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kjjohns5 · 03-09-2010, 09:54 PM

Hello, all! I've been doing extract brews for the last couple of months (only 3), and I'm going to be building a mash-tun this weekend, as well as purchasing a larger pot to boil whole 5 gallon batches in. I'll then make my own immersion cooling coil within the next couple of weeks and hopefully do my first AG at the end of the month.

I made a recipe about a week ago, before I was planing on moving on up to AG, for my gf's birthday. She, like me, LOVES really bitter beers. My personal favorite beer is Stone Ruination IPA (7.7%, 100+ IBU) and she's equally obsessed with it. Like me as well, she's really into homebrew, but doesn't understand it as much as I do... yet. LOL, I'm teaching her as I learn.

Anyway, I originally wrote this recipe as an extract. Over the last 2 days, I got BeerAlchemy and have not been able to stop playing with it, lol. I converted her "Birthday Celebration Ale" into an AG recipe. Just seeing if I can get some feedback on it?

Birthday Celebration Ale:

Grains: 2-Row 8 lb 8 oz; Carapils 2 lb; Caramel 40L 2 lb; Caramel Munich 1 lb; US Chocolate Malt 0.5 oz
Hops: Chinook 1 oz (60 min); Chinook 1 oz (45 min); Chinook 1 oz (40 min); Centennial 1 oz (5 min); Simcoe 1 oz (DH)
Yeast: White Labs California Ale (WLP001)
Misc: Irish Moss (15 min)

BeerAlchemy shows OG at 1.073, FG at 1.016, ABV 7.6%, 111.8 IBU.

What do you think?

KayaBrew · 03-09-2010, 10:11 PM

I don't see any base malt in there...am I missing it? You've got way too much crystal malt in there. 2lbs of any crystal is a lot, but you've got over 6 pounds of crystal. You need to start off with some US 2-row or other base malt, and build from there. Experiment with Beer Alchemy, but IMHO, you need to dial the crystal malts waaay back. Like maybe use .25 pounds each of the 20L and 60L

**ajf** · 03-09-2010, 10:12 PM

With no base malt, 7 lbs crystal and a dash of chocolate, you're going to have a very unbalanced beer. You need to keep the crystal down to < 20%, and many of us think < 10% is better.

-a.

**DeathBrewer** · 03-09-2010, 10:13 PM

Am I reading this right? 7 lbs of Crystal Malt? Is this a 5 gallon batch? Where is your base malt?

EDIT: lol...beat me to it.

KayaBrew · 03-09-2010, 10:17 PM

Try something like this:

9 pounds US 2-row (or Maris Otter or Golden Promise)
.25 lbs Crystal 20L
.25 lbs Crystal 60L
.5 lbs Carapils

Just for starters, just a humble suggestion...

kjjohns5 · 03-09-2010, 10:52 PM

Sorry, I need to edit it. I'll edit it after dinner... lol, my father messed with my BeerAlchemy recipe to play around with the program, last night. The recipe is way off. My fault.

DavidSteel · 03-09-2010, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjjohns5

Sorry, I need to edit it, hang on.

Carapils is not a base. Just drop that and do this:

12lbs 2-row
12oz Caramel 60
12oz Carapils
6oz Chocolate
6oz (Caramel) Munich

**artguy** · 03-09-2010, 11:11 PM

Since folks have already dealt with issues in the grain bill, I have suggestions about the hops. I would tend to concentrate hop additions at 60 minutes (where they'll contribute most bitterness) and >20 minutes (when they'll contribute more to the flavor and aroma). So, without changing the overall bitterness much, you could do 2 oz. of Chinook @ 60 minutes and 1 oz. @ 15 minutes (and skip the 45 & 40 minute Chinook additions). Just my opinion, though, not a right/wrong thing.

Doc Robinson · 03-09-2010, 11:22 PM

Stone Ruination IPA Clone (out of BYO Magazine):

5 gallons
OG - 1.072
FG - 1.012
IBU - 100+
SRM - 12

14 lb. 2 oz. 2-row
14 oz. Crystal 15
36 AAU Magnum @ 90 minutes
16 AAU Centennial @ 15 minutes
2 oz Centennial whole hops (Dry Hop)
White Labs WLP002

Mash at 149. Ferment at 68.

And there you have it.

**DeathBrewer** · 03-09-2010, 11:22 PM

Also, there is no way we can calculate hop bitterness without the alpha acid content.