# Beer Color Calculator (SRM & EBC)

Beer color in SRM (Standard Reference Method) quantifies how much light a sample absorbs, predicting the visual shade from pale straw to opaque black. Malt color units (MCU) are the sum of each malt's weight in pounds times its Lovibond rating, divided by batch volume in gallons. The Morey equation, SRM = 1.4922 × MCU^0.6859, converts MCU to the non-linear scale that matches real beer.

Enter one malt at a time and add up the malt color units, or enter the total MCU for the whole grain bill.

HTML version: https://brewgravity.com/calculators/beer-color-srm/

## Inputs

- **Malt weight (kg)** (min 0, step 0.1) — default: 5
- **Malt color (°L / SRM)** (min 0, step 0.1) — default: 4
- **Batch volume (L)** (min 0.1, step 0.5) — default: 19

## Outputs

- **srm**: SRM
- **ebc**: EBC
- **mcu**: MCU
- **swatch**: Color

## FAQ

### Why does my beer look darker than the calculated SRM?

SRM is measured on a thin sample with a spectrophotometer. In a pint glass you are looking through much more beer, so it reads darker. Boil length, kettle caramelisation and oxidation during ageing all push real color up as well.

### How do I convert EBC to SRM?

Divide by 1.97. Going the other way, multiply SRM by 1.97. A 20 EBC beer is about 10 SRM — a medium amber.

### Is °Lovibond the same as SRM?

Not formally, but close enough in the range malt is sold in. Treat the °L printed on a malt bag as its SRM contribution and you will not go far wrong.

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Source: https://brewgravity.com — Free beer color calculator converting grain bill weight and malt color into SRM and EBC via malt color units and the Morey equation, with an SRM reference chart.