Recipe Feedback Please.

[SunDrifter]

Hi all, I'd like some feedback on a recipe i'm thinking of trying this week. It borrows a bit from Neill's Centenarillo Ale. Just with one can of LME and some grains that I already had around the brewery (aka kitchen).

1x Morgans Unhopped Extra Pale Liquid Malt Extract
500g Light dry malt extract
500g Caramalt
750g Dextrose (i'm thinking of only going 500g here, thoughts?)
Centennial 20g @ 45mins
Amarillo 20g @ 45mins
--Centennial 15g @ 20mins
--Amarillo 15g @ 20mins
----Amarillo 15g @ 10mins
S04 Yeast

IBU 36.0

Oops, accidental post before I was ready!

 

[bum]

Caramalt seems a little high for me.
I'd sub-out the S04 for US05 (or even a kit yeast, frankly).

Both of those are personal preference, obviously. Those notwithstanding, I'm sure you'll turn out a decent beer with that.

 

[Supra-Jim]

Def ditch the S04 and get some US05.

Cheers SJ

 

[SunDrifter]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I think I agree with the caramalt being too much, I might get that back to 300g

Can somebody explain the difference between S04 and US05 to me? I've used both and it seems that S04 makes a clearer beer, but US05 makes a more flavoursome beer. Is that right?

 

[bum]

Simply put they're both ale yeasts but S04 is for more of an English type ale and US05 is more American. The beer you're making is pretty much a down the line APA and US05 would be stylistically more appropriate. But style guidelines are exactly that - guidelines. You prefer the S04? Then there isn't any reason you can't do it. It would still be my opinion that the US05 will turn out a better beer. But then again my experience of these two yeasts is pretty much the opposite of yours - the US05 flocced out much cleaner and leaves less of its character behind and the S04 has always been kinda cloudy and dusty tasting for me (but that is just my experience, with my process, in my brewery).

 

[Nick JD]

At what temperature are you fermenting? US05 doesn't like higher temperatures IMO. S04 makes lots of fruitiness (goes well with late amarillo) in the mid twenties, but you can't go over 25C or it starts making bad flavours.

If you want a clear beer search google for "gelatin aussie homebrewer".

 

[SunDrifter]

I ferment in a fridge, so approx 18-20 degrees. Just got a fridgemate too but I need to install it.

I don't necessarily prefer S04 over US05, I'm happy to use whatever is appropriate, so thanks for the info. (Though for this batch it'll be S04 because I have some in the fridge) Either way, I'm now also using finings, so the results will be different regardless of what yeast I use.