Modifying Strong's Belgian IPA and American Brown Ale

[neal.p]

Hi,
I'd like to brew a 20L batch of the Belgian IPA and American Brown Ale. I'd also like to split each 20L wort into 10L batches and then change the yeast and or the hops. I wasn't able to find all the ingredients and a couple of substitutions are needed. I've read various hop/malt/yeast substitution charts but I don't have the brewing experience to be sure.

Belgian IPA
8.5 lb (3.9 kg) Belgian Pilsner malt (Dingeman) Mash
3 lb (1.4 kg) German Vienna malt (Weyermann) Mash
12 oz (340 g) Aromatic malt (Dingeman) Mash
2 lb (907 g) White beet sugar Boil
2 oz (57 g) German Tettnanger 4.5% pellets FWH
1 oz (28 g) Styrian Goldings 2.1% whole @ 15
1 oz (28 g) US Amarillo 9.2% pellets @ 10
1 oz (28 g) Styrian Goldings 2.1% whole @ 5
1 oz (28 g) US Amarillo 9.2% pellets @ 0
1 oz (28 g) US Citra 13.9% pellets @ + 10
1 oz (28 g) Australian Galaxy 15% pellets @ + 10
2 oz (57 g) US Amarillo 9.2% pellets dry hop
White Labs WLP510 Bastogne ale yeast (unavailable: swap to Wyeast 3522 Belgian Ardennes?)
RO water treated with ¼ tsp 10% phosphoric acid per 5 gallons
1 tsp CaCl2 in mash

The White Labs Bastogne Ale yeast is unavailable. I'm using Wyeast 3787 Trappist Ale for the other 10L but how does the Belgian Ardennes sound?

American Brown Ale

10 lb (4.5 kg) US two-row (Briess) Mash
2 lb (907 g) German Munich (Best) Mash (unavailable - swap to Munich I Malt?)
1 lb (454 g) US Crystal 60 Vorlauf (unavailable - swap to Caramunich III?)
8 oz (227 g) US Crystal 40 Vorlauf (unavailable- swap to Caramunich II?)
8 oz (227 g) UK Chocolate malt (Fawcett) Vorlauf (unavailable - swap to Simpsons Chocolate?)
2 oz (57 g) Carafa II Special (Weyermann) Vorlauf
1 oz (28 g) US Vanguard 5% whole FWH (unavailable swap to 28g Liberty hops?)
0.5 oz (14 g) Australian Galaxy 13% pellets @ 15
1 oz (28 g) US Sterling 7% whole @ 5 (unavailable - swap to 56g Saaz?)
Wyeast 1272 American Ale II yeast
RO water treated with ¼ tsp 10% phosphoric acid per 5 gallons
1 tsp CaCl2 in mash

Lots required swapping here. It's a totally different recipe. The one that really stuck out for me though was the 56g Saaz addition @5 mins. That was the figure derived from an IBU calculator but the Saaz is an aroma/flavour addition. So scale it back to 28g maybe?

Any thoughts about how to avoid undrinkable swill would be welcome! Could always blend it with VB and then age in Yellowtail barrels.

Cheers,
Neal

 

[manticle]

Not familiar with bastogne but 3522 is a very good yeast.

Yes to the munich swap - same same, especially if munich I is weyermann.

I'd probably swap us crystal with uk (simpsons, etc) of similar ebc but also gladfields would do. Caramunich is very raisin driven but same srm/ebc will do in a pinch.

Simpsons is a UK brand so simpsons choc is no worries.

Not super familiar with those gops bar saaz. Certainly I'd exercise some caution with high amounts of late saaz but in a well made beer, it can be delicious. I've not found it to be a good dry hop though.

Depends on the character you're aiming for, someone else can help there.

 

[neal.p]

Thanks Manticle, all good points. I'm thinking that I might be introducing too much raisin/dried fruit into a Brown.

I'm going for a Brown that is fairly neutral for malts (other than background choc/cara), clean for yeast, and hop forward.

Saaz reminds me of too many nasty Polish lagers. So yes, I hesitate with bombing the wort with it.