New recipe...please critique

I am still pretty new to all-grain but trying to develop my own recipies. I had help with the grain bill but wanted to know if I am getting the hops right.

Thanks guys.....

This is for a 2.5 gallon batch -

2-row Pale Ale - 5.5#
Crystal 60L - 0.5#
CaraPils - 0.25#
Special Roast - 0.25#

0.25oz Columbus (14.4%) - 60min
0.25oz Warrior (17.2%) - 20min
0.25oz Amarillo (8.6%) - 20min
0.5oz Amarillo (8.6%) - 5min

Wyeast 1272 - American Ale II

Please let me know what you guys think.

A little hard to critique much without a style in mind. I'm guessing american pale ale? If so, it looks pretty good. I'd move the final amarillo add to flameout and let it steep for a bit or dry hop it to get a bit more aroma out of it. Personally, I'd ditch the carapils and just mash slightly higher

Originally intended as an IPA, I tried to scale the IBU down a tad so SWMBO can enjoy it as well.........she's learning as I try to get her away from commercial light beer.

I really do appreciate your input though.

Yeah I'd say you scaled down into the APA range. I'd dodge the carapils as well I don't think it's needed.

I'm tempted to just use the warrior to bitter as well to compliment the flavor. What do you guys think?

I came up with 3.14 abc 7.6 on the srm and 33.36 ibus if you use this recipe as is.

Chaostar said:

I'm tempted to just use the warrior to bitter as well to compliment the flavor. What do you guys think?

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do u mean instead of the columbus? if so, you won't be able to distinguish the difference so its up to u

budman said:

I came up with 3.14 abv and 33.36 ibus if you use this recipe as is.

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It's 2.5 gallons

dcp27 said:

do u mean instead of the columbus? if so, you won't be able to distinguish the difference so its up to u

Didn't think so. Sweet, thanks!

It's 2.5 gallons

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Thanks again!

Yep, it's a 2.5 gallon batch.

I really appreciate everybody's input. I'll stick with the Columbus. Figured nothin would be left but the bitterness and probably good to save the hops I really like for another batch. Just wanted to be sure. Thanks again.

I think the carapils is fine if you want to use it. The whole recipe is fine - you're just going to get comments from people telling you how to turn your beer into their beer.

Commercial breweries use carapils in a lot of pale ales and IPAs - I do not believe that you can just take it out and mash higher as a replacement. There's a reason carapils exists.

kanzimonson said:

I think the carapils is fine if you want to use it. The whole recipe is fine - you're just going to get comments from people telling you how to turn your beer into their beer.

Commercial breweries use carapils in a lot of pale ales and IPAs - I do not believe that you can just take it out and mash higher as a replacement. There's a reason carapils exists.

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Carapils adds very little color or flavor to beer. It's used to add body, which a higher mash temp will do, and head retention, which is unnecessary as the crystal 60 also does this and unless he does a protein rest will not be a problem to begin with. Some grains exist just so brewers can cheat process. I have no problem with it but not all grains are needed by all brewers. If you are using a malt that requires a protein rest then I would consider using carapils, for example, in a Pilsener with European pilsener malt. Carapils is a wasted grain in an IPA or APA with fully modified malt, just mash higher if you want more body. Personally, I like my IPA's pretty dry but I kept that opinion to myself since I was trying to help him make his beer not mine.

When I got the grain bill, all the grains were together. I'm still working on technique to maintain good mash temps. This is only my second all-grain batch. I really appreciate all the input, every opinion helps me to learn more.

Mash temps stayed around 148-150 and ended up with 1.062. Not too bad as I was shooting for 1.069. It's ok though as I was having a pretty hard time with the sparge but like I said, I'm still learning.

I'll let everybody know how it turns out in a few weeks. Thanks again!