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Almost time for my 5th batch...can't believe I've been doing this a year already (I know, i know, only five in one year, sue me)

Probably gonna get this going after new years. I'd like to brew something I can drink through the spring season.

So any suggestions on a light colored, easy to drink ale?

I'm an extract brewer ps, and would be willing to try late addition to get that light color if need be.
 
Here's my Cream Ale:

4 lbs - American 2-Row
2.5 lbs - Pilsener 2-Row
0.5 lbs - Vienna Malt
0.5 lbs - Munich Malt
1 lbs - Flaked Corn
1 lbs - Flake Wheat

0.5 oz fuggle + 0.25 oz saaz @ 60 minutes (bittering)
0.5 oz saaz @ 5 minutes (aroma)

WLP080 - Cream Ale Yeast Blend (ferment 60-65°F)
 
Thats a good recipe from DB and a good chance to jump up to Partial Mashing, which makes you realize, AG is easy. Here is the PM adjusted Recipe with instructions. Turne out good for me.

Grain Bill:
0.50 lbs Vienna Malt
0.50 lbs Flaked Wheat
1.00 lbs Flaked Corn
1.00 lbs American 2-Row

Extract (add before your 60 minute boil):
4 lbs of Light Dry Malt Extract
Add with 15-20 minutes left for Late Addition or Before bringing to a Boil as per directions.

Hops:
1.00 oz Hallertau for 60 minutes
0.50 oz Saaz for 20 minutes

Yeast:
White Labs WLP080 Cream Ale Yeast Blend


Procedure
1.375 Quarts water per lb of grain (1.375* 3Lbs of Grain)= 4.125 Quarts Water.
Heat Water to 161 in pot.
Pour water into Mashtun and let sit till water cools to 155-156
Dump in grains while stirring to prevent dough balls.
Take Mash Temp (Should be 154)
Make note of water level
Close lid on Mashtun. Let Mash for 45 minutes.
While this is Mashing Start bringing 1.5 Gallons of water to a boil in main pot.
Drain Wort through strainer to prevent husks/pieces from entering pot. Prevent splashing as much as possible.
Will have 1 Gallon and 1/8 quart wort.
Add 170* water on top of grains (set something flat on top of grain bed to pour onto to water spreads over grains) to fill back to original level noted previously.
Add this wort to 1.5 gallons boiling in brew pot for boil volume of 2.53125 Gallons.
Bring to Rolling Boil.
Add 1.00oz of Hallertau Hops
Add 0.50oz o Saaz Hops at 20 minutes remaining.
Add 4lbs Light DME at 15 minutes remaining.
Cool wort to 65-70*
Pitch Yeast
Store 65-70*F

Estimated OG = 1.051 SG
Estimated FG = 1.013 SG
Estimated ABV = 5.01%
Estimated Color = 6.0 SRM
227 Calories/Pint.
 
I notice DB that your recipe now uses fuggles instead of hallertau. Was that how it was always? maybe I switched due to lack of fuggles at HBS. Don't remember
 
i had bad documentation when i originally made the recipe. once i finally pieced it together from notes and posts on forums, i saw that i had used fuggle and saaz. the hallertau was what i originally intended, but i couldn't get any at the time. i think i gave you the original "intended" recipe, converted to PM.

it would be good with the hallertau, but i think the fuggle and saaz really make a difference...adds a nice slight, soft spiciness.
 
That recipe actually sound delicious.

Beersmith is telling me my IBUs are too high though, 26, when the style is 15-20. Should I drop the Hallertau down a bit? I guess the late extract could be skewing this a bit.

And doing a PM shouldn't be too tough for me...all I would need to buy is a strainer, other than that it looks simple enough.
 
Hefeweizen! Nothing beats the effervescent spiciness of a good hefe on a bright spring day! I was going to brew this recipe but ended up doing a PM version that DB helped me put together. I think this would be a very good extract hefe though (I can give you the PM version if you want).

5 gal partial boil hefeweizen (assumes you are boiling around 3 gal):

-Steep .25 lb carapils and .33 lb munich malt. Some will say not to steep munich -- feel free to read up on that and make your own decision the beer will be good either way.
-Once you have a boil, add 2 lbs wheat DME and 1 oz Mt. Hood hops (3% AA).
-After 45 min of boil, add 3 lbs wheat DME
-Get it boiling again and wait 10 min
-Cool and pitch Wyeast 3068. This yeast is necessary for the Hefe.
-Really try to keep the fermentation temp between 60 and 65 but don't worry.
-Prime, bottle, let it carb, and enjoy!
 
that sounds good, if you want a flavor addition. i usually just do a bittering and a soft aroma.

it depends on your Alpha Acid content, too. be sure to check that out.
 
Ok so I picked up the majority of my ingredients:
4 lbs of Muttons extra light DME
My LHBS had both Fuggle (in plugs) and Saaz (in pellets) in stock, so I got an oz of each (so I'll have some extra afterwards).

Also got Beersmith to agree with me finally, and set it for both a partial mash and a late addition, and I adjusted my hops:
1oz fuggle 60 mins, .5 oz saaz for 5 mins, for 15.8 IBUs, which sounds perfect.

Didn't pick up the grains yet as I won't be brewing until I'm back at school around the 5th.

One question, I've always used dry yeast, and am curious as to the methods behind using a liquid yeast. Will I need a starter for a liquid yeast?
 
a starter always helps. this is a fairly light beer, however, and a starter is not required.

will you be able to maintain the fermentation temp in the low 60s? that is the most important part of this style, especially when using WLP080. i usually ferment mine in the upper 50s to low 60s.
 
a starter always helps. this is a fairly light beer, however, and a starter is not required.

will you be able to maintain the fermentation temp in the low 60s? that is the most important part of this style, especially when using WLP080. i usually ferment mine in the upper 50s to low 60s.

My garage at school in the winter should be right around there, ill take a temp reading before, and relocate my carboy closer or further from the garage door if need be.
 
OK, so the brewing is complete...PM is pretty easy, once I was able to get my mash temp right.

Undershot my volume by about half a gallon, much more evaporation than I thought, but since I shot my IBUs for the top of the style, I should be fine.

Basement temp is hovering around 60 during the day, 54 at night. Put my bucket off the ground and wrapped in a towel to insure that I'll have a more even temp distribution throughout the day. Pitched with Nottingham, and I'll expect bubbling late tonight (Nottingham always starts very fast for me, although the temp could affect that)

Forgot to take an OG though :(...
 
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