Typical efficiency
A reliable starting assumption for most homebrewing systems and batch sizes.
Brewing · Calculator
Brewing Recipe Calculator
Build your grain bill and instantly see estimated OG, FG, ABV, and colour. Works for all-grain and extract brewing.
Estimates update as you adjust your grain bill, efficiency, and attenuation
Your recipe
Units L
72%
Grain type Weight PPG Color (L)
kg
37 1.8 kg
34 40 kg
28 350 75%
Recipe estimates
Original gravity 1.057 OG
Alcohol by volume 5.6 % ABV
Final gravity 1.014
Color 19.0 SRM
Apparent atten. 75%
Total grain 5.20 kg
Fermented 75% · Residual 25%
Strength Standard
Common beer style guidelines
| Style | OG | FG | ABV | SRM | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light lager | 1.028–1.040 | 0.998–1.008 | 2.8–4.2% | 2–3 | Crisp, clean, low bitterness |
| Pale ale | 1.044–1.054 | 1.008–1.014 | 4.5–6.2% | 5–14 | Balanced hop character |
| IPA | 1.056–1.075 | 1.008–1.014 | 5.5–7.5% | 6–14 | Hop-forward, bitter |
| Amber ale | 1.045–1.060 | 1.010–1.015 | 4.5–6.2% | 10–17 | Malty, caramel notes |
| Brown ale | 1.040–1.052 | 1.008–1.013 | 4.3–5.5% | 18–35 | Nutty, toasty |
| Stout | 1.036–1.052 | 1.007–1.011 | 4.0–5.5% | 30+ | Roasty, coffee-like |
| Belgian tripel | 1.075–1.085 | 1.008–1.014 | 7.5–9.5% | 4.5–7 | Fruity, spicy, strong |
These are simplified estimates for recipe planning. Actual results vary with your equipment, mash temperature, water chemistry, and process. The OG calculation assumes a single-infusion mash and does not account for boil-off volume. Use these numbers as a starting point and refine based on your brewhouse experience.
What to do next
Brew this recipe in 4 steps
For 20.0 L at 72% efficiency.
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Recipe building guide
Designing your grain bill
A well-constructed grain bill is the foundation of every great beer. Understanding how each grain contributes gravity, colour, and flavour lets you build recipes with confidence.
Use these reference values to interpret your results
- 72%
- 37 PPG
Base malt PPG
Points per pound per gallon for standard 2-row pale malt, the most common base grain.
- 1.4922
Morey constant
The leading coefficient in the Morey SRM formula used to estimate beer colour.
Understand and use your results
Add grains to your recipe by selecting a grain type and entering the weight. The calculator instantly updates your estimated OG, FG, ABV, and SRM. Adjust the batch volume and efficiency to match your system, and the numbers recalculate in real time.
Start with a base malt (like 2-row or Maris Otter) making up 75–95% of your grain bill, then layer in specialty grains for colour, flavour, and body. The calculator shows each grain's contribution so you can see how changes affect the finished beer.
Reading your numbers
Original gravity (OG) tells you how much sugar is in the wort before fermentation. Higher OG means more potential alcohol and body. Final gravity (FG) is estimated from OG and the yeast attenuation you set, and the ABV is derived from the difference between the two.
SRM (Standard Reference Method) describes beer colour on a scale from 1 (pale straw) to 40+ (opaque black). The Morey formula used here is accurate across the full range. An SRM of 4–6 is a pale ale, 10–15 is an amber, and 25+ enters porter and stout territory.
Common grains and their contributions
Each grain brings specific flavours, colours, and fermentability to your beer. Here are the most widely used options and their typical PPG values.
2-Row pale37 PPG, 1.8°L — clean, neutral base malt; the workhorse of American brewing.
Maris Otter36 PPG, 3°L — biscuity English pale malt with slightly richer flavour.
Crystal 40L34 PPG, 40°L — adds caramel sweetness, body, and amber colour.
Munich35 PPG, 10°L — bready, malty depth without excessive colour.
Chocolate malt28 PPG, 350°L — roasted, cocoa-like flavour for porters and stouts.
Efficiency explained
Brewhouse efficiency is the fraction of potential grain sugars that make it into your fermenter. It combines mash efficiency (how well starches convert to sugars), lauter efficiency (how completely you rinse sugars from the grain bed), and kettle losses (wort left behind in the boil kettle).
Track your efficiency over several batches to find your personal number. If your OG consistently comes in low, your efficiency is lower than assumed. Finer crush, longer mash, and proper sparging technique all improve efficiency. Do not chase high numbers at the expense of stuck sparges or tannin extraction.
Recipe design tips
Keep your first recipes simple. A single base malt with one or two specialty grains makes it easy to taste each ingredient's contribution. As you gain experience, you can layer more complexity, but restraint often produces the best beers.
Balance is key: for every increase in malt sweetness (higher OG, more crystal malt), consider increasing hop bitterness to compensate. Use the BU:GU ratio as a rough guide — 0.5 for a balanced beer, higher for a hop-forward style, lower for a malt-driven one. And always take notes so you can reproduce your best batches.
FAQ
Recipe building questions, answered
Common questions about designing grain bills and estimating beer stats.
How do I estimate original gravity from a grain bill?
Multiply each grain weight by its points-per-pound-per-gallon (PPG) value, sum the totals, divide by your batch volume in gallons, then multiply by your brewhouse efficiency. For example, 10 pounds of 2-row malt (37 PPG) in a 5-gallon batch at 72% efficiency gives (10 x 37 / 5) x 0.72 = 53.3 gravity points, or an OG of 1.053.
What is brewhouse efficiency and what value should I use?
Brewhouse efficiency is the percentage of potential grain sugars that end up dissolved in your wort. It accounts for mash conversion, lautering losses, and boil-off. Most homebrewers achieve 65–78%. If you are unsure, start with 72% and adjust after your first brew day based on actual vs predicted OG.
How is beer colour (SRM) calculated?
This calculator uses the Morey equation: SRM = 1.4922 x (MCU ^ 0.6859), where MCU is the sum of each grain's Lovibond rating multiplied by its weight in pounds, divided by batch volume in gallons. The Morey formula is more accurate than a simple MCU sum for beers above 10 SRM.
What grains should I use for a basic pale ale?
A standard American pale ale starts with 85–90% pale 2-row malt as the base, 5–10% crystal 40L for caramel sweetness and body, and optionally 2–5% Munich malt for bready depth. Target an OG of 1.048–1.056 and 30–45 IBU for a classic, balanced pale ale.
What is the difference between OG and FG?
Original gravity (OG) is the sugar concentration of the wort before fermentation. Final gravity (FG) is the sugar remaining after yeast has consumed the fermentable portion. The difference between OG and FG determines the alcohol content. A typical ale yeast attenuates 72–78%, meaning it ferments that percentage of available sugars.
Can I use this calculator for extract brewing?
Yes. Liquid malt extract (LME) contributes about 36 PPG and dry malt extract (DME) about 44 PPG. Enter them as ingredients with 100% efficiency since extracts are pre-converted sugars. Steep specialty grains at their normal PPG but use a lower efficiency (around 50–60%) since steeping is less efficient than mashing.
Continue with the next calculator
Calculators and guides for your next step.
- Water Chemistry Calculator Calculator · Adjust brewing water minerals to match classic profiles for any beer style.
- Hydrometer Correction Calculator · Correct gravity readings for temperature deviations from the calibration point.
- Carbonation Calculator Calculator · Calculate priming sugar or CO2 pressure to hit your target carbonation volumes.
- ABV Calculator Calculator · Convert OG and FG readings into alcohol by volume with multiple formulas.
- Extract Brewing OG Calculator Calculator · Brewing with malt extract? Estimate OG and ABV from your DME, LME, and steeping grains.
