first partial extract - request advice on recipe

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burrnini

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Hi everyone,

I've brewed a half dozen mr. beer kits and am looking to move up in the world. i plan to begin my foray into partial extract brewing using my mr. beer fermentor (2.5 gallons).

I want to make a variation on the irish amber ale (because it is delicious!) and came up with this recipe:

Malt:
3lbs amber LME (42 points)
.5lbs honey malt (4 points)
1lb caramel 60L (7.2 points)
.25lb special B (1.6 points)

estimated OG = 1.055

Hops:
amarillo .5oz @ 30 min = 23 IBU
cascade 1 ox @ 15 min = 10 IBU

total IBU = 33

estimate FG = i have no idea how to calculate this

I'm not sure if I calculated the IBUs right. I used the formula IBU = AAU * utilization * 75 / volume. I assumed a full 2.5 gallon boil and used the U chart in How to Brew. When I did that I got for the amarillo hops (1oz@60min) 9*.22*75/2.5 = 59.4 which seemed awfully high to me. did i do something wrong?

and, if I did calculate IBUs correctly, should i still boil for a full hour and just add the hops halfway through or should i boil for 30 minutes and add the hops at the beginning?

Any advice on type/ratio of malted barley and hops would be greatly appreciated!

THANKS!!
 
I'm not great with math, so I use brewing software to help calculate. A couple of notes on the recipe, first. That's a LOT of crystal malt and honey malt. I mean, alot. I would maybe use that much crystal in a 5 gallon batch, but half the honey malt. So, for a 2.5 gallon batch, I'd use no more than .5 pound of crystal, and .25 pound of honey malt. Probably less on the honey malt and special B, though, unless you want this cloyingly sweet. With the amounts in there now, it'll be sweet like syrup. The Special B is very dark, so you're not going to have a red beer- this will be black.

Also, honey malt and special B must be mashed. You'd need to add a pound of 2-row into the grain bag for "steeping" it, and steep it (mash it) at 153 for 45 minutes.

I'd get rid of the honey malt for starters, and cut the crystal in half. If you want to use the Special B, maybe leave out the crystal entirely. Amber LME has some crystal in it, so you're really doubling up (or tripling up) on the crystal.

I'll look at the hopping in a second.
 
Thank you for the quick reply!

Going off how to brew honey malt can be steeped, but i've seen online that it both can and can't so i'm not sure. I love honey so i'd like to keep some honey malt for the honey flavor.

i'm not particularly wedded to the special B...i only added it because most of the recipes i could find had special B or toasted malted barley in it so i just assumed it is part of the style. i have no problem dropping it.

i'll recalculate the proportions once i finish dinner.

thanks!
 
As far as the hops, I love amarillo and cascade hops. Together, they are a grapefruit bonanza! To me, there isn't a better combo out there for American pale ales and IPAs. For an Irish red, though, it's really out of place.

I'd recommend UK hops for an Irish red. East Kent Goldings or fuggles would be great. Even willamette would be good.
 
Updated recipe:

Malt:
3 lbs amber LME (42 points)
.25 lbs honey malt (2 points)
1 lb 2-row (10 points)
.5 lb crystal 60L (3.6 points)

estimated OG = 1.0576

Hops:
amarillo .5oz @ 30 min = 23 IBU
cascade 1 ox @ 15 min = 10 IBU

total IBU = 33 (roughly)

estimate FG = i have no idea how to calculate this
 
As far as the hops, I love amarillo and cascade hops. Together, they are a grapefruit bonanza! To me, there isn't a better combo out there for American pale ales and IPAs. For an Irish red, though, it's really out of place.

that's part of the reason I chose them...haha. but you're point is well taken.

it seems we crossed posted so give me a short bit of time to redo the hops.
 
Thank you for the quick reply!

Going off how to brew honey malt can be steeped, but i've seen online that it both can and can't so i'm not sure. I love honey so i'd like to keep some honey malt for the honey flavor.

i'm not particularly wedded to the special B...i only added it because most of the recipes i could find had special B or toasted malted barley in it so i just assumed it is part of the style. i have no problem dropping it.

i'll recalculate the proportions once i finish dinner.

thanks!

One thing nice in an Irish red is a toasted finish. Not really roasty like you'll get in a stout, but kind of a roasted dryness in the finish. According to Brewing Classic Styles (a great book, by the way!) Jamil says of the keys to a great Irish red, " a malt-focused beer with an initial sweetness and a roasted dryness in the finish". "it's important to use restraint with dark malts, caramel malts, and hops in this style. If any one of the elements is out of balance, it's going to cover up the toasted notes that are key to the overall background of the beer".

You're going to want to ferment on the cool side, so you minimize any esters, but warm enough that it attenuates well enough so it doesn't have a sweet finish. Think about fermenting it with Irish ale yeast, or S-05 (dry).

Jamils recipe (5 gallons) is:

8 pounds English pale ale LME
6 ounces of crystal 40
6 ounces of crystal 120
6 ounces of roasted barley

1.25 EKG at 60 minutes.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't use what you like in your beer! If you're really into honey malt, then you should use it. But consider what the other ingredients bring as well, and make sure you consider the balance of the bitter/sweet/toasty/hoppy. You don't want a syrupy mish mash if you want to brew an Irish red.

My Irish red recipe (not really mine, I "stole" it from this site!) is still in primary. The recipe (again, five gallons- cut in half for 2.5) is:

8 pounds English pale malt
12 ounces carapils
4 ounces special roast
2 ounces biscuit malt
2 ounces chocolate malt

And willamette and Goldings for hops. OG 1.043 IBUs 25.
 
Sounds interesting. what is english pale malt? i haven't seen that at the few online brewing sites i know of. is it just pale LME? or is it a special brand of LME?
 
Sounds interesting. what is english pale malt? i haven't seen that at the few online brewing sites i know of. is it just pale LME? or is it a special brand of LME?

I've used many LME types interchangeably (except for pilsen malt) but I'm sure that there are some brands made in England. I read that recipe uses the English version, which is probably a little different, but if you're unable to find it, I'm sure that pale LME would be a good substitute.

Edit- I just looked around at NorthernBrewer.com, and John Bull has maris otter liquid extract, and Munton & Fison is made in the UK, so they are out there.
 
ohh...i though english referred to a brand, not a location

recipe attempt something or another:

MALT
3.5 lb pale english LME (49)
4 oz crystal 40 (2.2)
4 oz crystal 120 (1.6)
2 oz honey (1.6)
1 oz biscuit (.45)
2 oz special malt (1)

estimate OG = 1.056

.5oz glacier @ 30min (16)
.5oz kent golding @ 30min (14)
1 oz fuggle @ 5min (6)

IBU = 36

haha...it's amazing how much you learn going through this process!
 
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