Black Pale Ale or whatever they're called...

[monkeydan]

I want to brew a black pale ale (for want of a better term, I know it's ridiculous but not as ridiculous as Cascadian Dark Ale). This recipe is what I came up with. The only other malt I have is wheat malt, I have simcoe and amarillo hops but that is it and I don't want to have to buy anything else.

89% 8lb 2.514oz Pale Malt (Maris Otter)
6% 0lb 8.113oz British Crystal 65L
6% 0lb 8.113oz Carafa III

boil 60 mins 1 Cascade leaf 5.5
boil 30 mins 1 Cascade leaf 5.5
boil 15 mins .5 Cascade leaf 5.5
boil 5 mins 0.5 Cascade leaf 5.5

At 75% efficiency that gives me OG of 1050 and 42 IBUs. Will use Wyeast 1056 as this is what I have.

Suggestions? I think have read a couple of things about adding the Carafa III in the last 15 minutes or so of the mash rather than from the beginning. Any thoughts or experience with this?

Cheers

Dan

 

[Schnitzengiggle]

I mashed my carafa III for the full duration no problems, I would however mention that I get about 79% BHE, and I used 14.4oz in my 6 gallon recipe (5 in the fermenter), and I htought I could have cut back just a smidgeon. maybe 10-12oz, the beer was really good, just hasd a bit more roastiness to it than I hoped for, but YMMV, FWIW.

I would up the hops, 42 IBU's seems on the low side when you are dealing with the flaovor in the Carafa, IMO.

 

[GuldTuborg]

I want to brew a black pale ale

Black ale ir India Black Ale works just fine. It's what I started calling them a while back and apparently someone else had the idea, too, because it's taking off. As for the recipe, I've never brewed one, so I can't help you there. Good luck!

 

[hadabar]

I'd reverse the hop amounts.

use less at the beginning...more toward the end. I've had real good results in my pale doing that.

maybe a dry hop? but thats to your taste.

I calculated it out you'd only get 30 ibu out it then...but I like em hoppy not bitter. I'd do that and a dry hop. just my opinion.

 

[monkeydan]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm using Beer Calculus as I haven't bought any brewing software yet (any advice on something for Mac?) and the IBUs came out to those listed below using Tinseth.

Anyway I have changed the values slightly, grain bill will remain the same but hop schedule now looks like:

boil 60 mins 28 Cascade info leaf 5.5
boil 20 mins 28 Cascade info leaf 5.5
boil 15 mins 28 Cascade info leaf 5.5
boil 5 mins 28 Cascade info leaf 5.5

This comes out at 48 IBU in beer calculus, which is closer to the OG:BU ratio of 1:1. Can anyone explain the difference between the IBUs?


Cheers

Dan

 

[Judge]

I'm using Beer Calculus as I haven't bought any brewing software yet (any advice on something for Mac?)

Beer Alchemy seems to work well for me.

http://www.kentplacesoftware.com/products/BeerAlchemy.shtml

p.s. The HST quote in your sig is one of the rules I try to live by.

 

[Dahoov]

Off topic.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm using Beer Calculus as I haven't bought any brewing software yet (any advice on something for Mac?) and the IBUs came out to those listed below using Tinseth.

I use Brewtarget. It is opensource and free.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/brewtarget/

You will also need to install a Qt environment if you don't already have one. Here is a link to the framework only package for 10.5 or 10.6.

http://get.qt.nokia.com/qt/source/qt-mac-opensource-4.7.2.dmg

 

[hadabar]

I use beer alchemy...it rocks I think, while not free, its worth every penny. very accurate for me. and they respond very fast to emails.

good quality product, works seamlessly.

 

[monkeydan]

p.s. The HST quote in your sig is one of the rules I try to live by.

Good man!

Thanks for the suggestions, I did download Brewtarget but it wouldn't work (I didn't know I needed a Qt environment. I don't know what a Qt environment is!) Will check out Beer Alchemy as well.

So, thoughts on the updated hop schedule above? This should give 48 IBUs - do I need more to balance the Carafa III? I do love bitter, hoppy beers but as I am such a noob I have no idea what these numbers actually taste like...

Cheers

Dan

 

[Dahoov]

Thanks for the suggestions, I did download Brewtarget but it wouldn't work (I didn't know I needed a Qt environment. I don't know what a Qt environment is!)
Cheers

Dan

Sorry, Qt is a cross platform window handler/developers environment. It allows a developer to write a single program and deploy it to multiple operating systems (Windows/Mac/Linux) at once, but each user is required to install at least the "Framework" package onto their system. It is kind of like .net for Windows only it works on multiple operating systems.

 

[Judge]

So, thoughts on the updated hop schedule above? This should give 48 IBUs - do I need more to balance the Carafa III? I do love bitter, hoppy beers but as I am such a noob I have no idea what these numbers actually taste like...

Cheers

Dan

I plugged your recipe (with revised hop schedule) into Beer Alchemy with the following results:

OG 1.041
FG 1.010 (74.9% attenuation)
41.9 IBUs (1 oz. whole leaf 5.5% Cascades @ 60, 20, 15, 5)

I think this will nicely balance the Carafa III.

Increasing your 60 minute addition to 1.5 oz. and moving your 20, 15, 5 additions to 15, 10, 0 will give you about the same bitterness (43.1 IBUs) but with a little more hop flavor.

Either way it looks tasty!

 

[monkeydan]

Sorry, Qt is a cross platform window handler/developers environment. It allows a developer to write a single program and deploy it to multiple operating systems (Windows/Mac/Linux) at once, but each user is required to install at least the "Framework" package onto their system. It is kind of like .net for Windows only it works on multiple operating systems.

Nope, didn't understand any of that either Thanks for the link though - I am capable of clicking on that and following instructions!

I plugged your recipe (with revised hop schedule) into Beer Alchemy with the following results:

OG 1.041
FG 1.010 (74.9% attenuation)
41.9 IBUs (1 oz. whole leaf 5.5% Cascades @ 60, 20, 15, 5)

I think this will nicely balance the Carafa III.

Increasing your 60 minute addition to 1.5 oz. and moving your 20, 15, 5 additions to 15, 10, 0 will give you about the same bitterness (43.1 IBUs) but with a little more hop flavor.

Either way it looks tasty!

Done! Looking forward to brewing this in a couple of weeks.

 

[monkeydan]

I brewed this 3 weeks ago and bottled today. I modified the hop schedule slightly in that I did a 60 minute addition and then 15, 10 and 5 minute additions. I added another oz during chilling one the wort got down to 80 degrees Celcius. So I ended up using over 5 ounces of hops which feelsgoodman.jpg

I ended up with an OG of 1044 and it finished up at 1012. Hydrometer samples were... interesting! I actually have never had a beer like this so I wasn't really sure what to expect. It definitely has a pronounced roast character but it's not bitter from the malt, just the hops. I read somewhere else that something 'danky' like simcoe works better than the citrusy kind of hops but I will reserve judgement until it's conditioned somewhat.

Anyway after I drank all but 3 bottles of my previous batch just as it was starting to peak, I plan on leaving this for at least 3 weeks before I put one in the fridge to try it. We'll see how that plan goes...

 

[beergolf]

I ended up with an OG of 1044 and it finished up at 1012. Hydrometer samples were... interesting! I actually have never had a beer like this so I wasn't really sure what to expect. It definitely has a pronounced roast character but it's not bitter from the malt, just the hops. I read somewhere else that something 'danky' like simcoe works better than the citrusy kind of hops but I will reserve judgement until it's conditioned somewhat.

What I noticed with the one I brewed is that the roast flavor melows with time and balances out the brew. When I first tasted mine after 2 weeks in the bottle i thought I over did the roast flavor, but after 3-4 weeks it balanced out nicely.

I think it is one of the better brews I have done.

I am getting ready to pour one for myself soon.....