Devising Recipes
-
wee stu
Recipe development has become both more interesting, and sometimes more frustrating, for me since I invested in the http://www.beersmith.com brewing software.
Changing the odd ingredient or amount in there can give me good indications of what might happen once I get the mash tun out. On the downside, tweaking the virtual beer becomes so easy it often ends up in downright fiddling
Ray Daniels, Designing Great Beers, is another resource I frequently call upon, especially if I am approaching a new style.
Changing the odd ingredient or amount in there can give me good indications of what might happen once I get the mash tun out. On the downside, tweaking the virtual beer becomes so easy it often ends up in downright fiddling
Ray Daniels, Designing Great Beers, is another resource I frequently call upon, especially if I am approaching a new style.
-
wee stu
Daniels could be getting a bit old now, or at least his book might be , it was produced in 1996 
.
One thing that some people find off putting is that he uses the recipes from award winners at the American National Homebrewing Championsships as data for some of his analysis. Willamette and cascade may not be to everyone's liking
I tend to take the American homebrew data parts with a liberal dose of salt. The discussions on historical origins and contemporary commercial examples are much more interesting and helpful. Almost ashamed to admit it, but his chapter on Scottish ales helped a lot in developing my own expat down under versions of same. More so than the Noonan book, in the Beer Styles series. But then again, that was written by a Yank too, and his New Brewing Lager just gives me a headache, before it puts me to sleep.
Beersmith and Promash for that matter, are tools - nothing more. But they are good tools. If you don't understand the processes underpinning them, they are not going to make the beer for you. Having said that, if my computer breaks down........................
awrabest, stu
, it was produced in 1996 . One thing that some people find off putting is that he uses the recipes from award winners at the American National Homebrewing Championsships as data for some of his analysis. Willamette and cascade may not be to everyone's liking
I tend to take the American homebrew data parts with a liberal dose of salt. The discussions on historical origins and contemporary commercial examples are much more interesting and helpful. Almost ashamed to admit it, but his chapter on Scottish ales helped a lot in developing my own expat down under versions of same. More so than the Noonan book, in the Beer Styles series. But then again, that was written by a Yank too, and his New Brewing Lager just gives me a headache, before it puts me to sleep.
Beersmith and Promash for that matter, are tools - nothing more. But they are good tools. If you don't understand the processes underpinning them, they are not going to make the beer for you. Having said that, if my computer breaks down........................
awrabest, stu
-
wee stu
-
BlightyBrewer
-
wee stu
QUOTE (BlightyBrewer @ Feb 24 2006, 07:44 PM) I bought the Ray Daniels book, and it's like reading a flaming PhD thesis! 
It contains loads of info, but I think I'm going to have to be in the right frame of mind to read it.
Blighty, never ever go near Greg Noonan's Lager book, if Daniels does your head in :stun
Daft as, the Aussies, even the better micros and a lot of my home brewing mates, also seem to thing that neuralgia is the perfect accompaniment to any beer
Shame the Wheeler and Protz books on Real Ales are out of print now, would like to have a squizz at them.
It contains loads of info, but I think I'm going to have to be in the right frame of mind to read it. Blighty, never ever go near Greg Noonan's Lager book, if Daniels does your head in :stun
Daft as, the Aussies, even the better micros and a lot of my home brewing mates, also seem to thing that neuralgia is the perfect accompaniment to any beer
Shame the Wheeler and Protz books on Real Ales are out of print now, would like to have a squizz at them.
-
wee stu