2nd AG Recipe: What do you think? Improvement suggestions?

Boski51 · 10-13-2011, 07:19 PM

I am wondering about the malt-ness of this recipe. I am looking for a malter beer, but not a malt bomb. Just something very drinkable with a sweet/biscuit flavor with a touch of hops to make it interesting. what are your thoughts about the addition of the Honey Malt Gain @ 2#? With it be overpoweringly honey flavor?

Any suggestions or observations will be appreciated.

Boski

Recipe Specifications
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Boil Size: 6.85 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.72 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.00 gal
Bottling Volume: 4.75 gal
Estimated OG: 1.049 SG
Estimated Color: 18.8 SRM
Estimated IBU: 27.8 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 66.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 72.6 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
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Amt Name Type # %/IBU
7 lbs Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 2 70.0 %
4.0 oz Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 4 2.5 %
4.0 oz Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 5 2.5 %
4.0 oz Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 6 2.5 %
4.0 oz Special Roast (50.0 SRM) Grain 7 2.5 %
1.00 oz Challenger [7.50 %] - Boil 50.0 min Hop 8 27.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Fuggles [4.50 %] - Boil 1.0 min Hop 10 0.7 IBUs
1.0 pkg London Ale Yeast (Wyeast Labs #1028) [12 Yeast 11 -
1.00 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 9 -
1.00 tbsp PH 5.2 Stabilizer (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent 1 -
2 lbs Honey Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 3 20.0 %

Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 10 lbs
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Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 21.60 qt of water at 158.1 F 152.0 F 60 min

Sparge: Fly sparge with 3.05 gal water at 168.0 F
Notes:
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Created with BeerSmith 2 - http://www.beersmith.com
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**Bmorebrew** · 10-13-2011, 07:28 PM

Your BU/GU is about 0.57, slightly on the hoppier side of things. Maybe bring it down to about 20 IBU to be in the middle of the "slightly malty" category. Here is a chart:
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f37/hop-malt-balance-57129/

I've never used a lot of honey malt, but from what I've read, 20% is about the max you might want to use, but I can't speak from personal experience.

One more thing I would do is omit the 5.2 buffer - the best thing it will do is close to nothing, and the worst it can do is make your beer salty.

Boski51 · 10-13-2011, 08:49 PM

Thanks for the link. That helped alot! I am looking at lowering the Honey Malt and the hops a bit.