Hi guys,
Relative newb here. I have a load of grain left over from previous batches. Am thinking I need to use these soon. If I put in what I have left, dialing down some parts - i.e. trying not to have too much of any one specialty malt, I get this:
(http://s12.postimg.org/9mhnpxga5/Screen_Shot_2015_01_07_at_22_47_40.png)
Is this likely to work? In particular am not sure about the ratio of the wheat addition.
Any help appreciated!
It looks fine, it may even be the best beer you've ever made!
What yeast are you planning?
Thanks John. Safale 05.
This is my hops bill - again my leftovers in the freezer.
(http://s18.postimg.org/jipteox49/Screen_Shot_2015_01_07_at_23_29_59.png)
I got 200 grammes of Nelson Sauvin from the UK last week - have to resist temptation to do a single hop APA. Also got some New Zealand hops (Pacific Gem, Pacific Jade) for Christmas so an NZ hops Pale Ale (including whats left of the Nelson Sauvin) will be next..
Looks great! My personal opinion would be to space the later hops a little more e.g. add some of them at 5 minutes,
(http://s14.postimg.org/gagp5z5gh/Screen_Shot_2015_01_07_at_23_40_07.png)
Bringing the IBUs down to 42. I might just take your advice on this - thanks!
Personally, that's a bit too much specialty malt; I'd be afraid of it getting too "muddy".
The 11% caramel/ crystal particularly stands out as just too much given the Pale and MO as the base malt are already starting you off with a bit of color and maltiness.
Sounds like it will end up more like a Vienna lager color or even slightly darker. I think the malt bill sounds wonderfully malty even without the crystal malt.
Dramatically decreasing the crystal malt would be the way to go, IMHO. Or you could alternatively increase your IBUs to get your IBU:GU ratio up because that finishing gravity is a bit high and it's going to seem higher with all the crystal and specialty malts.
I'm sure it will still be a fine malt+hoppy beer either way. It really depends what you're going for.
I'm slowly becoming less and less of a fan of crystal malts in hoppy beers (and by that I mean I completely don't use ANY in my hoppy beers); they're for medium dark to dark malty beers for me now. -I've completely sworn off red ales entirely for now as I just really am avoiding crystal flavors so I realize my opinion is going to one extreme at the moment...
Adam
Depends what you're going for I suppose. I also seem to use less and less crystal in my hoppy beers but some people like a lot of crystal with their hops for balance. SN Celebration is 11% 60L crystal for instance. If it was me I'd probably drop to 30-35g of the C10. I'd lower the mash temp a degree too, take the FG from 1.013 down to 1.011/2. That'd subdue a bit of that sweetness too.
I would echo IGs comment about the hopping though, especially when you've got a lot of maltiness. I'd start the late hopping at 20 mins and keep adding every 5 minutes. That give a bit more fruity hop flavour to balance it out. Probably use the cascade at 20mins because it wont add as many IBUs and I just love that big grapefruit punch that comes with a mid boil cascade addition.
Thanks lads - interested to hear what you think. I'm still learning about crystal etc. - I have all these because I was brewing US clone recipes. I read on another forum allright about muddiness from having too many specialty grains - which prompted my post here.
Its done now anyway. Will have a bit more bitterness - should end up at 46. OG was exactly 1050, and I have just over 19 litres in the fermenter now.
These grains were crushed and loosely sealed since November - shows they don't fade that quickly.