First Extract Brew - APA

[J B]

Hi,

I'm planning on having a go at my first extract brew and was seeking some feedback on this recipe for an APA.

Batch Size: 20L (20L Boil + Top up finished wort to 20L with water in FV)
Boil Time: 60min
Yeast: Safale US-05

3kg Dry LME (Boil)
200g Crystal (Steep)

20g Chinook @ 30min
20g Cascade @ 20min
10g Chinook @ 5min
14g Cascade @ 5min

Dry Hop with 12g Cascade

Aiming for a 18C ferment for ~14days

From my understanding this should match the style but may be a bit higher in Alcohol (~5.7% or so).

I only have the Cascade and Chinook hops, which I have been told go well together but I am a bit worried of getting to much pine type taste from the Chinook.

Any recommendations / suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
JB

 

[menoetes]

Looks good, it might even taste a bit like Little Creatures Pale ale. Chinook and Cascade are a classic combo and it's hard to go wrong with them.

You could move your 5 minute additions back to 10 minutes for a bit of extra flavour (and a total IBU count of about 42) and up your cascade dry hop to 20g if you like for more aroma but that's just a suggestion. Your recipe looks good as is, tasty in it's own right.

Do whatever you like, either way it looks like you'll get a solid Pale Ale/Bitter out of it.

 

[BrosysBrews]

I normally only boil about 5lt as 1 I don't have a big pot and 2 no chiller, I would be interested to hear how this goes and if boiling all 3kg of DLME makes a differance or not.

Good luck, looks tasty!

 

[J B]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

I am a little concerned the the ferment temp will be a bit lower. I have an old bar fridge I am going to stick the fermenter to try to maintain a more constant temp but it's reading an inside temp of about 15C at the moment (off).

I was going to wrap the vessel in a towel as well and I know that the ferment itself will generate a little heat.

 

[BrosysBrews]

Before I had a temp controller and heat belt with my fridge i used an old sleeping bag and jumpers worked pretty well to retain the heat, probably more then a towel.

 

[J B]

So it's in the fridge...

Was an interesting first go at an extract. Took me about 3 and a bit hours end to end.

I started off with a little too much water in the boil pot (didn't factor in adding the 1L I steeped the crystal malt in so I had to draw a litre or so out as it started to boil. Still ended up with a little over 20L so a bit down the drain once the fermenter was full. I ended up going with:

20g Chinook @ 30min
20g Cascade @ 20mins
10g Chinook + 10g Cascade at 10mins

I'll dry hop with 10-20g of Cascade.

Cooled it down to about 26C and pitched re-hydrated US-05.

It went relatively smoothly for a first go. I just hope it gets a reasonably consistent ferment temp.

Thanks again for the feedback.

 

[BrosysBrews]

Great work mate! intrested to know how it turns out!

 

[menoetes]

Cool dude,

Looks good. Next time try not to pitch your s-05 above 20'c, it'll give you some off-flavors otherwise.

 

[jkhlt1210]

Cool dude,

Looks good. Next time try not to pitch your s-05 above 20'c, it'll give you some off-flavors otherwise.

Hey not trying to be smart or anything but fermentis website says to pitch above 20c. I've just always gone by that but have you had off flavours before? Sorry off topic just wondering

 

[indica86]

Specifically it says

12-25°C (53.6-77°F) ideally 15-22°C (59-71.6°F)

rehydration instructions
Sprinkle the yeast in minimum 10 times its weight of sterile water or wort at 27°C ± 3°C (80°F ± 6°F). Leave to rest 15 to 30 minutes.
Gently stir for 30 minutes, and pitch the resultant cream into the fermentation vessel.
Alternatively, pitch the yeast directly in the fermentation vessel providing the temperature of the wort is above 20°C (68°F).

 

[J B]

"Gently stir for 30 minutes..." I can't say I would be willing to spend 45-60 minutes just re-hydrating the yeast. Not at this point anyway...

Wort temp was below 26 and dropping as I was pouring I to the fermenter so I am relatively comfortable it will be okay.

If I notice any off flavours in the final version I'll let you know.

Thanks again for the responses.

 

[Nizmoose]

Nice work looks good! My first extract beer was also an APA with cascade and I loved it hopefully yours is also the goods!

 

[J B]

Had a quick check this morning and all seems to be okay. Gravity is in the mid 1.050 (down from near 1.060 OG) and the aroma and taste seem good.

The temp in the fridge has dropped to mid 17C (was at about 20C when I put it in yesterday). Not much I can do at this point but keep an eye on it and hope it holds relatively constant. Fingers crossed.

 

[J B]

Some before and after shots of the boil for fun...

 

[menoetes]

I am happy to be corrected sir. Always learning...

 

[mofox1]

You can put some bottles of hot water in the fridge to gently ease the temp back up... not a high tech way to do it, but it will work.

You certainly want to keep it >15 degrees, otherwise your yeast may decide to take an ill-timed nap.

 

[J B]

Thanks. Good idea. It's been fine over the course of the day (been between 17C this morning to 19C by early afternoon).

I'll keep an eye on it and try that out if needs be in the evening to keep it warn but hopefully it will be okay.

 

[BrosysBrews]

If your fridge is working it doen't cost that much more to add a heat belt and a temp control unit, I think that the two of those was less then $70 but well worth it to hold beers where you want them temp wise

 

[J B]

I'll be looking into a control unit for the fridge, which works. Just have to look up the details of how to wire it in.

 

[menoetes]

You could try one of these to get you started along with a heat belt or pad. Nice and easy and not too expensive, I use one.

Mind you I keep another (more reliable) mercury thermometer in the fridge with the FV and probe to be sure I am hitting the temperatures I'm aiming for. If not, I adjust the thermostat accordingly - best to be safe IMO.