recipe advice needed

I posted this at the end of another thread so I apologize for reposting it but I want to brew this today if possible. The top recipe is the original and it is good but needs to be sweeter or maltier. It has bit of a bite in the after taste, not hoppy but hard to describe. will the second recipe make a maltier beer than the first and any opinios on it before I start?





9 LBS-2 ROW
8-OZ FLAKED OATS
8-OZ CHOCOLATE MALT
8-OZ DEXTRIN
6-OZ BLACK BARLEY
2 OZ FUGGLES @ 60 MINS
.5 OZ FUGGLES @15 MINS
.5 OZ FUGGLES @ 1 MIN

EXPECTED OG-1.053
IBU----37.1
5.5 GALLON BATCH
60 MINUTE BOIL
6.5 GALLON BOIL START
Mash at 153 for 60 mins
____________________________________________________________

6 lb 2 row
3 lb vienna
8 oz flaked oats
8 oz chocolate malt
8 oz dextrin
8 oz crystal 40
6 oz black patent malt

Mash at 153 degrees for 60 minutes
double batch sparge with 185 degree water
60 minute boil
2 oz fuggles at 60 mins
.5 oz fuggles at 15 mins
.5 oz fuggles at 1 minute
pitch washed and started s-04 yeast

2nd recipe look good if you want it sweeter. The crystal and Vienna will help with that. The bite you described in the first is probably roastyness from chocolate and black malt. Too much can cause harshness.

I think adding the crystal 40 was a good move for the sweeter/maltier flavor to come out. I might add a little more of the 40 though seeing how the black patent and chocolate malts may impart that bitter flavor. Maybe bring it up 12oz or go crazy and bring it up too 16oz

Just a thought:
6 lb 2 row
3 lb vienna
8 oz flaked oats
12 oz chocolate malt
8 oz dextrin
1 lb oz crystal 40
3 oz black patent malt

Agree the harshness may be a product of the black patent and chocolate and/or water profile. The Vienna will smooth it out some and the crystal. Looks like a Porter recipe? Try adding a bit more of a darker crystal as well to add more complexity. Say stay with your 8 oz of crystal 40, but add 8 oz of maybe a crystal 60. Make sure you have your water chloride to sulphate ratio balanced or leaning towards a malty profile and that you have enough residual alkalinity to buffer the acidity of the dark malts.

What's your water profile like?

ReverseApacheMaster said:

What's your water profile like?

Click to expand...

well...ummmm i uh.....I have no idea. I run the garden hose until it is good and cold then fill the hot tank. I don't get any off flavors in the really light stuff so I don't think that is the issue. water is something I want to delve into more once I get more experience. I will say my water is so hard it hurts to take a shower lol. You can run it into a white bucket and there will be black specks of iron all over the bottom.

I agree with the harshness coming from the black barley & chocolate malt, lessen those amounts a bit (black patent in the 2nd recipe) and add another 8oz of crystal 40 or 60 if you want some more complexity & sweetness. You could also mash a bit higher to create a more unfermentable wort, and get more sweetness & body that way.

OK I kept the recipe as I had it ( the second one) as I was limited on specialty malts BUT I did mash at 155 degrees. everything went perfectly and I hit my target OG of 1.056 on the nose. It is in the fermenter. NOW I used washed and started s-04 yeast. I poutred off most of the liquid and put the yeast in the carboy and racked the beer from the boil pot onto the yeast. had bubbles in the airlock almost instantly lol.

Nice! I would be interested to know what your impressions are on the final product.