Who is this IPA recipe calculator for?

This spreadsheet is for craft brewery owners and taproom managers that want to maximize profit on every IPA they brew. It’s for breweries that are looking to fine-tune their recipes, reduce costs, and compare profit margins across different recipes.

What does this IPA recipe calculator help them do?

• Calculate total cost of ingredients, labor, overhead, and waste

• Break down expected sales by container size (pint, tulip, crowler, etc.)

• Determine gross profit and margin per batch

• Compare three recipes side by side for better decision-making

When should you use this IPA recipe calculator?

• When developing a new IPA (or any other style!) recipe

• Before scaling for distribution

• When pricing your beers or contending with cost increases

Where does this IPA recipe calculator fit into your brewery’s operations?

• At the recipe development stage, to estimate profitability before brewing a single batch

• In financial review meetings, to estimate recipe performance and costs

• Alongside your POS and accounting software, giving you financial and operational insight those pieces of software miss

Why does this IPA recipe calculator help your brewery?

• Reduce waste and overuse of expensive ingredients and materials

• See the impact of changes in ingredients and labor in real-time

• Make smart pricing decisions to hit margin targets

• Justify cost savings to your team or partners with solid numbers

How to use the IPA recipe calculator

This worksheet gives you a clear picture of your IPA recipe's profitability—from batch yield to gross margin. Use it to test new recipes, plan production, or dial in pricing.

1. Set your batch details

At the top of the worksheet:

• Enter the name of your IPA recipe

• Input the expected batch size in barrels (BBL)

• Enter the ABV for this particular recipe

• Enter the total annual BBL you brew

2. Forecast your sales by container type

In the Expected Batch Sales section:

• List the container sizes you expect to sell (tulip, pint, crowler, etc.) and the ounces per container

• Enter the price you expect to sell each container for

• Input how many of each size you plan to sell

The spreadsheet will automatically calculate expected oz sold and expected revenue. The spreadsheet will flag you if it exceeds your expected batch yield.

Use POS reports, packaging logs, or past sales information for accurate estimates.

3. Enter your ingredient costs

In the Batch Ingredients section:

• List each ingredient (grain, hops, yeast, packaging)

• Enter the quantity used in a batch, unit of measure, and cost per unit

• Optionally, include a scrap amount for ingredients lost to waste

The sheet calculates your total ingredient cost, including loss due to scrap.

Pull numbers from your inventory system, invoices, or supplier quotes.

4. Log your labor steps and costs

In the Batch Labor section:

• List major brewing and packaging steps

• For each step, input the estimated labor hours and hourly rate (include taxes, benefits, and all other related costs)

Total man-hours and labor cost will be automatically calculated. It will also calculate a weighted-average hourly rate.

Use shift logs or time-tracking software to estimate labor hours per task.

5. Add any overhead or waste costs

Use the Batch Overhead section to input fixed costs like utilities, rent, and equipment depreciation.

6.  Compare quality, efficiency, and margin across recipes

Use the Recipe Comparison sheet to evaluate all your IPA recipes side-by-side. You’ll be able to compare:

• Gross margins

• Forecasted sales volume

• Perceived sensory traits like mouthfeel, bitterness, clarity, and body

• Operational factors like labor time

The chart visualizations on this sheet will help you quickly see which IPA offers the best mix of profit, efficiency, and drinker appeal.