If I have a variety of 4-5 hops and I'm going to throw them all in the same amount, at the same time, can I just add up the AA and the IBU output would be the same as if I entered them individually?
Yes, you can, but you would need to use only the common quantity, not the total. IOW, 2 oz each of 5% AA, 6%, 7%, and 8% would be entered as 2 oz of 26% AA. Not sure why you would do that, though. Part of the reason we use brewing software is that we don't want to do these calculations in our heads. Computers are pretty good at Math, so you might as well let it do this for you. Another reason is to document our beers/recipes - for repeatability, perhaps. Entering the hops like this will not serve that purpose.
Basically I could name the hop SimcoeCitraNelsonCentennial and input .5# 42 AA and that would trigger my memory. I think it would beat the shit out of doing them individually.
If you have beersmith it's all so easy you wouldn't need to ask any complicated questions. Except "how can I brew fast enough to keep up with all the recipes I make on this program?" You can even create, name, and enter data for new varieties or your own blends of hops.
I am seriously not. Did you mean 1/2 lb @ 42AA's (the combined AA's of the four hops), or something else?
I kid, I kid. I meant a half oz of those four hops at a given time in the boil. ( figured them to be around 40 AA combined)
Ah. So then yeah, you could say 0.5 ounces and 40AA's. This would be a PITA for combinations that are not equal weights though.
