Help Needed With Little Fella's Pale Ale Variation

[Simon Gellie]

Hi Guys,

I have made 2 batches of Little Fella's Pale Ale and they have beens my favourite brews so far. So I thought that I would experiment with the recipe and try to make a version using galaxy, so that it is similar to the current version of LCPA. I purchased the ingredients for the following recipe from my LHBS this afternoon to make a 28L batch:


Out of this Galaxy Pale Ale[/b] (American Pale Ale)

Original Gravity (OG): 1.054 (P): 13.3
Final Gravity (FG): 1.014 (P): 3.6
Alcohol (ABV): 5.31 %
Colour (SRM): 5.1 (EBC): 10.0
Bitterness (IBU): 38.0 (Average)

70.18% Pale Malt
19.3% Munich I
5.26% Carapils (Dextrine)
5.26% Wheat Malt

1.1 g/L East Kent Golding (4.7% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil)
1 g/L Cascade (7.8% Alpha) @ 10 Minutes (Boil)
1 g/L Galaxy (13.4% Alpha) @ 10 Minutes (Boil)
0.7 g/L Cascade (7.8% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil)
0.7 g/L Galaxy (13.4% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil)
0.7 g/L Cascade (7.8% Alpha) @ 0 Minutes (Boil)
1.1 g/L Cascade (7.8% Alpha) @ 0 Days (Dry Hop)


Single step Infusion at 66C for 60 Minutes. Boil for 60 Minutes

Fermented at 20C with Safale US-05


Recipe Generated with BrewMate


I was just about to start brewing when I realised that I have entered the recipe incorrectly into my software program and I took a printout of the ingredients with me to the LHBS to order the ingredients. Therefore I accidentally purchased 1.34kg of Caramunich II (I asked for Caramunich I but they were out of stock so I got Caramunich II) instead of Munich I. I think that Caramunich is a type of crystal??? therefore using it as 19.3% of my total grist will be waaaay too much and will finish incredibly sweet. Is this correct?


I haven't started my brew yet, but my LHBS has cracked the grains for me and mixed them in together in a bag. How would you suggest the best way would be to rescue my brew and get something close to my planned recipe? That is, not too sweet and colour somewhere close to SRM 5 (it would be 14 using the Caramunich II).

Should I purchase another batch of Pale Malt, Munich I and Wheat Malt, and leave out the Carapils, then mix the 2 bags of grain together?

Could I get a balanced brew if increased the IBUs and make it into an IPA?


Your feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks

Simon

 

[manticle]

If it's all mixed together, one thing I can think of is to buy the same amount of pale and munich I, crack it and mix it through very thoroughly with what you have, then you have ingredients for two batches.

19% seems to much to me (plus the 5% carapils). My method above will be imperfect and difficult to repeat exactly if you get a cracker but it should give you a couple of OK beers..

Only other options I can think of are: Brew as is, then brew another with same pale, double the amount of munich and NO crystal or cara anything, then blend the two.

OR: Brew as is and suck it up - might be great. You could up the IBU a touch to help balance but I still think it will be way too much crystal. Getting IBU from late hopping mght help but it's a bit like adding extra sugar to compensate for oversalting something. It's a n easily seen thrugh disguise.

 

[Nick JD]

What's the issue with 19% Munich 1?

EDIT: Wait - now I see. Caramunich 2.

I'd up the IBUs to > 60. With something neutral at 60 minutes. It'll be delicious - you can put it on your icecream.

 

[Simon Gellie]

Thanks Manticle and Nick (I think),

I'll try as you suggested Manticle and make a double batch but not add any more crystal or cara.

I entered this into Brew Mate for a 56L batch instead of 28L and I still finished with Caramunich II and Carapils being 11% of the grist.
I guess that this is still too high.

Should I up the IBUs and/or mash at a lower temp 63C??? or just go with a double batch?

Cheers
Simon

 

[Gavo]

Never tried Little Fellas PA, so with that put aside I would hve no problem with 11% crystal particularly where some of that is Carapils. 38IBU will offset this quite well, Caraminich II will give a little more sweetness but it will work out well.
I would go with the double batch with your original IBU.
Gavo

 

[Jace89]

I say just go buy another say 3/4kgs of pale malt, then just use maybe a kilo or two of your mixed grains you originally had and make the whatever beer you wish. You could make one batch a IPA and the other a APA. What I'm trying to say is "water down" your original order with more pale malt.
Sure you won't exactly what the recipe is but I'm sure the beer will be nice. The real problem will be if you really like the beer younger have trouble brewing it again