Blonde ale

[Patrick]

Hi there

Looking for a recipe for a blonde ale or similar. Thinking about 50% pilsner, 30% MO, 20%wheat or something? Looking for light colour, around 4-5% ABV, not too hoppy, just a refreshing quaffer for summer. Any ideas? Will be fermenting at around 19-20 with US05 probably.

[Reviled]

Sounds like youre looking for a cream ale ;o)

Discussed here yesterday - http://www.forum.realbeer.co.nz/forum/topics/1500433:Topic:5363?x=1...

[James P]

Stop pimping your cream ales and BIAB voodoo Rev!

70 % Pils
20% MO / Pale
10 % Wheat

20 IBUs cascade @ 60
5 IBUs sauvin @ 15

USO5 @ 18C.

A little dry and fruity.

[Patrick]

uh oh, I already BIAB!

What kind of wheat James? Malted, Torrified?

[James P]

I used to BIAB, Rev knows that!

Torrified is easier to work with supposedly, and for that matter Tony says Weetbix is good too! I did try some flaked wheat... but I have decided to keep my grain bills very simple (pils + cara + acid) as I'm mainly a pilsener brewer.

Cream Ale's do entice me though, but don't tell Rev.

[Patrick]

Sounds like a go, I will pick up some ingredients later in the week. I will mash for 90 mins to aid efficiency, is it a 60 minute boil to keep the colour light? Cheers!

[Reviled]

Cream Ale's do entice me though, but don't tell Rev.

Theres hope for you yet james ;o)

I dont think a 90 min mash is going to aid efficiency patrick, most of the conversion will be done in he first 20 mins... And if youre going to be using all pilsner malt, a 90 min boil is advised to ensure you drive off DMS, if youre worried about keeping the colour light just make sure youre not boiling the beejesus out of it, just a nice smooth rolling boil..

[Patrick]

Sounds cool - my 3 ring burner doesn't go hard enough to overboil, a nice rolling boil is all it is capable of at the moment! (watch this space, it may get modified soon) So 60 min mash, 90 min boil, I have some left over nelson sauvin from the last brew, and I will pick up the rest of the stuff from brewers coop this week. Thanks!

[Patrick]

James - I have 100g of NZ cascade but only 10g of nelson sauvin. Can you please tell me how many grams of each hop to add for a 23L batch consisting of

3.5kg NZ pils
1kg MO
.5kg torrified wheat?

Is 10g of nelson even worth adding at 15? Or should I add more cascade at 15 and maybe chuck the nelson in at flame out?

[James P]

Hi Patrick, about 22gm of cascade (7% AA) @ 60 should give you close to 20 IBU, with the sauvin (11%AA) @ 15 giving you about 4 IBU. Good call moving the additions, you'll want about 20gm @ 15.

[Patrick]

Cool - so 22gm cascade at 60, 20gm cascade at 15, and the 10g nelson at flame out. Will let you know how it goes - adding a couple more techniques this time, irish moss and a whirlpool to try to cut down on trub entering the fermenter.

[James P]

Good call with the irish moss. I find it a bit more effective if you hydrate it in some water first, it sort of puffs up a little.

[Nick T]

How long do you dry hop the cream ale for? And do you then need to cold condition to drop any astringency?