Recipe Advice Thread

[denimglen]

Thought it might be handy to have a thread for some of the more advanced brewers to give some advice on recipes.

Let's see how it goes eh...

[Reviled]

It definately is, but so complex and just yum!!! :o)

Have you overdone it before?

[Mike Neilson]

No but I imagine it wouldnt take much I think the most I used was in my Dubbel and that was off the top of my head 150g for 20L I reacon it was spot on!!

[Reviled]

My Port Stout had about 220gms in 20 litres, definately contributed to the overall picture.. Allthough yeah I think overall that was only like 3% overall..

I dug up a PM from Buttersd70 (big english bitter brewer) from AHB where he said in all of his bitters he uses 7% cara-aroma and 3% chocolate and 90% Maris Otter.

Oh, and hopped to a ratio of 0.65 IBU/OG

[denimglen]

Where can you get cara-aroma? Does Mike have it? Or does he have cara-amber? Or Both? Minds a bit dead right now.

[Doublehoppy]

I bought some Caraaroma off him a couple of months ago. Not sure about the Caraamber - though it was on his price list, so probably yes.

[studio1]

yip, got it from Mike yesterday

[jt]

hopped to a ratio of 0.65 IBU/OG

All a matter of tastebuds and horses for courses. I reckon a bitter should be up round 0.70 to 0.80

Go the cara-aroma, a heap of the aussie guys use it exclusively in all of their bitters

Yea, and a few million of them swear that XXXX is Gods nectar.
Chew some grains and see if you like the flavour. If you do then give it a go

cheers, jt

[Tony]

Hi Studio1. Easy on the hops, if you are trying to let the malts shine through. You want an IBU count of a maximum of around 20. Idealy around 15-17. Keep the flavour/aroma hops low and not too late in the boil (I put mine in at 15 from end). I think some of the other guys who brew malty ales might have a better idea (Stu?).

[JoKing]

Yeah - Porters are nice when bitter though: 35IBU isn't bitter considering he'll be finishing around the 1.014 - 1.016 mark. I'll give an example my last porter at 6.5%abv FG 1.016 and 65IBU and it was nicely ballanced winning gold in the Home Brew Club Nationals.

I agree with Tony though, if you want 4%abv.

[Reviled]

Yeah I def prefer a Robust Porter over a sweet malty one..

[JoKing]

Your ingredients look very good for a porter, Studio1. If I were brewing this, I'd be looking around the 6%abv mark and splitting the malts up something like this.

87% Marris Otter
5% Light Crystal
3% CaraAroma
3% Pale Choc
2% Choc

A bit conservative on the percentages, but is a good starting point for a full bodied easy drinking porter.

[studio1]

cheers for the advice guys. Will go along with grain bill as suggested thanks and shoot for about 6% 35IBU. Just had a tought I could use 1469 (west yorkshire) yeast if I wanted.
Just went downstairs to find my pale crystal has weavils - ewwww. Will have to get some more.