jpoder, can you share your recipe permutation and ingredients list?
I think my recipe was pretty stock for the new world version:
I made a 6.5 gallon batch and estimated 70% efficiency (probably hit 65%)
S.G. 1.080
F.G. 1.014
14 lbs 11.6 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 73.1 %
1 lbs 2.1 oz Caramunich II (Weyermann) (63.0 SRM) Grain 2 5.6 %
9.0 oz Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 3 2.8 %
5.8 oz Aromatic Malt (26.0 SRM) Grain 4 1.8 %
5.0 oz Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 5 1.5 %
4.0 oz Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 6 1.2 %
Mash In Add 19.00 qt of water at 161.8 F 149.0 F 45 min
Step Add 1.20 qt of water at 207.4 F 152.0 F 40 min
Mash Out Add 9.17 qt of water at 208.8 F 168.0 F 10 min
(missed my mash temp, so added boiling water to bump it up a few degrees)
2 lbs Candi Sugar, Dark (180.0 SRM) Sugar 7 9.9 %
13.1 oz Candi Sugar, Amber (90.0 SRM) Sugar 8 4.1 %
1.00 oz Northern Brewer [9.50 %] - Boil 90.0 min Hop 9 23.7 IBUs
1.00 oz Strisslespalt [2.50 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 10 4.5 IBUs
1.00 oz Styrian Goldings [2.60 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 11 4.7 IBUs
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 12 -
1.20 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Boil 10.0 mins) Other 13
used Candi Syrup, Inc's D180 and D90 syrups. sugar additions half at start of boil half at knockout.
WLP530 with 2 liter starter
Fermented in the low-mid 70's, raised into the 80's as fermentation slowed (~1.5 weeks in). then let bulk age in the low 70's for a few months (total fermentation/bulk aging (all in primary) 3 months. bottled.
Beer was ~ 18 months old when I took 1st.
I brewed both the new world and the old world versions about the same time (and like both tremendously), but feel that there is a bit more complexity from the new world version (from the specialty grains) that I really like.