Transitional recipies

I have six batches under my belt (plus 6 batches of Mr. Beer, about which we will not speak), and have thus far used Brewer's Best kits to high satisfaction from myself and my drinkers. I'd like to try something a very little bit more challenging - a non-kit recipe, but probably still an extract. One of the things I like about the Brewer's Best instructions is how they hold my hand through the process - boil this much water until this time, then add X, boil until that time, then add Y. Any suggestions for a relatively simple recipe that will transition me from the hand holding to the somewhat more abstruse recipes in the forums here?

Biermuncher's Centennial Blonde... I think there's an extract version of it in the thread.

Sounds like you may be ready for a partial mash.

I like to use Northern Brewer's website for inspiration. Look through the kits and find a beer that interests you. You can then click on the additional information tab to look at the recipe/instructions. I use Beersmith 2 and will make some substitutions to suit my whims. There are some online recipe design software sites you can use.

If you make a similar recipe you can use the instructions and timing (for the most part) that you already know. The design software will allow you to know what effect hops and addition timing will have.

Try using either beersmith or a similar program to create a to style beer that you would enjoy. Then just apply what you have learned to this batch and take seriously good notes. Utilize the knowledge from this to continue your journey. Honestly the jump from kits to your own recipes won't be that hard.

Thanks - the Centennial Blonde looks like what I'm looking for. Thanks to the rest of y'all too - I'll take a look at beersmith for my next baby step

You can check out brewtarget as well. It's a multi platform, open source program similar to beersmith.

My first really good non-kit batch was Yooper's extract English brown ale (made an Octoberfest before, but bolloxed up the fermentation temperature control). So good that I made it first when coming back from a couple-year hiatus. Very straightforward and hands-off.

Just tasted the batch of Amber ale and it was fantastic. Or, at least as fantastic as flat, warm beer in a hydrometer flask can be. The recipe was a little more hands-on than Yooper's, but nothing too crazy.

I'm also a fan of Yooper's Haus Ale. I've not done an extract version, but the all grain version is a nice hoppy pale ale. Well balanced maltiness. I keep it in my rotation.

I have a German friend who is crazy about it.

When you move up to partial mash, maybe try Biermunchers Cream of 3 Crops. You can probably PM the rice and corn with a little 2-row and fill out the rest w/ light extract. Nice ale to convert BMC drinkers to homebrew.

DubbelDachs' watermelon wheat is possibly one you could do as extract or PM. With this one you get to use watermelon juice in secondary. Very tasty brew... And I'm not a huge fan of wheats.

All right. So I'm going with Biermuncher's Centennial Blonde. I've got an extract version via Beersmith which looks pretty straightforward (time will tell - lots of things I've screwed up look pretty straightforward) except for water conditioning. I've been brewing with bottled spring water, and the results have been pleasing - is conditioning necessary at this stage? Or ever? (I must confess a desire to try using water from a local spring)

MTimonin said:

I've got an extract version via Beersmith

Click to expand...

Here's Biermuncher's own extract conversion for comparison:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/centennial-blonde-simple-4-all-grain-5-10-gall-42841/#post426430

I haven't started playing with water chemistry yet. I just use my tap water w/ campden tablets for cholrine/chloramine.

If you've used springwater in the past w/ good results, then it should be fine here.

For $25 or so Ward labs will give you a brewers water report. Using those numbers the Bru'nWater spread sheet can tell you how good/bad the water is and how to adjust it for particular styles.

But I haven't ventured there yet. So far, I'm still satisfied w/ my tap water.