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...

[Kelly Milligan]

Yep! Another option is using a bit of CaraPils or Maltodextrin powder to add more body without having a big affect on flavour (especially with the maltodextrin powder). I don't think astringency is an issue until you get above 78c, that's why mash-out temp is usually about 76-78c. Hot enough to denature the enzymes but not too hot as to get extra astringency out of the husks. This brewing network Brew Strong podcast might be useful too :) http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/688

[Aidan Curran]

I listend to the podcast, it had some usefull tips which I will try - use 2 different base grains (I'll split between Marris Otter and Pilsner malt), more hops (I'll up the hops a bit, add in a 10 min addition), dry hopping, more speciality grains (I'm not sure about this as I want it to be a light blond colour but maybe I'll compromise on that a bit). And it covered the higher mash temp which both of you brought up. They mentioned maltodextrin as being usefull for adding body, so maybe I'll see if I can get some. Also they mentioned oats, so if I don't get maltodextrin I might throw some oats into the mash. Interestingly thay said you can get a good tasting beer with as little as 2% alc. So I'm optimistic that a decent non-flavour-compromised 3% beer should be doable.

[jt]

It's do-able alright and if you put the ingredients in, you'll get the result out.

If you're concerned with colour, use the caramalt or is that the crystal 10 in your list of ingredients ?

[Kelly Milligan]

CaraPils is even essentially super light crystal, between pilsner malt and light crystal (its 5.5ebc). So you could chuck in some extra carapils giving you more specialty malt character without impacting colour. Not sure what the maximum recommended use of carapils is, but you'd prolly be safe using about 300g? I'm a big fan of Brew Strong :D some great tips

[Aidan Curran]

The crystal in my recipe is Bairds Pale Crystal, so it might not be Crystal 10, that's just what picked in my recipe calculator. Looking at the specs for Bairds Pale Crystal it's actually quite dark (90-110 EBC) so I might be better leaving it out altogether if I'm going for a blonde or going with the TF Caramalt if that's lighter. I hadn't realised that Caramalt  is lighter than pale crystal so thanks for the heads up!

[jt]

The caramalt should be 30 EBC or so, you can use a good whack of it and balance it with the hops without worrying too much about the colour

[jt]

Never used maltodextrin, can't comment on that, I'd be tempted to use grain instead, maybe carapils ? But as you're using what's on hand, just more pale or more pale crystal. The 05 would probably cope with it.

[Aidan Curran]

I've adjusted my recipe to take on board the advice. I dropped the predicted attenuation and brewhouse efficiency a little to account for the higher mash temp, guesswork I know. I've upped the hops and changed the pale crystal to caramalt, replaced some pilsner with maris otter.

Blondie (Blonde Ale)

Grain Bill
1.500 kg Pilsner (40.54%)
1.000 kg Liquid Malt Extract - Light (27.03%)
1.000 kg Maris Otter Malt (27.03%)
0.200 kg Caramalt (5.41%)

Hop Bill
15.0 g Motueka Pellet (7.1% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil) (0.7 g/L)
15.0 g Motueka Pellet (7.1% Alpha) @ 20 Minutes (Boil) (0.7 g/L)
20.0 g Motueka Pellet (7.1% Alpha) @ 10 Minutes (Boil) (0.9 g/L)
25.0 g Motueka Pellet (7.1% Alpha) @ 0 Minutes (Boil) (1.1 g/L)
25.0 g Motueka Pellet (7.1% Alpha) @ 0 Days (Dry Hop) (1.1 g/L)

Misc Bill
5.0 g Irish Moss @ 15 Minutes (Boil)
Single step Infusion at 71°C for 60 Minutes.
Fermented at 18°C with Safale US-05

Recipe Specs
Batch Size (L):           23.0
Total Grain (kg):         3.700
Total Hops (g):           100.00
Original Gravity (OG):    1.038  (°P): 9.5
Final Gravity (FG):       1.013  (°P): 3.3
Alcohol by Volume (ABV):  3.34 %
Colour (SRM):             5.1   (EBC): 10.0
Bitterness (IBU):         25.6   (Average)
Brewhouse Efficiency (%): 67
Boil Time (Minutes):      60

[jt]

Motueka's lurverly in a blonde, I reckon that's going to taste great

[Druid]

Gisborne Gold pointers wanted!

I'm a complete lager newbie so was looking for some pointers on a recipe for a Gisborne Gold clone.

As a start for the grains, I would say NZ pils, caramalt(?) + light crystal but I'm not sure whether there are other malts or adjuncts responsible for that malt flavour - perhaps even corn/maize?

Any ideas for hops and yeast would be great - keen to try a liquid Wyeast pack for the first time too.

I had a couple of bottles with yakitori at Tanuki's Cave and have been thinking about ever since.  I Iove that classic NZ lager style combined with a slightly muscular maltiness and balanced hopping - still can't quite believe it's only 4%.

Seem to be drawn to classic NZ styles at the moment - I've just about finished a keg of Barry's NZ Draught.

[Andre Jaworski]

Anyone out there brewed a 100% pilsner malt pilsner? If so goy any pointers?

Im looking at a double decoction with two saccharification rests to try and increase maltiness and body. First one at 63°C for 20 min then 72°C for 40 min. 

I might be way off but will be a good experiment.

Cheers

[JackoNZ]

Yep my 4th all grain brew was a 100% pils, with adm pils no less! Tasted bloody awesome too. Riwaka all the way through from 60, 30, 10 and 0. My notes say I would crank the 60 min hops a bit more next time to up the bitterness a tad. Anyway not to piss on your parade and by all means go for your double decoction, double sacch rest but I always read that these days if you want more malt just add some melanoiden and save yourself the hassle. I reckon you'd get a good drop from some Bohemian Pils malt and some NZ hops all the way through. Maybe try that and if you want more body next time do the double decoction etc..