SRM Beer Color Scale
The Official AIH SRM (Standard Research Method) Number Scale for Beer Color
The color of your beer is determined by the grains and extracts that you use. The term Lovibond is typically used to describe malts, while SRM typically describes beer. Lovibond is used to predict the final color of your beer. Check out our SRM sticker for test jars as well as our lanyard with bottle opener and SRM chart.
How to Estimate the Color of Your Beer Before Brewing
One method to estimate beer color involves calculating the Malt Color Units (MCUs) of a recipe.
MCU = (Weight of grain in lbs) X (Color of grain in degrees lovibond) / (volume in gallons)
For recipes with multiple grain additions, you can calculate the MCU for each addition and add them together. MCU provides a good estimate of SRM color for light beers, but becomes less accurate as beer color exceeds 6-8 SRM. To get a more accurate estimate that will stay consistent for light beer and darker beers use the Morey equation:
SRM color = 1.4922 X (MCU X 0.6859)