If I take someone else’s a recipe and tweak it by changing the hop schedule or the yeast type or something else, could I ethically claim it as MY recipe? How much do I need to change it to claim it as mine.
Denny says its yours once you use your water.
I would add that the original brewer deserves some mention though.
I think, if you use someone else’s recipe - even in part - you should give them credit at least in part. But, as a professional graphic designer and artist it is a well known industry inside saying that “Good artist innovate … great artists steal!” 
If you take a recipe and brew it with your water, on your system, with your procedures, then it is a different beer. Good form and karma to credit the inspiration.
Agreed! +1 on the beer/homebrew karma. 
Yes indeed…if you ever take part in a group brew where everyone brews the same recipe then shares the results, the difference in beers is pretty surprising. That said if I incorporate someone else’s recipe or just part of their recipe into something I brew, I’ve go no problem with giving credit for the inspiration/guidance. It’s the right thing to do IMHO.
I have trouble taking credit for someone else’s recipe. Of course the same recipe will taste different with a different brewer, water, system, etc, but if I didn’t write the recipe, I don’t take credit for it.
I brewed Denny’s BVIP and it was fantastic, and most likely different than Denny’s version. Its my beer and I brewed it, but not my recipe. Give credit where credit is due.
I always say that this recipe was based on or adapted from recipe X when credit is due.
I beleive credit should be given wher credit is due even if the recipe was inspired by another brewer. Unfortunately, I don’t think it happens very much.
I don’t think you need to set aside space on the label, or take out a public notice in the newspaper. But if you won an award or got mention in an article I think you should throw in a little shout out to the original inspiration. If you built a brewery based on a flat out borrowed recipe - maybe send the guy a case.
“Would you like to try my IPA based on Denny’s recipe, except I subbed in Centennials and used a little honey malt because that’s what I had at the time?” Would get kinda tedious, eh? With other brewers it would probably come out naturally in the course of discussion, but someone dropping by the house for a beer probably doesn’t want to hear your geeky beer story.
I rarely use someone elses recipe, but when I do, I do like to give credit for the inspiration. There are so many combinations and permutations of recipes, i think it would be hard not to find similarities in a lot of recipes. Kind of like rock and roll music, three cord limit.
Yes, it’s a different beer, but that doesn’t mean it’s a different recipe. I agree that if you make changes, it’s then your recipe but you should credit the original source of the recipe you changed.
I like the based on a recipe by… or inspired by… to indicate that you started with someone else’s recipe. But we all do that to some extent. As far as brewing competition awards, I would still mention the source. But brewing competitions are just that brewing competitions and not recipe writing competitions.
I think I would actually be prouder of myself if I could take someone’s recipe and make a close representation of the beer than I would be in just brewing a great beer that I invented myself. At this point I pride myself more on the brewing process than the innovative part of brewing.
IMO, every recipe pretty much starts with ideas from one of similar style. What if you take one that who inspired by someone else.
When does the “chain of credit” stop?
I think if you merely make substitutions, then credit should be given, but if you start eliminating a hop or a grain, then it’s yours.
Joe begat Brown Porter, that was passed to Paul who begat Robust Porter, and through Fred was begat Baltic Porter, on to Denny who begat VIP. I guess it’s just good gamesmanship to give credit if you have the opportunity, but there should be a complexity or something special about the brew to even think you deserve credit IMO.
6 lbs wheat, 6lbs 2-row, steep at 152, 1oz fuggles and .5oz cascade and pitch Pacman yeast shouldn’t be a creditable recipe - even though the beer will likely be good. It’s too simple to deserve credit, I think.
You mean like brewing with “no pants”. ;D
I can see everybodies point on this, so if you make a batch of beer using someone elses recipe and it turns out tasting like a turd even if you follow it exactly, then its to their credit right? 
I think all beers of any style are going to be quite similar in general with some exceptions but the brewer, techniques, procedures and water chemistry deserve equal if not more credit. So I guess I agree with Denny mostly.
I am a little bit confused with this post.
If you do not want to share recipe then do not post it.
Other recipes get name after the “creator” like Jamil Evil Twin…
But if neighbor of mine drinks my beer he does not care what recipe I used.
Lets get back to brewing. Shall we?
Which is why you will be happy to know that one of the beers in my fermenters is called Denny Conn’s RyeIPA. Even used 1450 this time.
FWIW, the “official” name for my Rye IPA recipe (assuming you brew my recipe without changes) is “Wry Smile IPA”.