Help w/Pliny

chefLenT · 10-23-2009, 09:37 PM

I'm new to all grain and I'm brewing a batch of Pliny the Elder from AHB tomorrow.I'm using brewsmith and I'm not sure which mash profile to select.My equipment is 48qt. cooler and 8.75 gal. brewpot.Also,should I lower the brewhouse efficiency since I don't have extra grain to compensate for batch sparging ?Or run to my LHBS and get some?
11.54 lbs. pale malt
.88 lbs. carapils
.25 lbs. crystal 40

zman · 10-23-2009, 09:39 PM

I just created my own profile in beersmith since I have a Coleman Xtreme 72qt cooler. I would get the extra grain if you can. I did the recipe from Zymurgy and although it is a little on the cloudy side I think it came out pretty close to the real thing

**weirdboy** · 10-23-2009, 09:48 PM

I would lower the brewhouse efficiency just because it's your first time, and mistakes happen.

Do you have any DME or LME? I usually keep some on hand in case I miss my target preboil gravity, so I can just throw a pound or two in and bump it back up at the beginning of the boil.

I'm not sure what you mean by extra grain to compensate for batch sparging. There is nothing inherently inefficient about batch sparging IME. I have gotten 90% efficiency in my cooler doing batch sparging.

Unless you've done a few/several AG batches and are consistently getting lower efficiency, I would NOT add extra grain to the recipe. I would do as I mentioned above with adjusting your preboil using DME or LME. The problem is that if you get normal or good efficiency, say, because AHS mills the grain finer than you're used to, then you could end up being way higher than your target gravity which is harder to adjust for if you have a smaller BK and fermenter.

fineexampl · 10-23-2009, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zman

I just created my own profile in beersmith since I have a Coleman Xtreme 72qt cooler. I would get the extra grain if you can. I did the recipe from Zymurgy and although it is a little on the cloudy side I think it came out pretty close to the real thing

x2 on the cloudy. it's pretty good stuff though. i based mine on the Zymurgy version and i upped the malt and added extra Simcoe in the boil. It's damn drinkable stuff.

zman · 10-23-2009, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fineexampl

x2 on the cloudy. it's pretty good stuff though. i based mine on the Zymurgy version and i upped the malt and added extra Simcoe in the boil. It's damn drinkable stuff.

It was the first IIPA I ever made and since hops prices are at reasonable levels again I will be brewing it again soon

chefLenT · 10-23-2009, 10:30 PM

Which mash profile in brewsmith do you guys think I should use?

**humann_brewing** · 10-23-2009, 10:32 PM

If this is one of your first all grain beers, I would wait on this beer. You want to nail this one by th enumbers if you are going to spend that much IMO

bhatchable · 10-23-2009, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by humann_brewing

If this is one of your first all grain beers, I would wait on this beer. You want to nail this one by th enumbers if you are going to spend that much IMO

+1
that is an expensive hop bill for a first AG attempt. I would start with some easy beers, perhaps some SMaSH's to dial in your process.

Schnitzengiggle · 10-23-2009, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by humann_brewing

If this is one of your first all grain beers, I would wait on this beer. You want to nail this one by th enumbers if you are going to spend that much IMO

+1 do a simple recipe such as a Bitter or SMaSH, or the like, something very KISS.

For example:
8 lbs MO
1 lb Crystal 60L
.5 lb Victory or Toasted malt

1 oz Saaz or Fuggles or Kent Goldings 60min
.5 oz Kent goldings 20 min

Mash @ 154 for 60-75 minutes
boil for 90 minutes

This recipe is simple and inexpensive (these are the two major pointsto be concerned with brewing your first AG) dial in your process with your first AG then once you are comfortable with it brew something at a higher level.

I know with my first AG, I brewed a very simple 5 gallon batch basically what I listed above to make sure I would end up with a very drinakble beer that was most importantly easy to make. Just my .02c

Scut_Monkey · 10-24-2009, 12:16 AM

Yeah sorry to crap on your parade but it's not an easy AG recipe to do. It's not like launching a space shuttle hard but it definitely is more difficult.