First Time Designing Recipe: Help?

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anchorage42

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Hey gang.
I just got in to homebrewing and am looking for my next recipe to start after vacation. While considering a bunch of kits from Midwest, I decided that maybe I'd pick out my own ingredients and build my own "kit". I was hoping someone could look over this and tell me if what I'm thinking is going to be gross/delicious or if I was way off base (I tried looking at other recipes for ideas).

5lb Yield.

6lb Light DME
.5 lb Crystal Malt 50-60L
.5 lb Golden Promise 2.7L
1oz Chinook Pellets @ 60min 11.5 AAU
.5oz Cascade Pellets @ 30min 7.1AAU
.5oz Cascade Pellets @ 15min 7.1AAU
.5oz Amarillo Pellets @ 5min 8.2AAU
Nottingham Yeast

Warning: I picked Malts based on Lovi and description of taste. Same thing with Hops. I used 2oz of Cascade (.5@60m, .25@30m, .25@5min) in the first batch.

Thanks in Advance
 
Ditch the Golden Promise and go with a Biscuit, Special Roast or Victory. A half pound of a lightly kilned base malt won't be noticed. Everything else looks good to go.

On second hand, you might need the diastic power from some base malt to convert the Biscuit/SR/Victory. I can't remember if they have enough diastic power to convert themselves.
 
I guess it all depends on what you are looking for. From that looks like a pale ale or mild IPA. Personally I like my hoppy beers free of clutter so I avoid too much crystal. If it were me, I would drop the crystal to .25 lb's or so and use 20L to give it more of a sweet backbone instead of a caramel sweet backbone. There are a lot of similarities in Amarillo and Cascade, this is where something like Simcoe really shines through when added along with a citrus forward hop. Or push around the hops some and use some of the Chinook as a late addition. Finally, add an ounce or two to dry hop, it makes a world of difference. Well, that is what I would do at least. Can't say anything about the Notti yeast, never used it.
 
Oh yeah, you aren't doing all grain right? Golden Promise needs to be mashed so don't use it unless you are mashing.
 
Thanks for all the help so far. To answer some questions to help move forward: Yes, I'm using extract (not AG). I don't mind doing partial mash, however. (These can come crushed if I want, I don't know if that helps)

I like hops and like a hoppy beer, but was looking to make something with a little more sweetness to it (with a slightly fuller/less crispy/less sharp) mouthfeel/body. I'm not married to anything in the recipe except for a lot of hops, but don't want to do a kit.

Thanks for your replies so far!
 
Being I overlooked that my suggestion would require co-mashing with a base malt another option is to just do a little mini-mash with a pound of Munich. I know that will self convert. That will basically give you a pale ale.
 
If you want to go for a partial mash, I would increase the amount of Golden Promise to about 3 lbs, and decrease the DME to about 4 lbs.
If you want to go for extract and steep, just drop the Golden Promise. If you changed the hops to EKG, either of those should give you a very presentable English Pale Ale, but the American hops should give you a good beer as well. I think most APA's are a bit lighter in color than what you propose, but it should come out just like what you are looking for.

-a.
 
I like hops and like a hoppy beer, but was looking to make something with a little more sweetness to it (with a slightly fuller/less crispy/less sharp) mouthfeel/body. I'm not married to anything in the recipe except for a lot of hops, but don't want to do a kit.

may want to consider windsor instead of notty if you want more sweetness/body.

on top of what else has been said, id move the 30min add to flameout
 
That's the great thing about homebrewing...there are so many variables to play with...what everyone recommended can produce a good beer, the question is focusing on what you think is a good beer and following suggestions that direct you towards that such as dcp27's yeast suggestion. If you want sweetness and a little body, but not the flavor then I would go with the lighter crystal malt like I suggested (or even drop it if you do not partial mash as extract will give you some base sweetness since it doesn't attenuate as well as AG). Ajf gave some good suggestions on helping you push the British style.
 
Here's my modified recipe, based on some suggestions and some reading I've done in the meantime.

Innuendo Pale Ale
5lb Yield.

7lb Light DME
.5 lb Crystal Malt 50-60L
.25 lb Victory

1oz Chinook Pellets @ 60min 11.5 AAU
.5oz Cascade Pellets @ 20min 7.1AAU
.5oz Simcoe Pellets @ 5min 7.1AAU
1 oz Amarillo Pellets Dry-Hopped 8.2AAU
WLP001 California Ale Yeast

Stats (according to BeerAlchemy)
Minimum OG: 1.056 SG Maximum OG: 1.075 SG
Minimum FG: 1.010 SG Maximum FG: 1.018 SG
Minimum IBU: 40 IBU Maximum IBU: 70 IBU
Minimum Color: 6.0 SRM Maximum Color: 15.0 SRM

Expected ABV: 6.4 % Expected ABW: 5.0 %
Expected IBU (using Tinseth): 51.5 IBU Expected Color (using Mosher): 8.5 SRM

Look better?
 
Yeah, they come crushed standard (and came that way for my first brew) but I didn't know if that was going to answer the question. I still have a lot to learn.
 
well this is the place. i learn from it every day and I've been brewing for years.

i like the modified recipe, and might even be tempted to double the Victory...man I love that grain. have fun with it!
 
I don't mind at all, as long as you understand that I have no concept of what this might do. Haha. But please, let me know how yours turns out. I'd love it if my recipe (with everyone's help) could provide someone else with good beer, seeing as how I wouldn't be able to share it with you otherwise.
 
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