I'm starting to formulate my own recipes so I can learn more about the ingredients. Here's a pale ale that I brewed about six weeks ago. I'd love a critique.
6# Pilsen Light Briess DME
1/2# Crystal (120L)
1oz. Pearle 60 min (plug)
1oz Pearle 45 min (plug)
.5oz Cascade 30 min (plug)
.5oz Cascade 10 min (plug)
1056 Wyeast with one step starter
Crystal steeped 155 for 30 minutes in 3.0 gallons. Grain sack rinsed and boil volume topped with .5 gallons of 170 deg water. Primary ferment in 62 deg. room, temp of fermenter read 68 deg. Transfer to secondary on day 12 (FG = 1.012) with about an ounce of homegrown cascades. Bottled day 26 with 3.5-4.0 oz dextrose.
Tasting Notes:
Pours red brown, thin off white head. I like the lower carb levels I got from reducing the corn sugar a bit, but the head suffers some. I get a grassy aroma but I'm not sure what to attribute it to. I suppose it could be from improper storage of the homegrown hops, but they looked and smelled great so I'm not sure. There's a very slightly fruity yeast flavor, although it seems to be toned down when I let it sit in the fridge longer. Light to med body, and a nice moderate bitter.
The crystal added a nice sweetness but there is a harsh bitter (tannins? fussels?) that drowns it out a bit. I think I may have steeped the grains in too large a volume, and I'm not sure the hot rinse was helpful. In all its not bad, but I'd like to work on the grassy and harsh bitter. I may play with some carapils to add some body next time too. Thoguhts?
6# Pilsen Light Briess DME
1/2# Crystal (120L)
1oz. Pearle 60 min (plug)
1oz Pearle 45 min (plug)
.5oz Cascade 30 min (plug)
.5oz Cascade 10 min (plug)
1056 Wyeast with one step starter
Crystal steeped 155 for 30 minutes in 3.0 gallons. Grain sack rinsed and boil volume topped with .5 gallons of 170 deg water. Primary ferment in 62 deg. room, temp of fermenter read 68 deg. Transfer to secondary on day 12 (FG = 1.012) with about an ounce of homegrown cascades. Bottled day 26 with 3.5-4.0 oz dextrose.
Tasting Notes:
Pours red brown, thin off white head. I like the lower carb levels I got from reducing the corn sugar a bit, but the head suffers some. I get a grassy aroma but I'm not sure what to attribute it to. I suppose it could be from improper storage of the homegrown hops, but they looked and smelled great so I'm not sure. There's a very slightly fruity yeast flavor, although it seems to be toned down when I let it sit in the fridge longer. Light to med body, and a nice moderate bitter.
The crystal added a nice sweetness but there is a harsh bitter (tannins? fussels?) that drowns it out a bit. I think I may have steeped the grains in too large a volume, and I'm not sure the hot rinse was helpful. In all its not bad, but I'd like to work on the grassy and harsh bitter. I may play with some carapils to add some body next time too. Thoguhts?
