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...

[JoKing]

The Unibroue yeast from WyEast is awesome for Tripels.

[Doublehoppy]

My favorite Is Wyeast 3787 (the Westmalle Strain). Always had good results, and critically, good attenuation with it.

[MrC]

Thanks guys. I think Mike was recommending 3787 also.
Decisions, decisions...

[warra48]

I've never brewed a Munich, either a Lager or a Dunkel, but I'm planning to brew a Dunkel.

This is what I've planned so far. Any thoughts on the malt bill? What about a mash schedule? May well do a double decoction, as my mash tun is not big enough for simple multiple temperature rests..

23 litres. Estimated OG 1.051.

4000.00 gm Munich I (Weyermann) (14.0 EBC) Grain 81.63 %
500.00 gm Munich 2 (25.0 EBC) Grain 10.20 %
200.00 gm Carared (43.0 EBC) Grain 4.08 %
100.00 gm Chocolate (1200.0 EBC) Grain 2.04 %
100.00 gm Wheat Malt, Pale (Weyermann) (3.9 EBC) Grain 2.04 %
40.00 gm Tettnang [4.50 %] (60 min) Hops 18.0 IBU
20.00 gm Tettnang [4.50 %] (30 min) Hops 6.9 IBU
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 10.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs Southern German Lager (White Labs #WLP838) [Starter 5000 ml] Yeast-Lager

[Reviled]

I know its probably a bit late Warra, but I brewed a nice dunkel a year back that was just 5kg of Munich I and 200gms of Carafa I with Hallertau hops at 60 and 30 that turned out great! Id probably suggest carafa over chocolate malt and dont really think theres any need for the carared..

[warra48]

Thanks for that, Reviled.
I'll ponder it a bit longer, I still need to build my starter.

[Reviled]

I think the trick with a dunkel is to really showcase the Munich malt, the carared and chocolate might confuse things a little, the carafa is purely for colour really with a hint of a coffee taste, it was also suggested to me to drop the 30 min hop addition but I went with it anyway and wasnt disappointed...

[David Wood]

Hi guys, I'm planning on brewing a low gravity highly hopped beer soon.
This is the recipe I've got so far, although I'm unsure about the grain bill and it may have too much BU's. Although in the end I want just enough malt body to support the hops.
High mash temp is so I get plenty of unfermentable sugars.

Ingredients
Amount Item Type % or IBU
2.50 kg Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 86.21 %
0.30 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt - 30L (30.0 SRM) Grain 10.34 %
0.10 kg Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 3.45 %
25.00 gm Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (Dry Hop 7 days) Hops -
25.00 gm Simcoe [13.00 %] (Dry Hop 7 days) Hops -
10.00 gm Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (60 min) (First Wort Hop) Hops 12.4 IBU
20.00 gm Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (20 min) Hops 13.7 IBU
20.00 gm Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (10 min) Hops 8.2 IBU
30.00 gm Simcoe [13.00 %] (2 min) Hops 4.4 IBU
20.00 gm Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (0 min) Hops -
20.00 gm Simcoe [13.00 %] (0 min) Hops -
1 Pkgs US-05 (Safale) Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.038 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.010 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.007 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.04 %
Bitterness: 38.8 IBU Calories: 90 cal/l
Est Color: 5.7 SRM Color: Color

Mash Profile
60 min Mash In Add 7.57 L of water at 78.1 C 71.0 C

[JoKing]

If it were me - I'd give US-05 a miss. It is just a monster for these types of beers. You said that you want just enough body to carry the hops... US-05 will eliminate any possible body for a sub 1.040 beer. For example - I brewed a dry stout with US-05 that started at 1.048 and it finished it at 1.007. I'd pick that even with a 69 degree mash, US-05 would take this down below 1.005.

If you can scavange some WyEast 1272 off someone - that'd suit your brew profile a lot better. Even good Ol' S-04 would take it to a better gravity.... dunno about the hops though... S-04 can kill them away pretty good.

Tell ya what - you should do a double batch of this (I know your MLT and Kettle is capable of it!) and pitch one with US-05 and one with S-04. Dry hop both with the same amount and see which beer turns out better.

Then you can keep us all updated with it so that anyone else who wants to make a beer like this can learn from your efforts.

[David Wood]

Cheers for the advice. I've not used a liquid yeast like 1272 yet, and haven't got the equipment to propagate or the fridge space to store them, hence only using dried yeasts so far. As such I reckon I'll try your idea of using s04 and s05, I'll split a 20L batch into two small fermenters and inform the results.
I'll aim for 69-70 degrees in the mash.
Does anyone have thoughts on the grain bill here?

[JoKing]

Be sure to pitch the right amount for your wort and volume:

http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html

[Llew Bardecki]

I think the grain bill looks good.
This looks kind of like a recipe for an ordinary bitter with American hops and a lot of extra flavour/aroma additions.

Maybe throw in some flaked barley for a thicker, creamier texture if you don't mind it getting a bit hazy?