All Grain Blonde Ale recipe

[porter1974]

A local brewery is hosting a brew event. I am going to load up my gear and join in the action. I want to do a simple recipe (it's my second brew). I decided to do a blonde ale. My neighbor loves that style and he mows my lawn for beer!

This is a link to the blonde ale article:
https://byo.com/article/american-blonde-ale-style-profile/

Here's the recipe:
Brew # 2 Blonde Ale
Feb 24, 2018
Recipe:
OG 1.048
FG 1.008
ABV 5.21%
IBU 25
SRM 4.27
10 lbs American Pale 2 Row (prefer 2 row malt)
.5 lb Crystal 15L
Boil 90 minutes
1 oz cascade hops at 60 minutes
1 tsp Irish Moss at 15 minutes
Safale American Ale Yeast US-05

Process:
Batch sparge
1.5 quarts per pound of grain
Heat 15.75 quarts/3.9375 (4) gallons water to 167 and dump it in (target mash temp is 152)
Stir (like you mean it) cover, wait 60 minutes
Recirculate until clear
Drain
Put 20 quarts/5 gallons of 180 degree water into mash tun (target is 170)
Final pre-boil amount of approximately 7 gallons
Stir (like you mean it) cover, wait 10 minutes
Recirculate until clear
Drain

How much total water
5.5 gallons = 22 quarts
Grain loses = 5.25 quarts (12 pounds x .5 quart/per lb)
Dead space = 2 quarts
Boil off = 6 quarts
Trub loss = .5 quarts
Shrinkage = .8 quarts
36.55 quarts or 9.1375gallons (round to 9)


In reality, I look at how much I get from the first running and then add enough water at 180 to get me to a pre-boil amount of 7 gallons. I am guessing it’s about 1 gallon for every 2 pounds of grain.

 

[Amadeo38]

Since there’s no question here, I’ll say that I wish I had brewed my second batch of beer in the presence of more experienced brewers. I was doing so many things wrong. You will learn a lot that day!

 

[porter1974]

It’s a great opportunity.

 

[Sammy86]

A local brewery is hosting a brew event. I am going to load up my gear and join in the action. I want to do a simple recipe (it's my second brew). I decided to do a blonde ale. My neighbor loves that style and he mows my lawn for beer!

This is a link to the blonde ale article:
https://byo.com/article/american-blonde-ale-style-profile/

10 lbs American Pale 2 Row (prefer 2 row malt)
.5 lb Crystal 15L
Boil 90 minutes
1 oz cascade hops at 60 minutes
1 tsp Irish Moss at 15 minutes
Safale American Ale Yeast US-05

American Pale 2 Row and 2 Row Malt are the same thing just so you are aware.

Recipe looks fine but if it were me I’d want to add a little more hop flavor...just one brewers opinion though. Maybe add an ounce or 1.5 at flameout and get some of that nice citrus flavor from the cascade.

 

[porter1974]

American Pale 2 Row and 2 Row Malt are the same thing just so you are aware.

Recipe looks fine but if it were me I’d want to add a little more hop flavor...just one brewers opinion though. Maybe add an ounce or 1.5 at flameout and get some of that nice citrus flavor from the cascade.

Thank you for the advice. I just figured out tonight that 2 row and 2 row pale are the same thing. A local grain producer is actually donating 100 lbs of pale malt.

http://www.argylecraftmaltsnhops.com/shop-malts/argyle-pale-malt-20-lbs

 

[Kerrbrewer]

It really depends on the maltster. Great Western has a 2 row pale malt and a 2 row malt that are definetly different.

 

[porter1974]

It really depends on the maltster. Great Western has a 2 row pale malt and a 2 row malt that are definetly different.

The lovibond on the grain that will be provided is 3.5. That’s more like Maris otter even though it’s called pale malt. It might not be suitable for a blonde ale.

 

[ProblemChild]

For me - I would put something in at 20. Even if you drop the 60 a little and add at 20, you will get more hop flavor and the IBU's will remain about the same. Otherwise, recipe is just fine. No issue with that recipe as it is to start - shoule be a gerat blonde anyway. My own preference is for a bit more hop flavor in addition to using the bittering to balance the malty sweetness. Frankly, could forgoe the 60 and do it all at 20 and still keep the IBU's in check

 

[pursuit0fhoppiness]

I recently brewed a blonde with a similar grain bill (mostly 2-row with some C10), but I would definitely advise using more hops. I did 0.25oz of Galaxy at 60 (you don't want it to be too bitter, it's a blonde), 0.5oz of Citra at 15 and 0.5oz of Citra at 2, and 2 oz Citra dry hop. It had a nice hoppy aroma and flavour, most say it has a better taste than commercial blondes which are sometimes not too flavourful. You could even half the dry hop if that seems a little too much.