First All Grain Recipe Critique...

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Boomer

Boomer

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So I'm finally making the leap to AG brewing. I'm trying a recipe from scratch and need some feedback from experienced brewers...

The intention is a Double Wheat IPA similar to Midnight Sun's Hop Dog. I don't want to clone it, but I do want something similar. Here's a link to info on that beer...

http://www.midnightsunbrewing.com/sales/SS_hopDog.pdf



So, here's my recipe...

10 lbs Wheat Malt
5 lbs Gambrinus Pilsner Malt
1 lb Flaked Wheat

Strike 6 gallons @ 163 deg, 152 deg for 60 minutes, sparge 2.7 gallons @ 189 deg

2 oz Columbus @ 60 min
1 oz Simcoe @ 20 min
1 oz Cascade @ 20 min
1 oz Simcoe @ 10 min
1 oz Cascade @ 10 min

2 oz Amarillo dry hop for 7 days

Wyeast 1010

1.089 SG ==> 1.021 FG ==> 8.9% ABV
 
I would try to get some 5 min/flameout hops in there. Also add some sugar to help dry it out. Maybe .75-1 lb. Also, use a bunch of rice hulls. That much wheat will be a stuck sparge without it.

Edit: after looking at the pdf, I bet your pilsner and wheat amounts are switched up. A lot of breweries list grains in order if % used.
 
skeezerpleezer said:
I would try to get some 5 min/flameout hops in there. Also add some sugar to help dry it out. Maybe .75-1 lb. Also, use a bunch of rice hulls. That much wheat will be a stuck sparge without it.

Edit: after looking at the pdf, I bet your pilsner and wheat amounts are switched up. A lot of breweries list grains in order if % used.
Click to expand...

I can't get anything from them regarding percentages. Either way, I didn't want to mirror theirs, just wanted to make something similar.

I was thinking about adding rice hulls but didn't really know how many to use...

Also, what's your suggestion for the hop schedule?
 
I just did a Hefe that was around 5.5lbs of wheat, 5 lbs 2row, and used a 1/2 lb of hulls and it worked fine. Do you have more hops?
 
skeezerpleezer said:
I just did a Hefe that was around 5.5lbs of wheat, 5 lbs 2row, and used a 1/2 lb of hulls and it worked fine. Do you have more hops?
Click to expand...



I can get more if I need. My LHBS is less than 5 miles from my house and I'm not brewing for a few days.
 
The Simcoe/Amarillo combo is great. If I had was only using what you have, I would do .66 oz simcoe/.66oz Amarillo at 20, 5, then flameout. Dryhop with cascade. I don't know where the Ibus would be, but you may be able to move some of the columbus to dryhop also, maybe. 5oz or so. It is a pretty potent hop.
 
skeezerpleezer said:
The Simcoe/Amarillo combo is great. If I had was only using what you have, I would do .66 oz simcoe/.66oz Amarillo at 20, 5, then flameout. Dryhop with cascade. I don't know where the Ibus would be, but you may be able to move some of the columbus to dryhop also, maybe. 5oz or so. It is a pretty potent hop.
Click to expand...


So I'll add a 1/2 pound of rice hulls and see about changing up the hop schedule a bit. Doing the yeast starter today and brewing tomorrow.



Any advice from anyone is greatly appreciated. And thanks so far Skeezer...
 
Just wondering about your strike temp and what your mashtun setup is like?

It looks like you have computed the heat absorption of the grains, but maybe not the heat loss to the mashtun. I use an igloo cooler for my mashtun, and it will absorb a good extra 7 or 8 degrees.

I find it helps to pour my strike water into the empty tun first, and wait 8 minutes then measure the temp. In your case, it should then measure ~163-F and then you add all your grain & rice hulls. The grain absorbs the last 11 degrees and gets you to 152-F for your mash step temp.

If you have a different setup, adjust accordingly. Good luck tomorrow!
--LexusChris
 
LexusChris said:
Just wondering about your strike temp and what your mashtun setup is like?

It looks like you have computed the heat absorption of the grains, but maybe not the heat loss to the mashtun. I use an igloo cooler for my mashtun, and it will absorb a good extra 7 or 8 degrees.

I find it helps to pour my strike water into the empty tun first, and wait 8 minutes then measure the temp. In your case, it should then measure ~163-F and then you add all your grain & rice hulls. The grain absorbs the last 11 degrees and gets you to 152-F for your mash step temp.

If you have a different setup, adjust accordingly. Good luck tomorrow!
--LexusChris
Click to expand...



I'm using a cooler as well, but I'd planned to pour the strike water in first and let it sit for a bit allowing the cooler to get warm. Then back out, reheat to the temp, and then dough into a preheated cooler.

This is going to be my first run at this, so if you don't think it'll work, I'll definitely adjust. I can always stir to cool off in a cooler, tough to heat it back up!
 
Yes, I think your method would work. However, to me it seems like a bit of extra effort (& time) to pull the water back out, reheat, then put back in. Not to mention your tun will start to cool (a little) while you are waiting for your reheat to finish.

I know some brewing software (Beersmith) have options to 'adjust strike temp for equipment', and if you set up the parameters carefully, they are pretty accurate. My friend told me to not use it, and just add the 7-8 manually. Either way works well.

If you take good notes on each brewday, you should be able to narrow into what is the best adjustment for your gear & location. Note your ambient air temp, mash-tun temp before water, strike water temp when poured in, then water temp after 5 mins, after 10 mins, after grains are added, and after they have sat for several minutes too.

And I definitely agree that it is easier to start high, and stir out some heat... rather than be too low and have to raise it. Once you have your tun full of hot water, and it measures your 163-F ... you should be home free.

Have fun,
--LexusChris
 
LexusChris said:
Yes, I think your method would work. However, to me it seems like a bit of extra effort (& time) to pull the water back out, reheat, then put back in. Not to mention your tun will start to cool (a little) while you are waiting for your reheat to finish.

I know some brewing software (Beersmith) have options to 'adjust strike temp for equipment', and if you set up the parameters carefully, they are pretty accurate. My friend told me to not use it, and just add the 7-8 manually. Either way works well.

If you take good notes on each brewday, you should be able to narrow into what is the best adjustment for your gear & location. Note your ambient air temp, mash-tun temp before water, strike water temp when poured in, then water temp after 5 mins, after 10 mins, after grains are added, and after they have sat for several minutes too.

And I definitely agree that it is easier to start high, and stir out some heat... rather than be too low and have to raise it. Once you have your tun full of hot water, and it measures your 163-F ... you should be home free.

Have fun,
--LexusChris
Click to expand...



That's really good advice. I'd planned on taking fairly in depth notes but hadn't considered change in temp over time as well as ambient air temp. I can see how that data would help tremendously over time, and my goal with notes was to be able to replicate good beer on a hodgepodge system (while I build an eHERMS).

So, on my first run through (and because it's snowing today and I'm brewing no matter what) should I just add a few degrees to the strike temp, dough in, and just plan on stirring to get DOWN to temp rather than having my LARPing neighbors cast a spell on it to raise the temp.
 
2 oz Cascade FWH
1 oz Columbus @ 60 min
1 oz Simcoe @ 15 min
1 oz Amarillo @ 15 min
1 oz Simcoe @ 5 min
1 oz Amarillo @ 5 min
1 oz Columbus dry hop for 7 days

I can add more Columbus for dry hopping if needed, this is just what I have on hand right now.



Thoughts?
 
LexusChris, thank you for that advice. I decided I'd heat it a little higher and see what happened. I put it in the MLT at 170 F. After 5 minutes it was at 163 F. I doughed in and stirred out all the clumps and was at 153.2. I went ahead and sealed her up to rest for 60 minutes. I figure since its 38 F outside, that should keep it around 152 for the majority of the rest. I'm documenting all of this in my brewing notes and will hopefully compile enough data over time to make educated guesses about temperature loss.

Again, thanks. All is well (so far)!
 

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