gregario/brewers-almanack

A brewing knowledge MCP server: beer styles, ingredients, off-flavour diagnosis, water chemistry, and recipe guidance for AI assistants.
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Ask your AI assistant about beer styles, diagnose off-flavours, build recipes, match water profiles, and pair food (all backed by real brewing data, not hallucinations).
**6 tools. Zero config. Works with every MCP-compatible IDE.**
Install
No API keys, no network dependencies. All brewing data is embedded.
Add to your IDE
Claude Code
Claude Desktop
Add to ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (macOS) or %APPDATA%/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (Windows):
Cursor
Add to .cursor/mcp.json:
VS Code (Copilot)
Add to .vscode/mcp.json:
Windsurf
Add to ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json:
Zed
Add to settings.json:
Tools
| Tool | Description |
|------|-------------|
| search_styles | Search 85 BJCP beer styles by name, category, or characteristics. Returns vital statistics, overall impression, ingredients, and commercial examples. |
| search_ingredients | Search hops, malts, yeasts, and adjuncts by name, type, or characteristic. Filter by category or search across all. |
| diagnose_off_flavour | Identify off-flavours from taste or aroma descriptions. Returns the likely compound, causes, prevention steps, and styles where it may be acceptable. |
| match_water_profile | Find brewing water profiles by city name or beer style. Returns mineral composition (Ca, Mg, Na, Cl, SO4, HCO3) and style recommendations. |
| suggest_recipe | Generate a recipe for a target beer style. Returns grain bill, hop schedule, yeast selection, water profile, and process parameters. |
| pairing_guide | Beer and food pairing suggestions. Search by beer style or dish name. Returns matches with complement, contrast, and cleanse principles. |
Example Conversations
**"What hops work in a Belgian Dubbel?"**
> Searches ingredients for hops that complement Belgian styles, returning varieties like Styrian Goldings and Saaz with alpha acid ranges, aromas, and substitutes.
**"My beer tastes like butter, what went wrong?"**
> Diagnoses diacetyl: identifies the compound, explains causes (incomplete fermentation, premature racking), and gives prevention steps (diacetyl rest, healthy yeast pitch).
**"Suggest a recipe for a West Coast IPA"**
> Builds a complete recipe: pale malt base with crystal malt, Centennial/Cascade hop schedule with dry hop additions, American ale yeast, and a Burton-style water profile.
**"What food pairs well with a stout?"**
> Returns pairing suggestions (oysters, chocolate desserts, grilled meats) with principles explaining why each pairing works (complement, contrast, or cleanse).
Data Sources
| Dataset | Records | Source | Licence / Basis |
|---------|---------|--------|-----------------|
| Beer styles | 85 | BJCP 2021 Guidelines via beerjson/bjcp-json | MIT; BJCP attribution |