Critique my first feeble attempt at a recipe?

This is recipe is probably pretty close to something already done. Look it over and let me know what you think?

6 lbs Amber LME
3.3 lbs Dark LME
1 lb Special B Malt (1/2 hour steep)
1oz Glacier Hops (60 mins)
1oz Mount Hood (30 mins)
1oz Liberty (5 mins)
2 Wyeast Hella Bock Activators
4 oz Biggby Espresso Coarse Ground (Michigan based coffee company)
2 Vanilla Beans
Irish Moss & yeast nutrient

Im thinking I'll soak the beans and toss in the secondary with the coffee in a grain bag.

Your thoughts please?

i say go for it, let us know how it turns out. are you going for any particular style for the base? is this a dopplebock or something?

android said:

i say go for it, let us know how it turns out. are you going for any particular style for the base? is this a dopplebock or something?

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I wish I knew. Im still trying to figure out the style thing. According to a chart I found (BJCP) its looking like it might be something like a HellesBock or American Stout (kinda of what I was shooting for when I started putting this together?

I just want a good body, full beer and have the vanilla up front followed by beer flavor and then smacked in the face by the coffee. A local micro makes a CEO stout - chocolate, espresso, oatmeal, that I love but the flavors hit in that order too. Its the most unique thing Ive ever tasted.

Isn't a helles bock a pretty pale beer?

This thing is going to be way dark for that, but on the light side of an American Stout. Nothing wrong with that though. It's what homebrew is all about, unless you're brewing for a competition.

Very interesting. That much special B will give some very pronounced toffee, caramel and raisin flavors, with plenty of sweetness and a bit of roastiness from the extract. The hops will lend some earthy, spicy notes and the coffee/vanilla combo takes this beer in another direction altogether. This recipe may just be crazy enough to work. Give it a try and definitely let us know how it turns out.

Looks interesting. That's a lot of Special B. But it may harmonize just fine.

Thanks for the replies.

Yep, the chart I was looking at was based on OG and alcohol. Didnt have color. Then I looked through all of the style descriptions and couldnt find it there. So its just a homebrew style homebrew.

And thats ok with me. I think I'll do it and see. If it fails, no big deal.

+1000 on the special B.Are you familiar with the flavor?I use a lot of it too,but I'd suggest making a tea with a little bit of it first toget a good idea of what it tastes like.

barthautala said:

Thanks for the replies.

Yep, the chart I was looking at was based on OG and alcohol. Didnt have color. Then I looked through all of the style descriptions and couldnt find it there. So its just a homebrew style homebrew.

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Oh, it fits right in with a BJCP syle without a problem. There's always
23A. Specialty Beer.
Also known as "none of the above". There's been some tasty beers made in that category!

ChshreCat said:

Oh, it fits right in with a BJCP syle without a problem. There's always
23A. Specialty Beer.
Also known as "none of the above". There's been some tasty beers made in that category!

Click to expand...

I think I'll call it Barts Homebrew Experiment #1.

I hope to go beyond homebrewing someday. I dont know what it is but I love doing this.

Ive got 2 more extracts planned then I think Im going to move to an all grain. Why wade in when you can DIVE in!

If it were me, I'd switch the two extracts to partial mashes. It's really not hard to do compared to extract, can give you better results and gives you a taste of AG so you get used to mashing.

i say make it... just be sure to keep good notes!

there's nothing more fun than developing and tweaking a recipe over time.