has been lost. Sure it is probably most effective to post as percentages, but just posting a recipe as raw percentages is as useful as 





At the risk of thrashing this to death, here is the grain bill for the following recipe:

Mega Pakibasher Lager:

50% BB Pils
50% Weyermann Vienna... etc






If I just post this recipe without OG then this is all you have to work with, at the end of the day. My point was that this is a common fault with guys posting percentage recipes.


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## Thirsty Boy (19/11/11)

So your point was simply that they should include the OG then?

Tony - re entering percentage figures into promash

enter the percentages as Kilgorams. so 80% goes in as 80kg etc etc
adjust the batch size up until you get the right OG figure
lock ingredients to batch size and reduce the batch size to your normal batch size.


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## Nick JD (19/11/11)

Everybodys recipes are crap. 

Cept mine.

the_new_nick


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## pk.sax (20/11/11)

you missed out the point that in the OP, you doctored what Brewmate spits out by default to exclude the OG etc... it provides that info. If some tosser decides to intentionally delete it out, name and shame... and link.


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## np1962 (20/11/11)

Bribie G said:


> Great comments so far, but I think my original point has been lost. Sure it is probably most effective to post as percentages, but just posting a recipe as raw percentages is as useful as
> 
> View attachment 50217
> 
> ...


Bribie, 
This was covered pretty well in posts 2,4,12,and 14 and probably a few others and this led to a pretty good discussion of the value or otherwise of posting recipes in this format.
IMO this has been one of the more sensible and civilised discussions on AHB in a while. :icon_cheers: Well, until the last couple of posts.  
Good topic.
Nige


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## Golani51 (20/11/11)

Speaking of percentages, is there a linky that goes through how to use it to produce a 23L batch for example, to calculate how many grams hops, etc . 
i am just looking for something that might mention something 
i may have forgotten or not be aware of.

Thanks,

R


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (20/11/11)

bradsbrew said:


> No it doesn't, you are exporting 'forum freindly'. Try exporting 'normal' and you will get this information which is better IMHO.



Thanks Brad - I'd never thought to bother with normal.

The other thing with posting in kg, rather than % - is that you can post L of recipe into beer mate, then recipe as kg/g , and then change the size of your recipe (eg from 23 to 52 L) and the grains and malts adjust themselves as a result.

Goomba


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## np1962 (20/11/11)

Golani51 said:


> Speaking of percentages, is there a linky that goes through how to use it to produce a 23L batch for example, to calculate how many grams hops, etc .
> i am just looking for something that might mention something
> i may have forgotten or not be aware of.
> 
> ...


Not exactly sure this is what you are after but here is a link to an article by butters on how to use these figures to enter a recipe into Beersmith.
Was written before BS2 came out but process is much the same.
http://brewadelaide.com/forum/index.php?to...3.msg389#msg389


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## jimi (20/11/11)

NigeP62 said:


> Bribie,
> This was covered pretty well in posts 2,4,12,and 14 and probably a few others and this led to a pretty good discussion of the value or otherwise of posting recipes in this format.
> IMO this has been one of the more sensible and civilised discussions on AHB in a while. :icon_cheers: Well, until the last couple of posts.
> Good topic.
> Nige



You might have to concede defeat on this one BribieG. If Ross weighed in as well it would probably complete the list of the most respected and reliable founts of knowledge on here against you (alongside Tony, TB et al). Now when can we get the Database converted to %


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## Tim F (20/11/11)

Tony said:


> I tell ya...... I have got to know promash very very well and its got to the point where i couldnt be bothered trying to learn a new program....... but sometimes........
> 
> Im promash all you can do is enter the malts and up and down the amounts to get the percentages right. Would be awsome to just enter the % i want..... i formulate recipes by % in my head mostly.
> 
> cheers



Exactly, I think in Promash too - haven't ever brewed without it! On the plus side it really does everything you want. If I want to scale a recipe based on my own efficiency I change the batch size up or down till I get the target OG, then I tick 'lock ingredients to batch size' and set the volume back to where I want it and bingo bango.


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## yardy (20/11/11)

oh no, not another recipe with no OG, batch size and IBU available, what to do, what to do....

_"g'day cobber, i just stumbled upon your recipe which is expressed in percentages, i quite like the look of it but there appears to be no OG, batch size and IBU available, any chance you could post them ?"

"gday blow in, sure thing mate, here you go, enjoy the beer and let me know how it turns out etc etc blah blah blah..."_

:icon_cheers:


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## MHB (20/11/11)

Here is a professional recipe lifted from the Weyermann Almanac, might give some idea of what information is really needed to make a true copy of a beer, please note this is setup for both American and rest of the world professional brewers.
MHB
View attachment 50239


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## felten (20/11/11)

There's your problem Bribie, you need to include some brewing trivia with each of your recipes.


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## going down a hill (20/11/11)

MHB said:


> Here is a professional recipe lifted from the Weyermann Almanac, might give some idea of what information is really needed to make a true copy of a beer, please note this is setup for both American and rest of the world professional brewers.
> MHB
> View attachment 50239



The ULTIMATE ALMANAC of WORLD BEER RECIPIES.


That name is a bit too wishy washy, doesn't get to the point of what it's about.


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## stux (20/11/11)

Beer4U said:


> I prefer % but as others have said there needs to be OG, efficiency and total IBU.
> Efficiency is another thing in itself though, the age old question of what type are they using?



Efficiency is not needed, and brewhouse efficiency is useless anyway. Just throw away half your beer before you add it to the fermenter and how is that change in efficiency going to affect the recipe?

If you are posting IBUs it would be a good idea to bracket the IBU formula used. It makes more of a difference than the a/a variance year to year!


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## [email protected] (20/11/11)

Stux said:


> Efficiency is not needed, and brewhouse efficiency is useless anyway. Just throw away half your beer before you add it to the fermenter and how is that change in efficiency going to affect the recipe?



Thanks mate, i worked that one out at post 21 in this thread :icon_cheers: 




Beer4U said:


> Thinking about it again as long as you have the OG you should be able to adapt the recipe to your system


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## sim (20/11/11)

Beer4U said:


> Thanks mate, i worked that one out at post 21 in this thread :icon_cheers:



Yep, OG and IBU.  and then i muddled things up with my trouble with (extract) efficiency.


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