Neophyte just wants to check 1st recipe

Hi all. I am Matti from Sweden. Just ordered my first ingredients after reading "Radical Brewing". I haven't brewed before (just made cider from my apples).

I would be greatful if you could just give me a hint if I am in the right ballpark for making a pale bitter. Just something to start with as the first batch. I intend to follow Radical Brewings "Your first radical brew".

So, here is what I ordered for 19 liters (5 gal):

Munton pale dried extract, 2.3 kg. (5 lb)
Thomas Fawcett crystal malt grains colour 120-140. 500 g. (~1lb)
East Kent Goldings pellets, 200 g. (7 oz)
American Ale II Wyeast 1272.

So, what do you think? Is it a good first recipe to start with before doing something more adventurous?

/matti

That's a tremendous amount of hops for a bitter. The gravity puts it in the Special Bitter style, so I'd use this schedule:

50 gm @ 60 minutes
20 gm @ 20
20 gm @ 10

As EKG is a good hop to have handy, just keep the rest in your freezer.

Thank you David!

Might have been a bitter surprise.

/matti

I agree with David about the hops.
I hope the crystal colour is in EBC units rather than SRM. If so, the crystal looks fine.
I've never used the 1272 yeast, but for a bitter, I would use an English yeast like the 1275 or 1968. (There are others, but I haven't tried them.)

-a

If I understand correctly and EBC and IOB is the same it should be right: http://www.fawcett-maltsters.co.uk/range.htm

About the yeast not being "English": Would this be a problem or just make a slightly different taste? I can still get another yeast if it is a wiser way to start out.

I wasn't really trying to do a special style, more brew something familiar as a first step. And to be able to distinguish between my errors and the recipe.

Thank you for your help./Matti

I e-mailed the shop and asked them to ship 1275 instead of the American ale yeast 1272.
One thing less to worry about.
/matti

Yes, it looks like you have the right variety of crystal, and I've used the 1275 yeast many times successfully for bitters.

Good luck,

-a.

An update. I tasted the first bottles yesterday and as my first try in homebrewing, it was already great! Maybe a bit "raw" tasting. But I figure it will change over time.
I ended up with Wyeast 1969 and it is amazing how hard the cake in both the fermentor and the bottles became. I don't really need to pour carefully with this.
/matti