Recipes

A recipe is the instruction by which a beer is made. Every production batch is created from a recipe, and the production batch gets its steps, ingredients, tasks and manual from the recipe.

In BrewOS a recipe consists of

• steps, which describe the individual stages of the process (e.g. mashing, boiling, fermentation). The steps are carried out in the given order, and each step has a duration.
• ingredients, i.e. raw materials, whose quantities are given per step. The same ingredient can be used in several steps in different quantities.
• tasks, which are individual work tasks related to the steps. Tasks do not have to be defined, as the instructions can also be given in the step's description. A measurement and files can be attached to a task.
• a manual, i.e. free-form instructions for whoever runs the production.

In addition, a recipe has

• a batch size in litres: how much beer a production made according to the recipe yields. A production batch can be given a size different from the recipe, in which case BrewOS scales the ingredient quantities in proportion to the recipe's batch size.
• products, i.e. the beverages made from the recipe (see Products). In packaging, the batch can be recorded as any package of these beverages.

Recipe statuses

The recipe's status is shown on the recipe page next to its name:

• being edited: an unfinished recipe. The name, steps, ingredients, tasks and manual can be edited. A production batch cannot be created yet.
• in use: the recipe has been put into use, and production batches can be created from it. The name, steps, ingredients, tasks and manual can no longer be edited.
• outdated: a newer version of the recipe has been made.
• retired: the recipe has been retired.

The tabs of the recipe list (recipes in the main menu) are In progress, Active and Trash, and each shows the number of recipes. With the search field you can search for a recipe by name. You will find outdated versions in the recipe's version history.

Creating a new recipe

1. Open recipes from the main menu and press create new recipe.
2. Enter the Name (e.g. the brand) and the Production batch size in litres.
3. Under Products, choose the beverages made from the recipe. Products can be added and removed later with the link manage recipe products on the recipe page, also for a recipe in use.
4. Press Add recipe. The recipe is created with the status being edited.

You can also import recipes from BeerSmith: press Import from a BeerSmith file in the recipe list and upload a BeerXML file exported from BeerSmith. An unfinished recipe with its steps and ingredients is created from each recipe in the file, and the other details are saved in the recipe's manual.

The recipe page

The top of the recipe page shows the name, status, batch size and products. The buttons at the top are Download production form template and, depending on the recipe's status, activate (an unfinished recipe) or Create production batch (a recipe in use). The less frequently needed actions (create new version, make a copy, return to editing and deactivate) are in the ⋯ menu.

The name of an unfinished recipe can be changed directly in the Name field; save the change with the button save changes.

The tabs are Steps, Manual, Ingredients, Tasks and Costs. The Ingredients and Tasks tabs appear once the recipe has at least one step.

Steps

The Steps tab shows the recipe's steps in order, and under each step its ingredients with their quantities. Steps are added with the form Add new production step:

1. Type the step type in the Step field or choose it from the suggestions.
2. Write the Description.
3. Enter the Duration: the time from the start to the end of the step, during which the production equipment reserved for the step is reserved.
4. Press Add production step.

In an unfinished recipe the order of the steps can be changed by dragging, and a step can be removed with the cross button. By clicking a step you can edit its type, description and duration and save them with the button save changes.

The step's name matters on the tank map: for example fermentation, conditioning and carbonation steps are shown on the map in their own colours, and when a batch is started from the tank map, the tank is reserved by default for the first fermentation step.

Ingredients

The Ingredients tab shows the recipe's ingredients by step. Ingredients are added to an unfinished recipe with the form Add ingredient to step:

1. Choose the Step and the Ingredient. If the ingredient does not exist yet, create it first.
2. Enter the Quantity in the ingredient's unit of measure.
3. Press add. If the ingredient is already in the step, the new quantity replaces the earlier one.

In an unfinished recipe the quantity can be changed by clicking it (save with the Save button), and the ingredient can be removed from the step with the cross button.

The tab's Summary calculates the recipe's ingredient costs in two ways:

• The Actual unit cost is based on the purchase prices of the purchase batches currently in stock. The note estimate means that there are purchases with estimated prices in stock, and price missing that the purchase price is missing for part of the stock.
• The Estimated unit cost is based on a price you set yourself. Click the Estimated cell to change the ingredient's estimated price.

The summary shows the total cost and the price Per production litre. If products have been linked to the recipe, it also shows the price per litre including excise duty, with the duty added according to the excise duty table currently in force.

Tasks

Work tasks are added to the steps on the Tasks tab with the form Add new task:

1. Choose the Step and write the Description (the task's instructions).
2. If something is measured in the task (e.g. temperature or specific gravity), choose the Parameter. In production, whoever checks off the task then enters the measured value.
3. If you wish, attach files to the task with the link Add file(s) to task. If a file is updated, the new version is shown in the task automatically (see Files).
4. Enter the Working time (estimate): the time the worker needs for the task as a whole.
5. Press Add new task.

In an unfinished recipe the order of the tasks can be changed by dragging, and a task can be removed. The bottom of the tab shows the total working time of all tasks.

Manual

On the Manual tab you can write free-form instructions for an unfinished recipe with a text editor and save them with the Save changes button. The manual is printed as part of the production printouts. The manual of a recipe in use can only be read.

Costs

On the Costs tab you set an overhead cost per litre (excluding VAT) for the recipe. You can enter either the Per litre value or the cost for the whole batch, in which case the other is calculated from the recipe's batch size. Save with the Save overhead cost button. Only the per-litre value is used in the production batch's cost calculation.

Putting a recipe into use

When the recipe is ready, press activate on the recipe page. The button is shown only if the recipe has at least one step. After this the button Create production batch appears at the top of the page (see Production batches).

A recipe in use can be returned for editing with the action return to editing in the ⋯ menu only as long as no production batch has been created from it. Otherwise the changes are made in a new version or a copy.

With the action deactivate the recipe moves to the trash.

Production form

The Download production form template button downloads a PDF production card of the recipe (steps, ingredients, tasks and manual) that can be used as a paper work instruction.

Versions and copies

Recipes in use are not edited, so that it is known exactly which instructions each production batch was made with. Changes are made either as a new version or as a copy. Both actions are in the ⋯ menu of the recipe page.

• create new version is used when you change the recipe of the same beer, e.g. you fix an error or change the hopping. The previous version immediately changes to the status outdated, and the new version has the status being edited. Put the new version into use before you create production batches from it. Always make the new version from the recipe's newest version, or with the button make new version in the version history, which always uses the newest version.
• make a copy creates an independent, editable copy of the recipe that has no connection to the original. Use it when you make a completely new beer based on the recipe, and rename the copy.

On the page of a versioned recipe, the version number (Version) is shown next to the name and below it the link version history, where you will find all versions. The current version is marked with the word current.

The steps, ingredients, tasks (description and working time), products, manual and overhead cost carry over to the copy and to the new version. Note: the measurements (Parameter) and files attached to tasks do not carry over; they must be added again.

Recipes with an AI assistant

If you have connected an AI assistant to your BrewOS account, it can also search and read recipes, create new recipes and steps, add ingredients and products, copy a recipe and change its status.