Messages

286

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: Tweaking a red recipe

« on: February 14, 2012, 04:34:48 AM »

Briess Pilsen Extra Light Liquid Extract 6 lbs, 9.6 oz
Briess Golden Light Dry Extract 1 lbs
Briess Victory 8 oz
Briess 2 Row Caramel 40  8 oz
Briess 2 Row Caramel 120    8 oz
Weyermann Cara Amber ® 6 oz
Briess Pilsen (Extra) Light Dry Extract 4 oz
Briess 2 Row Carapils  4 oz
Crisp Pale Chocolate Malt    2 oz
Crisp Chocolate Malt    2 oz
Cascade Pellets 1 oz @ 60 mins
Amarillo Pellets    1 oz @ 10 mins
Cascade Pellets 2 oz @ Dry
Irish Moss powder
SAFALE US-05 American Ale

Website calculates:
IBU 24.4
SRM 17.86
ABV 6.03

This is fun!  I wish I knew more about how these ingredients work, but over time I'm sure I will learn a lot.  How about this version?

287

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: Tweaking a red recipe

« on: February 13, 2012, 05:56:24 PM »

Oh, and I'll be using bottled spring water.  Any conditioners, clarifiers, whirlfloc/irish moss, 5.2 powder etc that you guys would recommend?

288

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: Tweaking a red recipe

« on: February 13, 2012, 05:45:52 PM »

Ooo, I just realized the base kit was supposed to be about 5%, I guess adding a few more malts would up that somewhere near the right amount?  How about this tweakage...

Briess Pilsen Extra Light Liquid Extract  6 lbs, 9.6 oz
Briess Victory 8 oz
Briess 2 Row Caramel 120  8 oz
Briess 2 Row Caramel 40  8 oz
*Gambrinus Honey Malt  4 oz
*Briess 2 Row Carapils   4 oz
*Crisp chocolate malt, 2oz
*Weyerman Cara Amber, 2oz
Crisp Chocolate Pale Malt   2 oz
Amarillo Pellets  1 oz @ 60 mins
Cascade Pellets  1 oz @ 10 mins
*Cascade Pellets, 1.5 oz Dry Hop
SAFALE S-04  

If it comes out perfectly red, great.  If it comes out a little brown and a damn tasty beer, even better!!

289

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: Milk stout recipe

« on: February 13, 2012, 04:34:36 PM »

I went with the beginning of the boil for the lactose.  I'm not experienced enough to know the difference.  I will report on how this one comes out in about six weeks!

  It's the lack of experience with this recipe that made me recommend adding it later.  I'm sure it will be fine though.

Is there an obvious scientific reason why one method is better than the other?  Or is there an "experience and taste" reason, even if not quantifiably scientific, that would make one way better?

290

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Tweaking a red recipe

« on: February 13, 2012, 04:28:49 PM »

Tell me what you guys think of this recipe:

Briess Pilsen Extra Light Liquid Extract  6 lbs, 9.6 oz
Briess Victory  0 lbs, 8 oz
Briess 2 Row Caramel 120  8 oz
Briess 2 Row Caramel 40  8 oz
*Gambrinus Honey Malt  0 lbs, 4 oz
*Briess 2 Row Carapils  0 lbs, 4 oz
Crisp Chocolate Malt  0 lbs, 2 oz
Amarillo Pellets  1 oz @ 60 mins
Cascade Pellets  1 oz @ 10 mins
*Cascade Pellets, 1.5 oz Dry Hop
SAFALE S-04 

It's a straight up red type beer kit, but I added in a little bit of malts and the dry hops.  I want to brew a really hoppy red something between Stone Levitation and Green Flash Hop Head Red, but with about 6.5% ABV.  I haven't ordered yet and I can order anything I want in one ounce increments.

* ingredients I added to the base kit

291

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: Milk stout recipe

« on: February 13, 2012, 03:51:12 PM »

Here is the exact recipe and procedure I'm using for my sweet stout.  I'm brewing it right now:

Sweet Stout

That recipe looks good! I actually just did a sweet stout and split the batch with WLP 002 and WLP 005.  I do enjoy both strains in sweet stouts but now have a nice side by side to go by when theyre ready.

Oh and the lactose...toms suggestion works. Some folks add it at the beginning of the boil others like myself and I believe Left Hand also add the lactose in the last 15 minutes of the boil.

I went with the beginning of the boil for the lactose.  I'm not experienced enough to know the difference.  I will report on how this one comes out in about six weeks!

292

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: Questions on my first batch, 5 gallon kit

« on: February 12, 2012, 11:52:54 AM »

What do the instructions say on the package of yeast? I find optimum results with rehydration before pitching. I almost exclusively use dry yeast.

Package has little info on it, just saying pitch between 15-24C.  I got the info from the website.  There is a rehydration method and an alternate direct pitching method.  For ease, and because my last batch worked well with direct pitching, I chose the simpler method.  I may try the rehydration method next time though (if using dry yeast again). 

293

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: Questions on my first batch, 5 gallon kit

« on: February 12, 2012, 11:26:48 AM »

When circumstances allow, I eventually plan to do the keg thing.  Right now that would be impractical.  

BTW this time I'm doing my yeast a bit different.  I aerated in advance, then I'm going to pitch the yeast according to the alternate directions on the website:

Alternatively, pitch dry yeast directly in the fermentation vessel providing the temperature of the wort is above 20C. Progressively sprinkle the dry yeast into the wort ensuring the yeast covers all the surface of wort available in order to avoid clumps. Leave for 30 minutes and then mix the wort e.g. using aeration.

Only deviation is that I've already aerated the wort, and plan to stir gently instead of aerating after pitching.

Anyone have any comment on that method?  

The yeast is safale S-04

294

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: BTV - Episode 55: All About Stouts

« on: February 12, 2012, 10:39:29 AM »

Great link!  I'm watching more of those shows now

295

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Brew-a-thon

« on: February 12, 2012, 08:50:11 AM »

Just got done with the last cleanup. As I walked from the barn to the house I noticed a nice full moon in a winter sky.....this MAY have had something to do with this.....

The full moon hypothesis has just been confirmed as fact.

I think I need to get a few more brewing buckets... 

296

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: Milk stout recipe

« on: February 12, 2012, 08:11:36 AM »

Here is the exact recipe and procedure I'm using for my sweet stout.  I'm brewing it right now:

Sweet Stout

297

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: Milk stout recipe

« on: February 10, 2012, 04:53:53 AM »

@alcapone

Sweeat Stouts usually have Lactose added to them so do add some of that! anywhere from a 1/2 lb to full pound is usually the sweet spot depending on how sweet you want the beer.

A good question to ask you guys is what do YOU want out of the beer. What flavors and mouthfeel are you looking for?

Thanks for mentioning that!  Actually I just went and looked, and there is a pound of lactose in the kit that I forgot to mention... 

298

All Grain Brewing / Re: Cranberry brew?

« on: February 08, 2012, 05:38:27 PM »

Yeah, please post the recipe.  Sounds delicious!

299

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: Milk stout recipe

« on: February 08, 2012, 04:58:28 PM »

Oh, and BTW I got this sweet stout recipe as a kit.  I only modified my English IPA by dry hopping it, otherwise it too was a kit.  I don't want to sound like I've personally selected all this stuff myself... LOL

300

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: Milk stout recipe

« on: February 08, 2012, 04:52:02 PM »

both recipes sound good, I'm a little nervous to jump from a kit to a choosing my ingredients, after-all this will be a my second attempt at a home brew. I may do some more research on the grains and other stuff to see the differences before i brew, any suggestions would be appreciated. and good luck to you as well alcaponejunior

I'm just going for it!!  I plan to brew every two or three weeks, depending on life's schedule.  Actually, I thought your kit looked a little better, with more specialty grains than mine, but I'm just as new as you, so who really knows?

My last batch, an "English" IPA that very well might not be very English at all, I went ahead and diverged from the recipe and dry hopped.  I'm willing to take some chances and experiment!

But now I digress... I did a lot of research, and I still am, but after tasting the first bottle of my first 5.5 gallon batch, I am far less worried now than I was before.  See links in my sig if you want the whole story.  Al's Celebration Ale is damn good though, albeit mostly due to the expertise of Old Guy.  My second batch, the English IPA, is all me, and we shall soon see how it comes out!  

I love this forum because of all the newbies that I can ride along with, and get commentary from the experienced brewers.

Good luck man!  Keep me posted, I'll do the same.