Joemama474

Recipes 

Hi!

I've got two all extract batches under my belt now (about to bottle the second and more or less enjoying the first) thanks to a Mr. Beer kit the wife got me for my birhday in early December. I've read How to Brew, as well as a couple other books, I've read alot on the forum, including the behemoth that is the Mr. Beer thread, and DB's thread on partial mash. I cut and pasted a mumber of the recipes given in the Mr. Beer thread (thanks for those, by the way) and with list clutched in sweaty hand I went to the LHBS and discovered that some of the ingredients I wanted weren't there.

So I improvised. Here's what I have available at the moment.

3lb Amber DME
1lb Crystal 20L
1lb Belgian Carapils
A buttload of corn sugar (there is an Apfelwein in the works)
1oz of Cascade Pellets, 7.5 AAU
1oz of Cascade Leaf, 8.2 AAU
1 Packet Safale S-04
1 Packet Safalt US-05
1 Packet RedStar Montrachet

I plugged some numbers into Beer Calculus and came up with the following recipe which will supposedly result in a beer that will comply with the BJCP guidelines for an American IPA, which just happens to be a favorite style of mine:

3lb Amber DME
10oz Belgian Carapils
8oz Crystal 20L

And then varying combinations of portions of hops at various time frames for the desired amount of bitterness.

The yeast would be the Safale US-05.

The estimated OG is 1.064, estimated FG 1.017, and estimated ABV is 6.3%. The IBU rating can be ranged up into the 80s.

This recipe will be a 2.5 gallon batch fermented in the Mr. Beer. Secondary is not available at the moment.

Here are my questions:
1. Do the ingredients listed above seem properly proportioned and correct for a beer of this type? My research indicates that the ingredients themselves are OK, I'm most curious about the proportions.
2. What does "60 IBU" translate to in a finished brew? I love me some hops, but if it's any more hoppy, or should I say less balanced, than say a Bell's Two Hearted, I probably won't enjoy it as much.
3. Hop additions: I've read a lot about this, some say use the leaf for bittering and pellets for aroma. Others say the opposite. What does this group think?

I didn't intend to "create" a recipe on my first partial mash. I was hoping to replicate the work of others, but it doesn't appear I have that luxury at the moment. The other thing I'm open to is if someone has a better idea for what I could do with the items listed above. I'm a sponge.

I appreciate your time.

Thanks,

Joe

jsullivan02130

Recipes 

1. Looks fine.

2. 60 IBUs will be more bitter than a Bell's. If you don't want that, back off on the 60 minute hops. Check out this chart for reference.

3. There is no answer to this question, only many answers. Personally I have moved mostly to pellets for everything. Try both and see which you prefer. Both work fine.

__________________
"There is nothing in brewing so complicated that a little effort can't make even more complicated."

Joemama474

Recipes 

Awesome. Thank you!

Joemama474

Recipes 

I brewed this beer two days ago. I did a nice long steep and sparge with the specialty grains, and added the hops in 4 additions, finishing with .75oz of leaf at flameout. I took an SG reading, but the wort was still pretty hot (greater than 90F) and before I put it in the fermenter and realized I was about 3 quarts shy of the 2.5 gallon batch size. Then I completely spaced off retaking the SG after topping off with water. So at 1.75 gallons, the SG was 1.093, but what it was at 2.5 gallons I don't know. I pitched the yeast and have it in a spot in the basement that stays a steady 68-69 degrees. Nice foaming in 24 hours. High krausen in 48. I plan to leave it in primary for 4 weeks or so, then bottle, and I don't intend to crack one open until they've conditioned for at least 6 weeks at 70 plus two weeks in the fridge. Exciting!

mojotele

Recipes 

If I'm doing my math correct (and I'm prone to dumb mistakes when it comes to math), if your OG reading was 1.093 at 90*F and 1.75 gallons, your OG reading calibrated to 60*F at 2.5 gallons should be about 1.069.

It may be a bit higher since you say the temperature was warmer than 90*F.

Joemama474

Recipes 

It was warmer, but not even 2 degrees warmer. How did you come up with your numbers? I knew there must be a way...

mojotele

Recipes 

Well, the fermentables/starches in your wort that affect gravity don't change by just adding water. So, you're really just diluting things. Logically, the gravity should be lower after adding your water. After that, it's just ratios:

OGP - original "gravity points" (the decimal portion of your OG)
OV - original volume
NV - new volume
NGP - new gravity points

(OV/NV)*OGP = NGP
(1.75/2.5)*93 = 65.1

So your gravity at 90*F should've been 1.0651 (or 1.065). Do a standard hydrometer correction and you get 1.069 at 60*F.

Joemama474

Recipes 

That's what I was wondering about... I'm not mathematically minded enough to pluck that formula out of the information available. Badass.

mojotele

Recipes 

Cool. It's better to always mix things up real well after adding your water then take your hydrometer reading. But, I think this gives a pretty good estimate if you mess up a bit

Joemama474

Recipes 

I bottled this bad boy today. I was very excited to see the FG, but SWMBO "accidentally" threw away the sample tube from my hydrometer. Grrrr. She gave some excuse about "not leaving things out"... Chicks. Anyhoo, I took the smallest sample and that stuff is GOOD!. I'm stoked for the conditioning process. I primed with corn sugar to what ought to end up around 2.4. I will try to leave it alone for 6 weeks to condition, plus two more in the bottle, but I'm not sure I'm going to have that kind of restraint. Three weeks may have to do.