Import Recipes

Import recipes into Brewfather from BeerXML files exported by BeerSmith, Brewer's Friend, and other tools.

Brewfather supports importing recipes via BeerXML, the universal brewing recipe format used by BeerSmith, Brewer's Friend, BrewTarget, and most other brewing software. You can also import recipes in Brewfather JSON format. Importing is a Premium feature.

Import from Beersmith

1. Export all of your recipes in one go by selecting the folders you want to export, right-click and select "Export Selected".

Export recipes from Beersmith

2. Select BeerXML as the file type when saving the exported file

3. In the Recipes page of Brewfather, click the import icon in the top right

Click import on the recipes page

4. Select BeerXML as import format

Select BeerXML

5. Choose the BeerXML file you exported. It will then start importing all the recipes in the file. You will be prompted to add a tag to the imported recipes if there is more than one in the file.

Importing from Other Software

The BeerXML format (.xml) is supported by most brewing applications. If you're migrating from Brewer's Friend, BrewTarget, BeerTools, or other software, look for an "Export as BeerXML" option in that application, then follow the same import steps above.

Brewfather also supports importing its own Brewfather JSON format, which preserves all Brewfather-specific data. This is useful for transferring recipes between Brewfather accounts or restoring from a backup.

Organizing recipes in Brewfather

Brewfather uses tags to organize recipes. On the Recipes page, you can sort by "First Tag". The first tag in the recipe will then appear as a "Folder" in the recipes page.

Import troubleshooting checklist

If an import fails or keeps spinning:

1. Verify the file format is BeerXML or Brewfather JSON.

2. Re-export the file from the source app, then import again.

3. Try importing in the web app at web.brewfather.app for clearer error feedback.

4. If the file still fails, open it in a text editor and check for obviously broken/empty fields.

Common Grainfather BeerXML issue

Some Grainfather exports can contain invalid BeerXML values (for example batch size fields not matching BeerXML spec expectations). In that case, Brewfather import may fail or import incorrect values.

If that happens:

1. Re-export from Grainfather after verifying units/recipe settings.

2. Import again and verify batch size and gravity values.

3. If needed, correct the recipe values manually after import.

See also FAQ: Import fails or keeps spinning.

Next Steps

• Creating a New Recipe — Learn to build recipes from scratch in the Recipe Designer

• Your First Batch — Start brewing with one of your imported recipes

• Setting Up Your Equipment Profile — Make sure your equipment is configured for accurate calculations with your imported recipes