Overview

HomeBrewHome.com was created to help the homebrewer. It has several features to that aim. It helps one create recipes, and stores them in a convient library. Based on the ingredients used HomeBrewHome.com will automatically calculate various attributes of the recipe, such as alcohol content, color and bitterness.
  Batches are based on recipes, but can be slightly, or even completely different. When you start a batch you can modify the base recipe to account for the differences that inevitably happen when brewing. HomeBrewHome.com will then keep track of when you should rack, bottle, and drink your batch.
  Finally, HomeBrewHome.com can allow people to comment and rate your beer. If you want someone to review your brew, simply point them to your batch's URL, and their comments will be recorded. Individual ratings add up to form your batch's total rating. (represented by the stars).

Recipes.

How do I add a recipe?
      The first thing to do is click on the "Add Recipe" button. Once that's done, it may take a bit to get used to the interface, but it works. The one trick is that you must enter your ingredients only 1 per type at a time, then click "Update Recipe". So, if you want to add 2 lbs. Amber malt, and 3 lbs. Pale malt, you have to enter the Amber malt first, click "Update Recipe", then add the Pale malt.

Batches.

What the heck are they?
A batch is just what you would expect it to be... a batch of beer (or cider, or whatever). When you start a batch, you base it on a recipe (much like real life). However, also like real life, batches tend to differ from the recipes they're based on, so in HomeBrewHome.com, you can modify a batch to how you actually made it. This way, you can record the evolution of a recipe without losing any of the inbetween information.
Batches also record how long your beer stayed in which stage, and is reflected in a calendar like time table. In this sense it can function as sort of a brewer's log. And finally, batches can be reviewed by people fortunate enough to sample your beer... and those reviews are combined to give an overall score to the recipe that they were based on.
Are they private?
Yes, and no. Modifications to batch timetables and ingredients are private and only available to the owner of the recipe. But once the batch is completed, it becomes available for review.