[ANDREW.GROGAN1]

This is probably a really dumb question for most of you but I have a recipe that calls for C15L malt.  What is that?

[HoosierBrew]

Crystal/caramel malt, 15 Lovibond

[ANDREW.GROGAN1]

That's what I thought...Thank you!

[HoosierBrew]

One thing, though. That's not a base malt.  Double check your recipe. Are you an all grain brewer, or just adding some grains to extract ?

[ANDREW.GROGAN1]

I was trying to make a clone.  I emailed the brewery.  I miss read the email and thought they were saying C15L as a base malt.  That's why I didn't want to assume it was Crystal.

[blatz]

it is commonly found as "english extra light crystal" fyi.

[HoosierBrew]

I was trying to make a clone.  I emailed the brewery.  I miss read the email and thought they were saying C15L as a base malt.  That's why I didn't want to assume it was Crystal.

Ok cool, because crystal is something you would typically use as more like 5-15ish% of your total, not as the base malt. Good luck.

[ANDREW.GROGAN1]

Maybe you guys can help me.  It’s a blonde ale.  It’s a tad on the sweet side but nothing crazy.  This is the response I got back from the brewery.

“We always give our recipes but don't give portions. The blonde ale has base, C15L and honey malts. One bittering addition of bravo hops and a clean ale strain.”

I am still an extract brewer but I was going to just convert the all grain recipe from them.  Unfortunately they didn’t list the base malt.

[Joe Sr.]

I would assume domestic 2-row as a base malt and 5% -10% crystal and honey.  Maybe 10% if it's sweeter.  Split the crystal and honey malt 50/50 or 75/25.  I've never used honey malt, so I'm not sure what it adds.

If you're using malt extract, I'd use whichever light extract you prefer as your base malt.  Steep the crystal and honey malt.

Clean ale strain on a domestic beer likely means Chico.  US-05 or one of the liquid strains should do it.

[ANDREW.GROGAN1]

Here is what I came up with.  Thoughts?


Briess LME - Golden Light Extract   6.000 lb
Dry Extract (DME) - Light Dry Extract   1.000 lb
Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L   8.000 oz
Honey Malt      8.000 oz

[HoosierBrew]

FWIW, if you thought the original is a tad on the sweet side, you might consider backing the honey malt to more like 4-6 oz.  It can go from nice to too much pretty easily.

[ANDREW.GROGAN1]

That's good information.  I have never used it before. 

[santoch]

(I agree with everything said above.)

Let's put some back of the envelope numbers so you can see where your recipe stands:

6x35 + 1x44 + .75x33 = ~278 gravity points
divide that by a 5.5 gal batch (to account for a bit of trub) should yield you about a 1.051 beer

They specify a single charge of Bravo in the boil (60)
For a blonde, I'd go for around 20 - 25 IBUs or a .5 BU:GU ratio.

So figuring 15%AA a half oz. at 60 in a 5.5 gal batch will give you about 27 IBUs or .4 oz will give you 22 IBUs.  Adjust up or down accordingly based on the alpha of the hops you actually get.

HTH-

[reverseapachemaster]

Unless that beer is overwhelming you with honey flavor I would use half as much honey malt.

[klickitat jim]

Can honey malt be steeped? I thought it needed to be mashed