Nervous excitement, first AG. Simple recipe?

So, after a couple months of anticipation, practice with full boil extract batches, buildup of the MLT, shopping for a mill, etc, I'm ready for the dark side.

I already have a 50lb sack of American 2-row as my primary base malt stash but I've also just placed an order for a bunch of random ingredients for which I will dip into for experimental batches. I anticipate most of this stuff to last about 5-6 five gallon batches or so and I wanted to have a large palette of stuff to draw from.

In addition to the 2-row I mentioned, I've listed all my other on hand ingredients. What do you suppose would be a nice simple first AG recipe. Would a simple all 2-row grain bill be overly boring? Maybe a really simple 2-row with a pound of crystal 20 for an IPA (I also keg so I can dry hop the hell out of it)

Another thought was to do a Pilsner using Saflager to take advantage of the last of the winter temps. However, how weird would it be to try making a Pilsner with mostly American 2-row and some Pils? Is that taboo?


Grain Type/pounds
Flaked Barley/2
Flaked Oats /2
Briess American Crystal 20L/4
Briess American Crystal 80L/4
Briess American Crystal 120L/1
Briess American Black Barley Lov 550/1
German Pilsner/6
Vienna /2
German Wheat/ 10
Cara Red,/1
German Melanoidin /2

Windsor Ale 4 packs
Nottingham Ale 4 packs
Safale 04 2 packs
S-33, 1
S-23, Lager 1

Pellet Hops
Cascade 4oz
Chinook 2oz
Fuggle(US) 4oz
Hallertau(US) 4oz
Tetnang (German) 4oz
Tettnang 4oz
Amarillo 4oz

Whole Leaf:
Cascade 4oz
Northern Brewer 4oz

Kid, Candy store. Candy store, Kid.

If it were me, and knowing you want to keep it simple, I'd maybe do an IPA with 2-row, 1 lb of vienna, and 1/2 lb crystal 20 or crystal 80.

Bitter with chinook and/or NB
Cascade and/or Amarillo for later additions.

Or... a simple amber, if you want something less bitter.

9 lb 2-row
1 lb crystal (you choose how much of each, maybe .5 20L, .5 80L)

bittering hops to about 25 IBU
add some cascade with a few minutes left

This is one of my favorite beers to brew! Simple, but good.