First Recipe Feedback Please

[battlesnake]

Hi everyone.
Spent a long time trolling this forum. I have done a few all grain brews now and so far i have had great success and no dramas.

I am trying to use up some aging hops before buying any more. The hops i would like to use are american.
I dont have brewing software, and i have never made a recipe before. So i would love some feedback on how people think this recipe looks.

4 kg ale malt.

500g carapils

500g crystal

20g simcoe @60

20g amarillo @ 15 min

20g amarrilo @ 5 min

I am aiming for an american pale ale style beer with ABV between 4-5%

Cheers

 

[razz]

Welcome to AHB battlesnake. The recipe looks okay but you may need to halve the crystal malt. What will your mash temperature be? Have you used this grain bill before?

 

[battlesnake]

Hi, thanks for the reply. I was thinking mash temp 66.
I havent used this grain bill before, i have only ever copied recipes straight from the db but thought id throw myself into the deep end and have a crack at one myself

 

[razz]

You need some software to calculate your recipe instead of guessing, there are a few freebies on the net. You have 1 kg of crystal grains, so maybe halve them both or drop the carapils. I generally use 500g crystal in a double batch of APA. Have you worked out your total IBU's?

 

[battlesnake]

no i havent worked out the ibus... I suppose i should get some sort of brewing software.
i know i sound like a rookie, sorry, but i basically just looked at a previous recipe with those same hops i used for bittering and it came out at a level pleasant to my taste buds...

 

[razz]

I use Beersmith rattlesnake, you can get a trial version for free. It will be okay to plug your values into and work out IBU's etc. Or else you can go by your taste, as you say you were happy with the previous recipe for that hop schedule.

 

[battlesnake]

great, well im still learning so i think ill take your suggestion and halve the crystals.
thanks

 

[jyo]

The grain bill is quite similar to this which always drinks well. As others have said, drop the crystal back a touch.

See here:
APA

Cheers.

 

[Rowy]

Brewmate is free and bloody easy for the new brewer.

 

[battlesnake]

thanks for the responses everyone.
I downloaded brewmate and it is very easy to use. Looking forward to seeing how this turns out.

 

[Rowy]

thanks for the responses everyone.
I downloaded brewmate and it is very easy to use. Looking forward to seeing how this turns out.

The timers are the ducks to.

 

[Yob]

chilling or no chilling?

Brewmate has an adjustment check box for no chill if you are going that way.

 

[battlesnake]

i havent chilled yet, as i dont have a chiller, but if i get time during the week i was going to get some copper and make one myself. I also just got an stc1000 and an old bar fridge. im moving up in the world

 

[Rowy]

i havent chilled yet, as i dont have a chiller, but if i get time during the week i was going to get some copper and make one myself. I also just got an stc1000 and an old bar fridge. im moving up in the world

Your on the slippery slope my friend :icon_cheers:

 

[Eggs]

+1 for brewmate. Its not perfect, but for free its a brilliant piece of work. great for us beginers! good luck with the recipe.

http://www.brewmate.net/

 

[The Village Idiot]

Your on the slippery slope my friend :icon_cheers:

+1 for the slippery slope..... it's a great "hobbie" but it will consume you. One fridge then another, a couple of kegs, mash tun..........no turning back................ threats of divorce.......

 

[Rowy]

Ah yes the bliss it brings to a marriage............

What are your doing today?

Thought I might brew?

(Roll of eyes) Fine I'll do something by myself again!

 

[manticle]

Bump up the base to 5 kg (presuming a 20-23 litre volume).

Knock the crystal back to 250g and drop the carapils completely.

Add in 250g briess victory or dingemans biscuit if you can find it.

Put a touch of your bittering hop in with your flavour addition.

Make sure it's at least 40 IBU total with at least 20 ibu coming from 20 minutes or less.