trying to get away from ingredient kits

I found this recipe in the forums here for a Ruination clone. I first used a Mr beaver kit to make an IPA. It came with some specialty grains to steep before the boil and it also came with a bag of dextrose to toss in during the boil. I am not sure what this recipe is referring to when it says Crystal 20 and I want to make sure that I do not need any additional ingredients. I appreciate the help.

stone ruination clone:

8 lbs of DME
1 lbs of crystal 20.....?
1.75 oz of Magnum @ 60
1 oz of Centennial @ 30
1 oz of Centennial @10
1 oz of Centennial @ 1
1 oz of Centennial 7 day dry hop
yeast WLP007

So my question is again...specialty grains? Dextrose? What is Crystal 20

Anyone ever try wormwood as the bitter in an IIPA?

Is there any DME that is better than the next?

Thanks, Nick

its a grain that does not need to be mashed. your LHBS should have it.

Sometimes it's also called caramel, not crystal. They're both the same thing. Basically the number is how dark it is, it will get you different colors and flavors. 20-L is pretty light, and will work great for an IPA. I've used up to 60-L for my pale ale, just depends on how dark you want it.
Use light/extra light DME, and get your color from your specialty grains (the crystal 20-L). Lighter DME is, for lack of a better word, "purer" in terms of the grains that are mashed to get it. Other types of DME, while sometimes appropriate to use, are more inconsistent with what is used to make them (not necessarily bad, just tougher to get the same results).
Don't know about dextrose, I've never used it in a recipe.

John Palmer's "How to Brew" has a great chapter on grains. Buy that, it's a good read, and you'll learn a lot. He has the whole thing online, www.howtobrew.com, but I believe the book is more up-to-date.

Sinnick, one post. I hope you come back. There is whole lot of new flavors for you to experience.

As mentioned, Crystal malt adds flavor. There are lots of others.

Crystal 20 is a specialty grain. You will steep just how you did with whatever specialty grains your Mr. Beer kit. You won't need any dextrose because some Mr. Beer (and other) kits come with it to add more sugar to a recipe. This recipe uses enough DME that you won't need the extra sugar. Sugar is cheaper than DME so less expensive kits use malt plus sugar, more expensive kits are all malt (no sugar).

I have seen the use of dextrose in some recipes. Here is a little discussion:

http://www.autho-rity.info/2008/08/14/dextrosesugar-for-brewing-beer/

As stated, it just changes a recipe. As far as I can tell, it adds alcohol with little to no flavour.

On the other hand, as a specialty grain, crystal malt adds mostly unfermentables which add flavour, body and colour to the brew.

As an aside, keep in mind that you can also substitute liquid malt extract (LME) in place of the DME with an addition of 20 to 25% more. (In this case 1.6 to 2 lb more). The only reason I say this is that your local BOP or LHBS may carry one but not the other - I am not attempting to start a new LME-DME debate.

B

Thanks for the quick info guys. I plan on starting this batch in about a week.
Thanks again, Nick