Recent grain bill findings

[Coodgee]

I find simpler is almost always better. Once you get down to seriously tweaking and twiddling a recipe, extra malts can add subtle elements. However O almost always enjoy simpler malt bilks than more complex.

BTW, have a go at Simpsons Golden Promise for your IPA’s. IMHAO it’s a perfect IPA malt.

Golden Promise is the base malt for my house APA along with 4.4% light crystal (95EBC). That is a nice combo for an apa on the refreshing end of the spectrum. For my big IPA I use 100% gladfields american ale. But my porter has 6 malts and my session "American ESB" or what was once Earles Rogers clone has 5 malts. Horses for courses. As long as there is a reason for that malt then it's fine. If there is any rule of thumb it should be to ask yourself what is this malt doing to the beer? If you can't answer that then leave it out. I like to start either with a simple malt bill of my own concoction or a proven winner recipe and tweak from there. usually one malt at a time. I like to think of designing a beer as a tastiness hyper-surface. Move in different directions across the domain of possibility. See if you can find a path towards a local taste maxima because you're unlikely to find one by stabbing in the dark.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Hop schedules small and limited every time? Nooooo.. I also go nuts with those too (laughs) I try to get that big juicy resinous hop aroma but it rarely pokes it's head out for me. Apparently it's oxygen AFTER fermentation but I'm not sure.

Yes, I go 10% cara or crystal max now after the malt bombs. I actually did one with 30% crystal (ha!) Yes.. it didn't end in an amazing new product like I thought it would either. What is it with me and experimental brews?

You will learn this over time

My advice....find a simple recipe and change just 1 thing, be that the malt, the ratio...mash temp....hops. By just changing 1 thing, you will get a much better idea of how different ingredients work together and how they will change your beer. You will be very surprised at just what can change by doing just 1 change

Try this

5-8% light Xtal
2-5% dark/choc/RB
10% Wheat
Balance of recipe with whatever base malt
Bitter to 30-35 IBU in how ever many different additions

If you want a REAL challenge then brew and English Mild under 3.5% Alc/v. This will truly test how well you know malts and hops. IPA can mask all sorts of horrible things, a mild will show every little mistake

The great thing about AG is the freedom to play. And play you should

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Golden Promise is the base malt for my house APA along with 4.4% light crystal (95EBC). That is a nice combo for an apa on the refreshing end of the spectrum. For my big IPA I use 100% gladfields american ale. But my porter has 6 malts and my session "American ESB" or what was once Earles Rogers clone has 5 malts. Horses for courses. As long as there is a reason for that malt then it's fine. If there is any rule of thumb it should be to ask yourself what is this malt doing to the beer? If you can't answer that then leave it out. I like to start either with a simple malt bill of my own concoction or a proven winner recipe and tweak from there. usually one malt at a time. I like to think of designing a beer as a tastiness hyper-surface. Move in different directions across the domain of possibility. See if you can find a path towards a local taste maxima because you're unlikely to find one by stabbing in the dark.

And what he said

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Honestly, if you just starting, get a good cheap base malt like Joe White or Barrett Burston ( which is actually a good malt )...or whatever is basically available.

Dont go spending good money on base malt unless you know they will make THAT difference

 

[Schikitar]

BTW, have a go at Simpsons Golden Promise for your IPA’s. IMHAO it’s a perfect IPA malt.

I'm a big fan of Simpsons GP, best beer I've made so far had that in it. Recently I switched to Gladfields American Ale but not convinced it's as good. Sounds like it's time for a SMaSH off!

 

[Nizmoose]

Honestly, if you just starting, get a good cheap base malt like Joe White or Barrett Burston ( which is actually a good malt )...or whatever is basically available.

Dont go spending good money on base malt unless you know they will make THAT difference

You used Joe White and good in the same sentence

 

[Doctormcbrewdle]

Haha. I've had the JW traditional ale and didn't really like it. Weather I was doing something to wreck it I don't know (this was my first sack and I did do qlot of crystalling..) I do like the BB ale malt though, it just seems to taste nicer to me.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

You used Joe White and good in the same sentence

Yes I did

 

[Doctormcbrewdle]

Thanks man. May I ask why I should try that recipe with the 3x spec malts?

You will learn this over time

My advice....find a simple recipe and change just 1 thing, be that the malt, the ratio...mash temp....hops. By just changing 1 thing, you will get a much better idea of how different ingredients work together and how they will change your beer. You will be very surprised at just what can change by doing just 1 change

Try this

5-8% light Xtal
2-5% dark/choc/RB
10% Wheat
Balance of recipe with whatever base malt
Bitter to 30-35 IBU in how ever many different additions

If you want a REAL challenge then brew and English Mild under 3.5% Alc/v. This will truly test how well you know malts and hops. IPA can mask all sorts of horrible things, a mild will show every little mistake

The great thing about AG is the freedom to play. And play you should

 

[Doctormcbrewdle]

By the way, I've just (today) made another lager identical to the tasty one I really loved a few weeks ago that used 100% German pilsner malt. I used BB ale malt this time to see what kind of differences I can pick up. So guess it's a good simple place to start.

I don't know how many batches it takes to become an expert but I know it must be a shedload because I've been brewing kits for 15 years and all grain kits for another year. Though these were obviously already put together for me. I've probably done about 6 from scratch now and all up about 200. And I'm still a noob!!

 

[Coldspace]

Yep agree, simple is great.

Love Munich 1 as an addition to say a pilsner or ale malt to add something fancy to apa of lager.

I keep one medium crystal on hand and use it over most of my beers that call for some sort of crystal or sometimes I use Caraaroma instead. Depends on what's in the grain bins.
Might not be exact to recipe but always makes a great unique beer which is the fun part of been a brewer. No set rules, well some rules

Wheat, just a touch for head retention for me, as I don't like full wheat styles too much.

Love a dash of choc malt to bring on a nice classy colour in some of my ales.

Roasted barley in my reds and stouts .

Have been enjoying alittle rye , got half sack left from a bulk buy last year so got to use it up. Too much and it's a bugger to sparge. But since I've been using a better crush of grain from the fluted mill I did a rye (20%) mid ale mash yesterday and it sparged out great.

Deff keep the crystals down, when experimenting and take heaps of notes...

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Thanks man. May I ask why I should try that recipe with the 3x spec malts?

Because it is a really great base to start from.

Its nothing special, but its hard to break taste and brewing wise as you can do so much with it.And if you only change 1 thing at a time, you will get an idea of how what you changed affects the beer

It is the basic Pale Ale formula which you base other beers from. ( google Dr Smurto Golden Ale. Same formula but more posts about it )

Add more hops and it becomes an IPA
Add more dark malts it becomes a Porter
Add more Roast barley it becomes a Stout
Add more med/dark Xtal it becomes an amber ale

 

[Doctormcbrewdle]

Ahhh I see now, I'll definitely give that a go. Thanks man!

I have a kg of dark crystal. Is that ok to use in the 2.5% range as 'dark' malt? And is light crystal, Cara?

Because it is a really great base to start from.

Its nothing special, but its hard to break taste and brewing wise as you can do so much with it.And if you only change 1 thing at a time, you will get an idea of how what you changed affects the beer

It is the basic Pale Ale formula which you base other beers from. ( google Dr Smurto Golden Ale. Same formula but more posts about it )

Add more hops and it becomes an IPA
Add more dark malts it becomes a Porter
Add more Roast barley it becomes a Stout
Add more med/dark Xtal it becomes an amber ale

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Ahhh I see now, I'll definitely give that a go. Thanks man!

I have a kg of dark crystal. Is that ok to use in the 2.5% range as 'dark' malt? And is light crystal, Cara?

Dark Xtal is still rather sweet, where as dark malts are the opposite

Depending on your Cara....there is Cararoma ( Awsome in Porter and Red Ales ) , Caramber, Carared ( which is not actually red so be warned ) Carafa ( dark roasted malt )

You will need to get your head around grain colour in EBC. Low EBC numbers like EBC6 are pale and high EBC numbers line EBC1000 is Roast Barley

This page from Craftbrewer has grain colour in EBC

https://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/default.asp?CID=21

 

[Doctormcbrewdle]

Thanks mate. My cara is Joe White 40-60ebc, it doesn't mention any other names

The dark is 240ebc but Ill probably never use that by the sounds of it. Dang

Dark Xtal is still rather sweet, where as dark malts are the opposite

Depending on your Cara....there is Cararoma ( Awsome in Porter and Red Ales ) , Caramber, Carared ( which is not actually red so be warned ) Carafa ( dark roasted malt )

You will need to get your head around grain colour in EBC. Low EBC numbers like EBC6 are pale and high EBC numbers line EBC1000 is Roast Barley

This page from Craftbrewer has grain colour in EBC

https://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/default.asp?CID=21

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Thanks mate. My cara is Joe White 40-60ebc, it doesn't mention any other names

The dark is 240ebc but Ill probably never use that by the sounds of it. Dang

240EBC is not that dark. would go very well in porters and ambers and gives nice plum/raisin flavours. If you like Amber and darker beers then it will work well

The JW would be a good. Its almost like a caramalt...but isnt quite the same. Will give some body & mouthfeel

 

[warra48]

Over the last 10 years I've gradually drifted to simpler grain bills. Just bottled an IPA yesterday. 4.9 kg Maris Otter, 100 gr Simpson Heritage Crystal, and 25 gr choc wheat for colour. That's it. Doesn't need anything more.

 

[Doctormcbrewdle]

By the way, I just have to say. This lager/pilsner I did with the 'Best malz' pilsner malt is THE best pilsner I think I've ever had! I'm strongly doubting the BB ale malt batch is going to hold up to be as delicately balanced as this one. I'm extremely tempted to just buy a sack of it, even before BB is ready for tasting.. :/ Glorious!

 

[Kingy]

I love BB ale and wheat. I’ve been brewing a lot of beers with just ale and wheat lately and playing around with hops and yeast.
A cheap easy way to make good beer and experiment.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

By the way, I just have to say. This lager/pilsner I did with the 'Best malz' pilsner malt is THE best pilsner I think I've ever had! I'm strongly doubting the BB ale malt batch is going to hold up to be as delicately balanced as this one. I'm extremely tempted to just buy a sack of it, even before BB is ready for tasting.. :/ Glorious!

For a true Pilsner you do need that very pale malt..under 5EBC, Czech SAAZ and rain water

BB is very good as it converts very well so can take larger amounts of Xtals & dark malts