BJCP Approach to Recipes
Our Approach to Recipes
Every recipe on this site is built the same way: goal-based, competition-ready, and fun to brew.
We organize everything by BJCP style (Beer Judge Certification Program), but we focus on flavor and aroma first — not numbers on a sheet. Each recipe is designed to hit the classic character of the style (or modern take) while giving you clear, practical guidance on why each ingredient is there and what it does in the glass.
If you’re not chasing medals (most people aren’t), think of this as goal-based brewing. The recipes are written so you can make smart tweaks with confidence, not guesswork.
What “competition ready” actually means here:
- We build to real BJCP parameters and flavor descriptors
- We use trusted sources and cross-check against classic commercial examples
- Every recipe is 5 gallons and designed to be repeatable
- We offer practical, not overly technical, explanations
A few important expectations:
- These are living recipes. We update them as we learn and as styles evolve. Comments are open — tell us what worked and what didn’t!
- Make simple, expected changes easily on the recipe pages.
- Search ingredients to build your own or make -unexpected- changes to defaults.
- Every recipe links to a Brewers Friend calculator if you want to look at the cool numbers or see the impact of your modifications.
Reality checkpoint: Changing the default numbers will change the outcome of the beer, adhering to Newton's third law.
What if IDGAF about any of that I just want to buy a beer kit? Perfect. Enjoy brewing a classic beer style!