Help me Tweak this recipe!

So I am brewing the first ever brew I made, again. I completely screwed up the recipe from not paying attention and yet it was really good. I would like to remake it (the screw-up not the original recipe) while tweaking a few things. It's a simple recipe, but I've lightened it a hair (See below) and tried to remove a little bitterness in the aftertaste. My main question though is I want to add some body, but don't have a LHBS and don't plan on waiting until I could order Carapils or something through the mail so I thought what about oats? I could pick some up (not quick or instant) on my way home to brew tonight boil them and then add them during steeping the crystal.

Would this have positive effects? Any negative effects?

15g Coopers Dry Yeast
6 lbs Amber LME (was 6.5 last time)
1 lb Crystal 60
2 oz Black Patent (removing this)
1 lb Candi sugar clear (making this Amber)
0.5 oz Cluster @ 60
0.75 oz Cluster @ 15
1/2 tsp Irish Moss @ 15
0.75 oz Cluster @ 3

Seems like the 1# of crystal would give you all the body you need. The black patent might be adding to the bitterness, but some people call nutty, bitter... You could also experiment with reducing the 15 min. addition to .5 oz of cluster. Also I would go with a full tsp of Moss at 15
Er, one more thing, and this could be another part of what you might consider a not-so-desireable flavor. Try a liquid yeast starter like Wyeast American Ale yeast or Wyeast Northwest Ale yeast. I know it costs more than dry but it is fresh and filled with billions of cells to get your fermentation going strong. Yeast(s) can make a huge difference in flavor and even though the dry (coopers/nottingham/etc.) work just fine better yeasts will improve your brew.

Ah, as far as the sugar, how much alcohol are you shooting for here? Sugar will really raise the alcohol level in this recipe. When you say you are 'making this Amber' do you mean Liquid Extract? Dry Extract? or? If you are talking about Liquid Extract that would bump you up to 7# LME, your brew would still have less alcohol than if you left the pound of sugar in it. So depending upon what you mean by lightening it up a hair, you will effectively reduce the alcohol but you will increase the color to a darker amber. Well, duh, I guess if you remove the black patent you will have a much lighter colored beer anyway

Now, if you really want more body you can up the crystal to 1.5# Are you steeping it long enough? 20-30 min at about 170?

if you do decide to add oats, and don't want to get flaked online, i think it's fine to use the instant ones.

Netflyer said:

You could also experiment with reducing the 15 min. addition to .5 oz of cluster. Also I would go with a full tsp of Moss at 15

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I will try more Irish moss next time. Last time I only used 1.5 total hops and I wanted more.

Netflyer said:

Er, one more thing, and this could be another part of what you might consider a not-so-desirable flavor. Try a liquid yeast starter like Wyeast American Ale yeast or Wyeast Northwest Ale yeast. I know it costs more than dry but it is fresh and filled with billions of cells to get your fermentation going strong. Yeast(s) can make a huge difference in flavor and even though the dry (coopers/nottingham/etc.) work just fine better yeasts will improve your brew.

Click to expand...

I do for other recipes, but I'm trying to control just a few changes. I may make it again further refining it later. Plus I usually get a good starter going.

Netflyer said:

When you say you are 'making this Amber' do you mean Liquid Extract?

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No, I mean specific to the candi sugar. Last time I used clear, but this time I made some amber myself to help offset some color lost by patent.

Netflyer said:

Now, if you really want more body you can up the crystal to 1.5# Are you steeping it long enough? 20-30 min at about 170?

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I steep at 155 for 45 minutes

So anyway, I brewed this last night with some quick oats in the steep and it did come out a good bit lighter with a definite silkiness to it. It's going strong this morning and I am very excited to see how it comes out.

It sounds like you did fine. As you observed, the oats add a different sort of texture. I hope it turns out great!


TL