Hi lads,
Just made a few batches and all have ended up with an abv approaching 6%.I'm finding that after just a few of them I'm not enjoying it - its too strong. I'll be aiming for 5% in future.
How strong have you been making yours recently?
I'm new to brewing first batch was mid 4s which is grand but I do like strong beers for the most part
I usually find mid-5s to be the sweet spot but I want to try and start making some good 4.5%-4.8% ish beers now because coming into the summer I like to drink a bit more but don't want a head on me the next day.
Depends on the style of beer in my opinion. If you're doing an IPA I think you need to be above 6%. While a dry stout that's 4% is fine a RIS obviously needs the alcohol. What are you brewing?
Have been recently drinking a Gamma Ray clone. I was aiming for 5.4% but did a lower mash (64 degrees) to make it thinner and drier and it ended up at 5.8%. Also a punk IPA clone - 6%, and a Rye IPA, should finish at 6%.
How do the Americans do it - most of their IPAs are higher than this, like 7 or 8%? They must just be having one or two max.
Quote from: Mac780 on March 29, 2015, 04:13:55 PM
Have been recently drinking a Gamma Ray clone. I was aiming for 5.4% but did a lower mash (64 degrees) to make it thinner and drier and it ended up at 5.8%. Also a punk IPA clone - 6%, and a Rye IPA, should finish at 6%.
How do the Americans do it - most of their IPAs are higher than this, like 7 or 8%? They must just be having one or two max.
Do you have a recipe for the gamma ray clone, love that beer.
Their site lists the ingredients, not amounts or timings mind you. Also I'm surprised they don't have wheat listed in the gamma ray ingredients. Head seemed very wheaty to me.
I got this from another site - this is for the old one (I'm not a fan of the new one). This is very close to it.
Gamma Ray - American IPA
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Batch Size: 24.161 L
Boil Size: 27.000 L
Boil Time: 60.000 min
Efficiency: 70%
OG: 1.056
FG: 1.014
ABV: 5.4%
Bitterness: 46.8 IBUs (Tinseth)
Color: 9 SRM (Morey)
Fermentables
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Name Type Amount Mashed Late Yield Color
Weyermann - Pale Ale Malt Grain 5.600 kg Yes No 85% 3 L
Simpsons - Caramalt Grain 400.000 g Yes No 76% 35 L
Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L Grain 200.000 g Yes No 74% 40 L
Total grain: 6.200 kg
Hops
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Name Alpha Amount Use Time Form IBU
Magnum 10.7% 14.000 g Boil 60.000 min Leaf 12.7
Columbus/Tomahawk/Zeus 17.2% 10.000 g Boil 10.000 min Leaf 5.3
Bravo 15.5% 10.000 g Boil 10.000 min Pellet 5.3
Amarillo 9.5% 10.000 g Boil 10.000 min Pellet 3.2
Amarillo 9.2% 31.000 g Boil 5.000 min Pellet 5.3
Bravo 15.5% 26.000 g Boil 5.000 min Pellet 7.6
Columbus/Tomahawk/Zeus 17.2% 23.000 g Boil 5.000 min Pellet 7.4
Amarillo 9.2% 30.000 g Aroma 0.000 s Pellet 0.0
Columbus/Tomahawk/Zeus 15.5% 40.000 g Aroma 0.000 s Leaf 0.0
Bravo 15.5% 35.000 g Aroma 0.000 s Leaf 0.0
Columbus/Tomahawk/Zeus 15.5% 25.000 g Dry Hop 0.000 s Pellet 0.0
Amarillo 9.5% 28.000 g Dry Hop 0.000 s Pellet 0.0
Bravo 15.5% 28.000 g Dry Hop 0.000 s Pellet 0.0
Yeast
================================================================================
Name Type Form Amount Stage
Safale S-05 Ale Dry 11.000 mL Primary
Mash
================================================================================
Name Type Amount Temp Target Time
Infusion 13.460 L 68.212 C 64.000 C 60.000 min
Infusion 6.000 L 100.000 C 64.000 C 20.000 min
Final Batch Sparge Infusion 16.267 L 85.798 C 74.000 C 15.000 min
Quote from: Qs on March 29, 2015, 04:40:46 PM
Their site lists the ingredients, not amounts or timings mind you. Also I'm surprised they don't have wheat listed in the gamma ray ingredients. Head seemed very wheaty to me.
I'll have a look, thanks.
Thanks Mac780.