Help me with recipe modifications?

Hey,

I'm brewing a couple of extract batches today...I just want some input about what might be do-able here.

The first recipe I'm doing is Requiem Raspberry, https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f75/requiem-raspberry-56285/.

My crystal malt is 70L-80L...Can I use less LME, and add a .5lb of honey for equal alcohol content and lighter color? If so, how much crystal malt would I put in?


My second question is about a pilsner based off of this recipe https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f58/saphir-pils-142520/.

Instead of using saphir I'm using Saaz...Also using WYEAST Pislner Lager. Instead of 20L crystal I'm using 13-17L crystal. Also substituted XL ME with some Canadian stuff called VeryLight Malt Extract. Sound Okay?


Thanks for the help

LOL.....and here I thought that recipes were meant to be followed!!!

Anyway, in the first case, using honey instead of LME will lighten the color, but you are also going to have less head/head retension and a dryer beer, because the honey will ferment dryer. Think more "MEADY" than "BEERY" the more honey you put in there in the place of LME.

In the second case, the Saaz is going to make the beer a little more spicy and less fruity. More like an eastern european hop flavor and aroma instead of the flowery and fruity of Saphir. More like the hope feel of a Belgin Trippel and less like a traditional pilsner/lager. The subsituted crystal is going to be a very subtle difference, but just a slightly less malty mouthfeel, but not really that much difference. It will also slightly lighten the color profile. The substituted extract is going to move your pilsner closer to a blonde. Are you lagering? If you aren't lagering, your pilsner is going to be more like a blonde anyway, so this might actually be a good sub.

In both cases, with these substitutions, you are not going to make the same beer as the recipe, but you'll still probably make a good beer.

Hope that helps! Good luck!

Okay, I just wanted to make sure that what I am doing is within reason in terms of ratios and hops balancing out with malts

Okay...I think maybe I'll avoid honey for the requiem raspberry, which is underway