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...

[Ralph]

So I put down a brew the other day. I got the boil volume wrong in Beersmith, and that has thrown my IBUs and bitterness ratio way out from where I was aiming for. The IBUs and bitterness ratio are about double what I had meant to aim for!

 

It is a bit of a random brew as I was just sort of playing around a bit. It is a 12L extract + steeping, and has been down since Sunday. I only just figured out the mistake when mucking around in Brewsmith this evening. Is the final beer likely to be too bitter to be enjoyed?? Should I add more malt + water to bring the IBU and the ratio back down or just brew it out and see how it goes?

 

Current recipe is

 

Amount	Item	Type	% or IBU
2.50 kg	LME Black Rock (3.0 SRM)	Extract	84.75 %
0.30 kg	Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM)	Grain	10.17 %
0.10 kg	Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM)	Grain	3.39 %
0.05 kg	Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM)	Grain	1.69 %
0.03 kg	Fuggles [7.20 %] (60 min)	Hops	32.0 IBU
0.02 kg	Styrian Goldings [7.20 %] (30 min)	Hops	16.4 IBU
0.02 kg	Styrian Goldings [7.20 %] (20 min)	Hops	12.9 IBU
0.02 kg	Styrian Goldings [7.20 %] (5 min)	Hops	4.2 IBU

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.059 SG

Measured Original Gravity: 1.060 SG Est Final Gravity: 1.015 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.010 SG Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.71 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 6.52 % Bitterness: 65.5 IBU Calories: 563 cal/l Est Color: 14.0 SRM Color:

Color

 

[Tilt]

Looks an interesting mix Ralph,  might end up a bit cloudy without having mashed the oats. 

Are you sure you've got the right AAs entered into BS for the Styrians?  Just a quick look up on my records and my recent batches have been 6.4% (NZ) and 5.5% AA (Imported). 

I'd be inclined to leave this be as an experimental batch and see how it tastes, rather than trying to adjust part way through the ferment and increasing your variables too much. 

If it ends up too bitter you could leave it for a couple of months to let the bitterness mellow - and put the experiment down to a learning experience which you use for future reference.

Who knows - you might unleash a crazed mania for bitterness hidden within!

[Ralph]

The hops are NZ Hops products with the AA printed on the sticker on the laminate packet. As far as I know it is correct.

 

After I posted this last night I went out and had a taste from the fermenter. Not like it blew my head off with bitterness and so I have decided to let it ferment. I guess tasting halfway through the ferment it is likely that there is still a fair bit of unfermented sugar that might be balancing the bitterness... but I think I will risk it. Is only 12 L anyway.

 

Yeh I know the oats might make the beer a bit cloudy, but I was just wanting to experiment a little with what oats would do for mouthfeel/taste etc.

 

Cheers!

[James Lawson]

How's this for an APA guys? Never made one before.

 

75% golden promise, 10% munich, 10% wheat, 5% carared

=> 1.050 OG

 

~35-40 IBUs, bittered with Southern Cross or maybe Nelson Sav, a few ounces of NZ cascade from 20mins til late, dry hopped with some Amarillo if I can get my hands on some. I'd love to use some Simcoe but I hear there isn't much around.

 

Gervin english ale yeast. I find US05 takes ages in the fridge to floc out and before that happens my beers taste cloying.

 

How's the crystal, do I need to bump it up a bit? I'll probably mash medium at 67degC.

[warra48]

Looks pretty good to me as it is.

I wouldn't bump the crystal up beyond what you have. It's an APA, and you need that relatively clean malt quality to allow the hops to shine through. After all, it's not an UK Bitter. 67ºC is at the top end of where I'd want to mash an APA. I usually do mine at 65 or 66ºC. 35 to 40 IBU will be perfect.

I've used Golden Promise in APAs before with good results.

Go for it.

[Ralph]

Hi all, 

 

Looking for a nice winter spiced ale sort of recipe. Anyone brewed anything they liked that they would be willing to share the recipe? Probably something quite malty with a nice hint of spice on the top??

 

Cheers!

[Michael]

My latest brew is a Black IPA, coming at around 75 IBU. The hops are Magnum at 60, and Cascade at 30, 15, and 0.

I want to get a strong aroma on it, but not make it offensive. I am planning to dry hop it with Nelson Sauvin. How much do you reckon i can get away with, without making the beer offensive?

In a related note, was Hopwired dry hopped with Sauvin?

[jt]

 want to get a strong aroma on it, but not make it offensive.

 

It'd be hard to know what offensive was after some of the beers you've been drinking eh Michael ?

Did you take the Sauvin back with you or have you bought it over there ?

 

cheers, jt

[Michael]

I wanted to bring some Sauvin back, but waited to late to order some from Jo. So, I found some in the states. 

You are probably right, I have been drinking heavily hopped beers lately.

[James Lawson]

Hey guys,

 

I've got a red APA in the fermenter at the moment with ~3.2g/L each of US cascade and simcoe, all late hopped. I've got another ~0.75g/L each left for dry hopping but I also have about 100g of imported Styrians sitting in the freezer that I have no particular plans for.

 

What do you reckon, should I chuck some in dry? Has anyone done this before? I'm new to brewing with simcoe and not too familar with cascade. Any ideas on what this might bring to my beer?

 

 

[Pilgrim]

Planning another APA for my next brew and would appreciate any comments on the following:

 

Recipe: Cawaka APA
Brewer: Peter Northway
Style: American IPA
TYPE: All Grain

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size (fermenter): 42.00 l  
Estimated OG: 1.060 SG
Estimated Color: 12.8 SRM
Estimated IBU: 57.5 IBUs
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt                    Name                                                      Type          #        %/IBU        
12.00 kg              Kolsch (3.0 SRM)                                    Grain         1        93.0 %
0.70 kg               Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM)    Grain         2        5.4 %
0.20 kg               Wheat Malt, Ger (2.0 SRM)                       Grain         3        1.6 %        

60 min
100.00 g              Bittering Hop [5.80 %] - Boil 60.0 min        Hop           5        34.9 IBUs

15 min
50.00 g               Riwaka [5.90 %] - Boil 15.0 min                 Hop           8        8.8 IBUs     
50.00 g               New Zealand Cascade [10.10 %] - Boil 15. Hop           7        13.7 IBUs
100.00 g              Coriander Seed (Boil 15.0 mins)               Spice         10       -            
1.00 Items            Immersion Chiller (Boil 15.0 mins)           Other         9        -            
1.83 g                Koppafloc (Boil 15.0 mins)                        Fining        6        -            

Flame-out
20.00 g               New Zealand Cascade [10.10 %] - Aroma St Hop           11       0.0 IBUs    

Fermentation
2.0 pkg               Safale US-05 (Fermentis #US-05) [11.50 m  Yeast         12       -            
20.00 g               New Zealand Cascade [10.10 %] - Dry Hop  Hop           13       0.0 IBUs     



Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 12.90 kg

 

Beersmith recommends 3 packets of dry yeast but I've found 2 packets in the past to be more than adequate for this voracious wort eater.

[Ralph]

I bottled a beer I called a Cawaka about a week ago!! American Amber Ale with NZ Cascade and Riwaka... label over here
http://www.forum.realbeer.co.nz/forum/topics/beer-labels?id=1500433...