First All Grain Recipe.

[blink471]

Hi to everyone.
I recently got hold of a kettle, burner, mash cooler. And basically enough equipment to attempt an all grain beer.
So thought I would run past you guys a recipe I come up with, and look for some guidance into what might be wrong.. how I can improve it.. or its ok. Hopefully.

I do have some grain and hops here already so would like to use them first in my experiment.. and then after that try other styles.

So this is what I come up with for an ale style using Beersmith as a guide for bitterness and colour.


Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 23.00 l
Boil Size: 26.85 l
Boil Time: 60 min
End of Boil Vol: 24.96 l
Final Bottling Vol: 22.00 l
Fermentation: Ale, Single Stage
Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 75.1 %
Taste Rating: 30.0

3kg Pilsner Malt (JW)
1.40 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt-10L
400g Wheat Malt (JW)
300g Cara-Pils



Mash In

Add 13.31 l of water at 77.7 C

66.7 C

60 min

• Fly sparge with 18.65 l water at 75.6 C
• Add water to achieve boil volume of 26.85 l
• Estimated pre-boil gravity is 1.043 SG

20g POR @60mins
20g POR @20mins
25g Super Alpha @5mins
10g Galaxy @0
Whirlfloc @15 mins

Safale US-05

• Target: 1.048 SG

IBU- 39.6
EBC- 11.2
Est ABV- 5.0%



I like a lighter style of beer.. and wanting a little body with good head retention so trying some wheat.
And thought of trying Pilsner malt for no reason but why not?



Like I said I already have the hops that are in the recipe.. and the Carapil grain.

So what ya think???

 

[Rocker1986]

I think you should drastically reduce the spec. grains in the recipe, you've got 1.7kg in there :blink:. I'd reduce the crystal malt and carapils to about 150g each, and then increase the base malt to match the target 1.048 OG.

 

[blink471]

I think you should drastically reduce the spec. grains in the recipe, you've got 1.7kg in there :blink:. I'd reduce the crystal malt and carapils to about 150g each, and then increase the base malt to match the target 1.048 OG.

Ok. The Carapils is just something I have already.. so was wanting to use them. I can reduce the amount and keep the remaining for another brew. Wasn't sure how long crushed grain stores for. But yeah will look at that. Thanks.

 

[Rocker1986]

It doesn't keep for as long as unmilled grain does, so you'd probably want to use it pretty soon in another brew, or vacuum seal it if you have the means to.

But yeah.. 1.7kg of spec. malts in a 23 litre batch would give just a bit more than a little body... It'd probably overly sweet too. I only use about 250-300g in my pale ales; the body can be influenced by mash temperature as well, you don't have to rely solely on specialty malts.

 

[blink471]

It doesn't keep for as long as unmilled grain does, so you'd probably want to use it pretty soon in another brew, or vacuum seal it if you have the means to.

But yeah.. 1.7kg of spec. malts in a 23 litre batch would give just a bit more than a little body... It'd probably overly sweet too. I only use about 250-300g in my pale ales; the body can be influenced by mash temperature as well, you don't have to rely solely on specialty malts.

so you reckon around 300g overall in Specialty grains is a good range? Was thinking it will be pretty pale but if I bump the base pilsner malt that will help.

 

[Coodgee]

depends what you are going for - if you want a really malty beer then that is ok and your IBU of 40 should balance that amount of maltiness.

 

[blink471]

depends what you are going for - if you want a really malty beer then that is ok and your IBU of 40 should balance that amount of maltiness.

Haha... thats my problem not sure. just doing this as a novice. I do like a beer bit bitter... In fact finally tried a Little Creatures Ale yesterday. And didn't mind the hop flavour of that. And I know the POR hops I have may not suit a lot of beers. So was trying to make up something for maiden brew. I can go a lot less with the grain.. was worried it would look piss yellow. And was also trying to keep alcohol down a bit. Stupid me.

 

[blink471]

Hey just realised fiddling around with Beersmith. Changing the type of crystal malt from the one I had has made a big difference. Now can see why you have recommended thats it too much specialty malt.

 

[Rocker1986]

Well, that amount works for me, although depending on the beer I'll increase it. I brew a SNPA clone occasionally with 450g crystal. I brewed a stout over the weekend with 1.05kg of specialty grains in it, so it does change depending on style. For a pale ale though I think 1.7kg is pretty over the top.

I usually just add a bit of black malt if I want to darken it a bit without affecting the flavour or having to use a shit ton of crystal malt. Or I just use a darker crystal malt. I usually use medium crystal in pale ales which gives me the colour and flavour I want, and Caraaroma in the more amber/red ales, for the same reason. Generally these are used at 300g for a 25 litre size batch, although I add some (~70g) black malt to the red beers for that really ruby red colour.

 

[blink471]

Well, that amount works for me, although depending on the beer I'll increase it. I brew a SNPA clone occasionally with 450g crystal. I brewed a stout over the weekend with 1.05kg of specialty grains in it, so it does change depending on style. For a pale ale though I think 1.7kg is pretty over the top.

I usually just add a bit of black malt if I want to darken it a bit without affecting the flavour or having to use a shit ton of crystal malt. Or I just use a darker crystal malt. I usually use medium crystal in pale ales which gives me the colour and flavour I want, and Caraaroma in the more amber/red ales, for the same reason. Generally these are used at 300g for a 25 litre size batch, although I add some (~70g) black malt to the red beers for that really ruby red colour.

Thats the thing... I was saying I would use Caramel/Crystal Malt-10L. Which must be a lot lighter than the JW medium Crystal. When put it into Brewsmith it was a whole lot different.

 

[Rocker1986]

Yeah it is a lot lighter than medium crystal, not terribly far off Carapils which is really just an ultra light crystal malt, but it still contains the unfermentable sugars which contribute some sweetness and body. The sweetness is increased as the crystal gets darker. Caraaroma which I mentioned is really potent, I get a big toffee/caramel flavour from using that stuff, which works really well in the red ale and I enjoy it in smaller amounts of around 100g in English bitters as well.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Mmmm Cararoma...one of my favs

You can get away with 15% of light Xtal/Carapils

 

[Droopy Brew]

If it is your first attempt at an all grain I would be inclined to try a proven recipe. With the POR and type of beer you are looking at Andrews Coppers Pale Ale clone in the RB database is a good start.

But if you want to go with your own then yes take the advice of reducing the Crystal. With the wheat in there I wouldnt bother with carpils- the wheat will give you that body. I would be inclined to go with something like 85% Pils, 10% wheat, 5% Crystal 30-60 (depending how dark you want it).

Also looking at your stats, I think you may have underestimated your boil off. You have accounted for a loss of only 2L/hour. Unless you have done a dry run and found this to be the case, I would double it- at least. My old system would boil off 6.5L/hour for a single batch (although it is higher than most). I would also bring down your estimated efficiency to 65% as a starting point.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

If it is your first attempt at an all grain I would be inclined to try a proven recipe. With the POR and type of beer you are looking at Andrews Coppers Pale Ale clone in the RB database is a good start.

I would be inclined to go with something like 85% Pils, 10% wheat, 5% Crystal 30-60 (depending how dark you want it).

Bang on brother

5% Xtal
10% Wheat
85% Some good pale/pilsner malt

SG 1055

35IBU with POR ( no more than this )

A very nice base recipe that is very hard to screw up and one you can build on very easily

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Also looking at your stats, I think you may have underestimated your boil off. You have accounted for a loss of only 2L/hour. Unless you have done a dry run and found this to be the case, I would double it- at least. My old system would boil off 6.5L/hour for a single batch (although it is higher than most). I would also bring down your estimated efficiency to 65% as a starting point.

If you have never used this rig before then going on set figures is basically a waste of time.( boil off is constant in relation to kettle size )

Each rig is different so you need to take very close notes on your first brew to get some base line figures like boil off, mash eff, kettle volumes etc

You may find you first results are way off what you calculated, so dont worry to much if they are way off

 

[Reman]

Another great starting recipe is the legendary DrSmurto's golden ale.

It's really good as a starting recipe to tweak to your exact tastes, an example of which is stu's suggestion which would be DrS's with the Munich replaced by Pilsner.

 

[Benn]

I've brewed 6 all grain beers thus far and they've all been Dr SGA, first 2 were a tad wobbly while I worked out my rig. The last 3 batches I've tried different yeasts and slightly different hops/additions to begin to learn how different ingredients alter the finished beer.
At any rate DSGA is a great first beer to learn with and it seems to be forgiving enough to still be well drinkable even when I missed my volumes & gravities on the first couple of brews.

 

[blink471]

Thanks for all the great advice... I think this started when I downloaded Beersmith and learnt how to use it constructing recipes... So thats what I did incorporating ingredients that I already have.
And then the software took over with boil times and recommended strike temps and starting gravities..... But yes I have to experience myself...

Cant wait to get going and order some grain and get it happening.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

I've brewed 6 all grain beers thus far and they've all been Dr SGA, first 2 were a tad wobbly while I worked out my rig. The last 3 batches I've tried different yeasts and slightly different hops/additions to begin to learn how different ingredients alter the finished beer.

At any rate DSGA is a great first beer to learn with and it seems to be forgiving enough to still be well drinkable even when I missed my volumes & gravities on the first couple of brews.

That is pretty much how it goes

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

And then the software took over with boil times and recommended strike temps and starting gravities.....

Just try to get the mash some where between 65 and 69. Wont matter what temp, but as long as it steady for an hr it will be fine. Dont worry if it drops a few degrees over an hr. Use software AS A GUIDE ONLY for your first few beers.

I never bothered with the software generated strike temp s, just worked out what worked on my system by taking notes every brew