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...

[Matthew]

Makes perfect sense! I discovered this with my last batch. Crystal ended up a touch too much and the hops were still letting some residue sweetness through. For the planned rebrew I've cut the crystal right back to a sniff (I would take it out but I do like a touch). At least I know I'm on the right track.

[Mike Neilson]

One thing im really disliking at the moment is the crystal flavours, I have tasted it in my homebrew and others including commercial. I like what the yanks do by adding more lighter crystal malts and using less darker crystal malts (40L+) to get there flavours they seem to use more munich malts and specialties like aromatic etc. Here we seem to use darker crystals to give the beer flavour?? Its like we see pilsner malt and just think we can only use that for a Pilsner, when in fact its good for all styles and lets you create the beer more, as its more like a blank canvas compared to say Marris Otter as that malt has all ready got lines drawn on the canvas. just my thoughts.

[Stu McKinlay]

10% crystal in Nerdherder... hope that doesn't offend any of you malt ninnies ;-)

That's what allows it to have be 4.8% and 45ibu. If it was all pale malt it would be exceedinlgy bitter.

I liked that Rogue Amber Ale... and Fullers ESB, 1845 and Vintage (more last years version than this year). Loads of Crystal in them.

[denimglen]

Agree with you there Mike.

I realised this a lot in my last IPA. By the end as some of the bitterness and hop character was fading it was starting to get on the sweet and caramelly side. I thought it would have stood the test of time much better if it was only a few percent caramalt/carahell for some body and then something like Amber and/or Munich to give it some interest on the malt side of things.

[Matthew]

Interesting you say that as I've noticed that too. Just researching different American PA and IPA's. The malt bill appears very minimal but you have something like Firestone and it's all there. Perfect balance. I'll try this one with the caramalt and touch of crystal and see how we go.

Apologies to vdog and a complete threadjack. Back to you mate :P

[Mike Neilson]

Yeah Stu very true, but isnt nerdhearder Caramalt and Light Crystal which is about 45L which in my mind is bang on for a pale ale. Try putting 10% Med or dark Crystal in it and see what happens!!

[James P]

Its like we see pilsner malt and just think we can only use that for a Pilsner

What you mean there are other beer styles..... holy f***!

I now only use Pils malt for everything, with the occasional ale (MO, GP) if doing an English ale. Everything else has a pils base.

[Stu McKinlay]

yeh those med/dark crystal are only really designed for 2-3%... and you're right, they're not for hop focussed beer... more for ESBs, Barley Wines etc.

[Mike Neilson]

Amen!!

[Doublehoppy]

Agreed Mike. I've really cut back on crystal as well. Still experimenting but I can see myself using light crystal more and more...er I mean instead of medium.

And, as I'm learning, adjusting the IBUs to match is critical.

[Stu McKinlay]

You've not tried Knappstein Enterprise Reserve Lager then!

[Reviled]

Man that Knappstein is an awesome beer! One of my faves when I was over in aussie last!