Mixing 3 types of hops or not? here is what I have...

1.0 oz of each:
Nugget
Crystal
Cascade

If you more experienced brewers had these hops on hand and a 1lb bag of Carmel 20 grains, 1lb DME (sparkling Amber), and only 3.15lb of LME (Amber), and some corn sugar to make a 5gal batch how would you utilize these hops I have on hand?

How much corn sugar should I add I was thinking .75-1lb to make up the missing LME??

1LB DME
3.15 LB LME

0.5 oz Crystal 60m(depending on AA%)
1oz Cascade 5m

US-05

Should give you a easy drinking red beer.

I wouldn't add the Corn sugar. With a beer that small it will just dry it out and probably taste funny.

Amber will already have crystal in it. Adding more would probably be overkill.

When you say small do you mean because I am short on the LME; I do have to place another order soon do you think I should get some more LME?

Thanks for the advice!

Yes that is what I mean. I would get another 3.15lb LME. With what you have now you will only get to about a 1.028 OG. Probably only 3% abv. I never consider adding corn sugar until I get over 6lb LME. If you are going to get more LME you could also get a few more ingredients and go several ways with your recipe. I make a nice cream stout with amber LME for example.

Do you think I could use more grain instead of the LME without any special equipment? I was almost thinking about going with 3lbs of 2-row pale and 1lb of Munic malt, then letting it steep for 1 hr in say 2.5-3 gallons @ 150 degrees in addition to what I have.

RMS said:

Do you think I could use more grain instead of the LME without any special equipment? I was almost thinking about going with 3lbs of 2-row pale and 1lb of Munic malt, then letting it steep for 1 hr in say 2.5-3 gallons @ 150 degrees in addition to what I have.

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That would be a partial mash. I have no experience with those.

OK; I will go with your original idea sounds good to me!

Thanks

As a partial mash, that would work okay. You might read up a bit on "Brew in a bag".

Well, I decided to just make a test experiment so in three separate .8 gallon batches using what I have. So I have 3 - 1 gallon wine jugs each filled just above the label, I estimate that at about .75-.8 of a gallon.

Jug 1 has only Nugget hops 0.5 oz.
Jug 2 has only Crystal hops 0.5 oz.
Jug 3 has about 80% Cascade 0.5 oz., and 10% each of the other two at 0.2 oz. (estimated).

I seeped the grains in 2 gallons of hot water for 45 mins, added the DME, brought it to a gentle boil. I then divided that up into 2 other pots so I had 3 small pots of the Wort. Then I added the different hops in each pot.

I just hope the yeast I had in my refrigerator for the last 6 months comes to life because I have no back up.

Interesting note now about 8 hours later that the jugs are perking in order and sequence as to the yeast pitching, kind of neat.

I guess I am lucky so far that the yeast is coming to life now.

The four 12 packs in back are John Q. Adams now carbonating and in about a week will be moved to my cellar.

Interested to know how they turned out.

Pseudoname said:

Interested to know how they turned out.

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Not good; I had too much of the specialty grains and not enough of the pilsner 2 row. But I had a previous batch that was the opposite so I mixed the two. This will go down as a learning experience.

But the John Q. Adams kit came out pretty good.