Short Sleep Ale (Hibernation Ale, but session)- Critique, please

[size=+2]Short Sleep Ale[/size]
[size=+1]11-A Mild[/size]
Author: James Stuckey Weber



Size: 5.5 gal
Efficiency: 65.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 118.01 kcal per 12.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.036 (1.030 - 1.038)
|===================#============|
Terminal Gravity: 1.009 (1.008 - 1.013)
|==========#=====================|
Color: 17.7 (12.0 - 25.0)
|===============#================|
Alcohol: 3.49% (2.8% - 4.5%)
|==============#=================|
Bitterness: 21.4 (10.0 - 25.0)
|====================#===========|

[size=+1]Ingredients:[/size]
7.0 lb Vienna Malt
8 oz Crystal Malt 60°L
8.0 oz Crystal Malt 120°L
4.0 oz Special Roast Malt
4 oz Pale Chocolate Malt
8 oz Belgian Biscuit
1.0 ea Danstar 3767 Windsor
.3 oz Nugget (13.0%) - added during boil, boiled 60 min
.3 oz Nugget (13.0%) - added during boil, boiled 15 min
.2 oz Nugget (13.0%) - added during boil, boiled 5.0 min

[size=-1]Results generated by BeerTools Pro 1.5.3[/size]

This will be my second AG- my first one, I got 52% efficiency. So, I've made some changes to my system, but to see what my efficiency will be, I thought a session beer would be good.

I made this recipe for 65% eff, and figure if I get more, I'll just have a normal beer.

Hops are a concern here, because I'm wanting balance. Without knowing whether I'll have a OG of 1.035 (65% eff) or 1.041 (75%) or even 1.047 (85%, if somehow I actually improved my system that much), I think I want to make it so my hops are balanced at 75% efficiency.

Basically the idea here is what a partigyle for Great Divide's Hibernation Ale would look like.

Any comments? Suggestions?

This thread would be better if you were offering free samples! =P Seriously though, if you're going for a darker beer I would try to boost the OG a bit regardless of the efficiency. Maybe add a pound or two of Munich or something. Other than that, it seems like a nice porter type recipe. I'd look into the diastatic power of Vienna Malt vs. 2-Row Pale Malt, but that's because I'm obsessive (and might help efficiency).

I'd much rather see some English pale malt instead of vienna. When I think of a Mild, I don't think of toastiness so much as rich maltiness with a light roasty finish.

I think the hops look fine. You'll just need to check your pre-boil gravity and run your bitterness calculations again. I still do this for every brew and my system is dialed in really well.

amercuric said:

This thread would be better if you were offering free samples! =P Seriously though, if you're going for a darker beer I would try to boost the OG a bit regardless of the efficiency. Maybe add a pound or two of Munich or something. Other than that, it seems like a nice porter type recipe. I'd look into the diastatic power of Vienna Malt vs. 2-Row Pale Malt, but that's because I'm obsessive (and might help efficiency).

Click to expand...

I finally have my pipeline at a place where I would even consider free samples .

I checked out the diastatic power of Vienna, and it looks like it should do the trick.

What's the thinking on the higher OG for a darker beer? Do you think it will seem watery otherwise?

kanzimonson said:

I'd much rather see some English pale malt instead of vienna. When I think of a Mild, I don't think of toastiness so much as rich maltiness with a light roasty finish.

I think the hops look fine. You'll just need to check your pre-boil gravity and run your bitterness calculations again. I still do this for every brew and my system is dialed in really well.

Click to expand...

I guess the Mild category is going to only be very loosely followed- my idea is more a second runnings of a bigger Old Ale. I'm fine if it's out of style - I doubt I'll be entering any contests - but do you think this will be a toastiness that won't be as quaffable?

jamesnsw said:

What's the thinking on the higher OG for a darker beer?

Click to expand...

I played around with your grain bill and here's what I came up with. It's a little darker, a little sweeter and more malty. I would also adjust the hop amounts accordingly.

------------------------
8.0 lb Vienna Malt
1.0 lb Crystal Malt 60°L
1.0 lb Victory Malt
8.0 oz Aromatic Malt
8.0 oz Pale Chocolate Malt
4.0 oz Crystal Malt 120°L
4.0 oz Special Roast Malt

OG 65% Efficiency: 1.057
FG: 1.015
SRM: 28.9
ABV: 5.63
--------------------------

Thanks, Amercuric. I took a few of your suggestions, and scaled it down a bit. I had problems with too much grain last time, and want to keep it down under 10 lbs for right now.

[size=+2]Short Sleep Ale[/size]
[size=+1]11-A Mild[/size]
Author: James Stuckey Weber



Size: 5.5 gal
Efficiency: 65.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 121.78 kcal per 12.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.037 (1.030 - 1.038)
|=====================#==========|
Terminal Gravity: 1.009 (1.008 - 1.013)
|===========#====================|
Color: 16.93 (12.0 - 25.0)
|==============#=================|
Alcohol: 3.61% (2.8% - 4.5%)
|===============#================|
Bitterness: 21.4 (10.0 - 25.0)
|====================#===========|

[size=+1]Ingredients:[/size]
7.0 lb Vienna Malt
8 oz Crystal Malt 60°L
8 oz American Victory
8 oz Aromatic Malt
4 oz Pale Chocolate Malt
4 oz Crystal 120
4 oz Special Roast Malt
1.0 ea Danstar 3767 Windsor
.3 oz Nugget (13.0%) - added during boil, boiled 60 min
.3 oz Nugget (13.0%) - added during boil, boiled 15 min
.2 oz Nugget (13.0%) - added during boil, boiled 5.0 min


[size=-1]Results generated by BeerTools Pro 1.5.3[/size]

How does that look? I might be picking up the stuff this weekend so I can brew when my brother's out for Thanksgiving.

A standby mild recipe from the 'Classic Beer Styles Series' is...

5# Pale Ale Malt,
1.25 oz Chocolate Malt
8 oz flaked maize

1.0 oz Golding(5%) @ 90 minutes

Mash @ 147F for 90+ minutes

Prime w/ 2.0 oz cane sugar (5 gallons)