Ale recipe suggestions please

[GNU]

Hi everyone,

Got 50g+ of each of the following hops galaxy and citra plus some cascade and Amarillo. Looking to do an extract brew for the first time.

 

[beercus]

Get brew smith or brewmaster and plug hops in to check out IBUs

For an APA:
Use about 3kg LDME
and step about 400g crystal

Aim for about 30 odd IBUs

Use the cascade and Amarillo as a dry hops, use the others for bittering, although you could use any combination all would be great aroma/flavour hops and the software will help you with how much.
I would do a 60min, 15min, 0min additions ( if cooling, if cubing then do 30,0, dry hop)

Beercus

 

[shacked]

Here is a straight forward extract brew from Coopers using Amarillo and Cascade: http://coopers.com.au/#/diy-beer/beer-recipes/ale/detail/cascarillo-amber-ale-recipe-pack/

 

[GNU]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

I picked up a few things from the LHS on Saturday and came up with this. Let me know what you think

200g of Crystal (40-60EBC)
500g of Light DME
1.7kg of Light LME
1.7kg of Amber LME
Yeast - US05

Boil Schedule

60mins - 20g Citra
25mins - 20g Cascade
5 mins - 20g Galaxy

Dry hop with 20g of Citra

Do I need to boil the Liquid malt extract?
If you do boil it, is there a method for combining it with the water so that it doesn't stick to the bottom and burn?

 

[shacked]

Looks tasty mate. Actually looks close to one I'm doing this weekend (just swapping the Galaxy for Amarillo and Simcoe). I've never dry hopped with citra but I'm sure it'll be fine (I'd probably swap it for cascade or use both!).

Do you use IanH's spreadsheet? It's definately worth a look before you get started.

I plugged your recipe in and got an IBU of 42 which is pretty much bang on for an American Pale Ale. Is that what you were after?

You need to do the boil at SG 1.040. If you are doing a 5L boil, about 450g of DME will get you there.

Steep your grain for 20 to 30 mins at 65C and top up to 5L and bring to the boil with the DME. Add your hops. At flameout (once you are done with the boil) add the LME and give it a good stir. I'd put the pot into an ice bath (around the outside) to get it cool as quickly as possible.

Also, get a nice big pot for your boil (8L+).

Keep us posted on your brew.

Cheers!!

 

[GNU]

Thanks for the advice Krausen.

I did use Ian's spreadsheet and thought an American pale ale was fitting with the hops I had on hand. The spreadsheet is very cool indeed. Think I'm going to grab a couple of mixed 6 packs from the bottle O over the coming weeks, to broaden my knowledge of different styles.

I'm looking to grab a pot this weekend, hoping to find one with litre markings up the inside, otherwise I'll just mark the pot. Kmart have an 11 litre one for $29 and Big W has an 8 litre one at $35. I'm leaning towards the larger 11 litre one.

What type of thermometer do you use to measure the temps for steeping? I've ordered a milk frothing thermometer, but it won't arrive til next week

 

[superstock]

Check out Big W for their 19 L Smart Value stock pot for $20

 

[ManVsBeer]

Check out Big W for their 19 L Smart Value stock pot for $20

For sure. Then when you step up to mini/maxi biab you'll be ready to rock.

 

[shacked]

I just use one that I had lying around for roasting meat that has a spike. Probably not 100% fit for brewing but seems to do the job for steeping at least.

 

[GNU]

I had a look in a couple of my local shops and the meat ones didn't go low enough and the human ones were to low.

So I ordered a milk frothier. Which has the ideal temp of low 60. With a max temp showing of 80. Even has a handy clip on the side, however It'll be to short a huge pot.

Thanks for the heads up on the 19litre pot. Will check it out on Friday.

 

[Alex.Tas]

What type of thermometer do you use to measure the temps for steeping? I've ordered a milk frothing thermometer, but it won't arrive til next week

wont matter for steeping specialty grains mate.
You need accurate temp control for mashing due to enzymic activity, but not for dissolving grains.
The sugars in the grains have been crystalised after the malting stage, and are caramelised into longer chain chain sugars that aren't converted into simple sugars during the mash. The result is that you get sweeter beer because the yeast can't eat the complex sugars from the crystal grain.

to get the most out of your crystal in a short period of time, try water around 60-70. try 2 parts boiling water, one part cold tap water. 30 minutes like this should do the trick.
Some (very well respected) brewers suggested that they steep the grains overnight in cold water. I used to mess around with trying to get an exact temp, but have found it doesn't really matter so long as you have the time.

 

[GNU]

Thanks Alex.

I had read about cold steep overnight and asked the local shop and they said it was a waste of grain, unless you only wanted colour. I read somewhere on the forums that group was doing a side by side comparison. Need to find it again and see the results

 

[Alex.Tas]

http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/41096-cold-steeping-or-hot-steeping/?hl=%2Bsteeping+%2Bgrains+%2Bovernight

in post #2 Ross points out that you dont get as much utilisation frmo carapils if steeped outside of mash temps, so what I mentioned above may not be correct. I would listen to Ross over my advice to be honest.(But listen to my advice to listen to Ross's advice)...

Interestingly, you can do both a hot and cold steep. check this post (#16), the last three lines:
http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/27373-specialty-grains-questions/#entry377683

From what I've read of Tony's posts he knows his stuff, so maybe that's a good way forward...

Either way, if you find that discussion on cold vs hot steep you mentioned earlier, post a link i'd be interested to give it a read.

 

[ManVsBeer]

With steeping grains I learnt from a post by Dr Smurto somewhere, sometime and this could now be a figment of my imagination, but get a litre of 2 parts boiling water to 1 part cold and pour on top of your grains in a 6 pack esky, stir around and close the lid. Leave for an hour, and drain into your pot. Pour another litre of the same temp water over the grains, give a stir then drain into your pot again.

I tested 700ml of boiling and 300ml of cold together when i got my thermometer and got a temp of around 65c which is about right. Steeping grains is no biggy and you can't really stuff it up, but it will greatly improve your beers.

BTW, I got a near new 6 pack esky from salvos for 6 bucks.

 

[GNU]

Thanks for all the advice people. I brewed this Friday night and all things considered it went pretty well considering it was my first extract brew.

It will take a few more runs for me to get everything organised so the processes is quicker and less messy.

Couldn't get all the liquid malt extract to dissolve. But I figure the yeast will find it regardless and do its thing.

Now the long wait of 3 weeks til bottling and another couple of weeks til I can taste it. Currently the smell is amazing

 

[GNU]

It's now day 15 and my gravity is 1016 with the brew being very murky. I'm concerned it may have stalled, as the plan was to stick it in the fridge today. I took a reading on day 8 which was 1022.

Tastes alright. I'm just wondering if I should leave it a few more days for the yeast to tidy up? Or crash it

 

[ManVsBeer]

I haven't typed your recipe into any software, but just by looking at it, I wouldn't be expecting too a low FG. You say a SG 1.022 on day 8 and by day 15 it's 1.016. Seems to be cruising along very slowly. What yeast are you using and what temperature are you fermenting at?

 

[GNU]

Don't have excel at home, so can't check Ian's spreadsheet.

US 05
At approx 18 degrees with an immersion heater

 

[ManVsBeer]

Typed your fermentables into brewmate and it says the FG should be 1.014 so your about on the money. If you're concerned then you can do the fast ferment test.

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/articles/article130.html

US05 @18c should have been done and dusted by now. Maybe you got a dud batch or something?

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Cascade is a nice late hop