Recipe Help - Second AG

[Pickaxe]

Hi Fellas,

Just starting my second AG today, wondering if anyone has ideas for some spec malt additions with what I have.

Recipe
23L
4kg Perle + 1kg Wheat - already mixed.

Galaxy
25 @ 15
25 @ 10
25 @ 0
15g leftovers dry hopped at 3 days.
US05


I have in my inventory:
150g Chocolate
500g Special Roast
250 g Victory
750 g of Carared

Wondered if anyone might suggest some additions? I'm thinking a simple 150-200g Special Roast, but I'm really clueless when it comes to spec malts. always seem to add too much, overpower etc.

I don't have cash to buy anything else.

Can I use these, or give em a miss and wait for next brew to buy some crystal and try an amber or red ale with what I have?

Thanks all,
A.

 

[manticle]

Chuck in all the victory, 200 cara and 50g of choc if you feel like it (choc could equally be left out - will add just a smidge of dry roast and a touch of colour).

Can't comment on the hopping as I've not used galaxy (too passionfruity for me) but I know some people report harshness when used at certain points. Someone with galaxy experience will chime in.

 

[Nick JD]

Agree with Manticle. I'd not dry hop with galaxy - if you do, make it short. Grassy bugger.

 

[Pickaxe]

Thanks fellas, maybe I'll give the dry hopping a miss since I don't want to **** this up when all kinds of other things could go wrong, not that I'm counting on it ******* up. Still getting my AG legs.

I'm gonna go with just the victory and carared. I do like that touch of roastiness, but I might try that on my next brew which I'm looking at making an amber ale; ie. crystal, touch of chocolate, bit of special roast, and probably put that on POR to go full Aussie.

Man, this AG shit is so exciting. Got some Swiss Voile from Spotlight Kawana (Sunshine Coast) after blowing a brewcraft bag out on my first brew, and the bird there who sold it to me had heaps of blokes buying it for brewing, she knew exactly what I wanted it for. AG is such a buzz, i'm so hooked. Its better than cooking, which I love.

@Manticle - i really enjoy Galaxy at this hopping regime - i'm kinda sticking to it while I get my malt knowledge up since going AG, but I am looking at stretching my hopping regime soon. Chinook and some fruit is one avenue, but I know what people mean now by getting sick of fruit salad beers. Raw Bitterness and malt is the real quencher in beer to me, the flavour is just a benefit - in time i will stretch my palate - baby steps.

Goosfrabba....

Dont care - so much to learn - so much beer to make - so much beer to drink...

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

@Pickaxe, leave the 0 minute addition, and don't dry hop with it, unless you want to wait a while for the astringency to mellow out.

Your malt additions look great, I was going to suggest all the Victory and 200-250g of Cara, and if you wanted a bit of roasted or choc. I know some will use a teaspoon and it'll add a dimension. I've measured 10g of it for a Belgian golden just to add some dryness to it.

Chinook's great. I love it in conjunction with the fruity hops to cut through fruitsalad. Current favourite hop (Citra's always a favourite, so it doesn't count) is mosaic.

Are there still all those hot chicks working at Spotlight Kawana?

 

[stakka82]

Hey OP, if you don't decide to dry hop perhaps try a hop stand if you whirlpool/wait before cubing/chilling.

Essentially it means adding hops at a point after flame out (lower the temp better the effect within reason) and letting the hops steep. Because you're adding the hops at 70-90 degrees, you get a lot more of the essential oils which provide aroma retained rather than having them vaporise as they would during the boil/at flameout (to a lesser degree).

Search BYO.com for hop stand for more info. Good luck I'm sure it will be great no matter which route you go down.

 

[Pickaxe]

Thanks Stakka, I'll try that, I usually add my "flameout" hops once I get it in the Laundry tub and start flooding it with cold water and getting a whirlpool going to help chill anyway. Didnt realise I was doing what you're describing, but hell yeah! Lets go with it. I might hit is harder at 5min and then hop stand? **** it, why not.

Yeah mate, spotlight Kawana, what a bunny this one was. Tall girl, but **** man, Queensland girls , they grow em bigger here, She was a sweetheart, and she was a brewer's daughter! HAHAHAHA! Nothing like a pretty girl who spots a brewer comin in the door and goes straight for the voile! She'll make some bloke very happy one day, if she doesnt already.

I'm gonna save my choc malt, just so I can see what it does in future. Made a fucken weird batch of extract (1.5kg liquid amber 1.5kg pale) with 250g of chocolate added and have not been keen to go back since. 3 months later, this amarillo hopped nasty has come good, but I'm once bitten twice shy about choc since. gonna wait to add 50-100g to my next amber, see how I like it then. This time. no,

no choc here, chopper., here, no choc, no choc here..