The beer color calculator estimates beer color in SRM and EBC from your grain bill using the Morey equation. Add each malt with weight and color rating (°L) to see the calculated color with a visual preview and BJCP color category.
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Grain Bill
How to Calculate Beer Color
Beer color is calculated from the grain bill using the Morey equation: SRM = 1.4922 × (MCU^0.6859). MCU (Malt Color Units) sums the contribution of each grain: weight (lbs) × color (°L) / batch volume (gallons).
Adding Each Grain
Enter each grain with its weight and Lovibond color rating. Base malts are typically 1.5-3.5 °L. Crystal/caramel malts range from 10-120 °L. Chocolate malt is 300-400 °L, and roasted barley/black malt is 500+ °L. Small amounts of dark malts significantly impact total color.
SRM Reference
SRM 2-4: Pale lager, pilsner. SRM 5-9: Wheat beer, blonde ale, Kölsch. SRM 10-14: American pale ale, IPA. SRM 15-22: Amber ale, märzen. SRM 23-29: Brown ale, porter. SRM 30-35: Stout. SRM 40+: Imperial stout, black IPA.
FAQ
Is this beer color calculator free?
Yes, completely free with no signup required.
What is SRM in beer?
SRM (Standard Reference Method) is the most common beer color scale in the US homebrewing community. It ranges from 1 (very pale straw) to 40+ (black). Pale lager is 2-4 SRM, amber ale is 10-18 SRM, and stout is 35-40+ SRM.
What is EBC?
EBC (European Brewery Convention) is the color scale used in Europe. EBC = SRM × 1.97. A 10 SRM pale ale is approximately 20 EBC. Many European malt suppliers rate grain in EBC rather than Lovibond.
What formula does this use?
This uses the Morey equation: SRM = 1.4922 × (MCU^0.6859), where MCU (Malt Color Units) = (grain weight in lbs × grain color in °L) / batch volume in gallons. This is generally the most accurate for typical homebrew batches.
How do I convert grain color from EBC to Lovibond?
°Lovibond = (EBC × 0.508) + 0.0042, or approximately divide EBC by 1.97. If a grain is listed as 10 EBC, it's approximately 5 °L (Lovibond).