Is this a reasonable recipe?

[seabrew8]

Hey folks, i have 6lbs of canadian 2 row that i was going to combine with a coopers kit but i'm thinking of jumping into my first all grain batch.

This is what i have to work with:

6lbs of 2 row
0.5lb Crystal 80
1oz williamette @60min
0.5oz mt.hood @10

I was going to use a 5 gallon pre-boil wort and hope to get down to around 4 gallons.

Lastly i was going to throw in 1lb of light DME.

Does this make any sense at all?

 

[TastyAdventure]

Yes

 

[Qhrumphf]

Assuming 75% efficiency and average-ish grain extract figures, you're looking at ~1.045 or so for the gravity. I didn't punch in the hopping, but I'd say adjust the 60 minute addition to target 35-40 IBUs if it doesn't already (I'd guess it's a little low as is, but I'm not sure off the top of my head), mash at 152 or so, and ferment with an English yeast at about 66-68F, you've got a passable Best Bitter (although you really would want to use a different base malt to make a good one, but you could also toss in a half pound of Victory or Biscuit to kind of somewhat imitate the flavor). I'd skip the DME personally.

 

[slym2none]

Sounds simple, but in no way bad.

Brew it up and let us know!

 

[beernutz]

I just used the default AA values in Beersmith for your hops and estimated an efficiency but that recipe appears to fit pretty well into the American Pale Ale category.

 

[seabrew8]

Assuming 75% efficiency and average-ish grain extract figures, you're looking at ~1.045 or so for the gravity. I didn't punch in the hopping, but I'd say adjust the 60 minute addition to target 35-40 IBUs if it doesn't already (I'd guess it's a little low as is, but I'm not sure off the top of my head), mash at 152 or so, and ferment with an English yeast at about 66-68F, you've got a passable Best Bitter (although you really would want to use a different base malt to make a good one, but you could also toss in a half pound of Victory or Biscuit to kind of somewhat imitate the flavor). I'd skip the DME personally.

Yeah i think i should do that. I think i will use a pre-boil volume of 4 gallons instead and just use the grains! I have US-05.

 

[seabrew8]

OK folks, i have been using the brewers friend website.

Pre-boil volume: 3.7 gallon (14L)

6lbs 2-row
1oz Williamatte hops 30min

According to the website i will still have decent bittering at 24 IBU. I'm expecting to lost about 1/2 gallon so i will get close to 3 gallons.

I want at least %5abv. Also lowering the boil time is something i like to do. The steam makes a mess in my kitchen!

Any suggestions? Should i increase the boil time? Use the 1/2oz of mt.hood i have?

 

[Qhrumphf]

Recent Brulosopher experiments aside, boiling an all-grain batch less than 60 minutes may not be a good idea. DMS concerns aside, less runnings equals less extraction which equals lower efficiency. I often boil my batches for 90 minutes simply because I get better efficiency doing so (and I don't pay for my utilities so gas stove fuel is not a factor to me, someone using propane may see it differently). I think you were better where you were. If you want more than 5% ABV, I'd go ahead and add your DME. Also for what you've got, I wouldn't use US-05 but something with a little more character (S-04 would be a start but I prefer different liquid English yeasts). Using US-05 with that grain and hop bill will likely end up bland and boring.

 

[seabrew8]

Why the 60min boil, i thought it was just for the bittering/hops? I'm a noob with all grain brewing - i'm just using the simple BIAB.

For instance, i was going to mash 6lbs of 2 row, add a can of coopers and some water next week - no boil. Is this a really bad idea?

Note: What i have to work with isn't going to change. I don't live near a homebrew shop.

DMS, ok never knew about it. However i used 4lbs of mashed marris otter in my ESB and only boiled for 15min? Its fine.

I guess i can just forget about no boil with base malts.... oh well.

 

[Qhrumphf]

While there are "raw" (no-boil) beers, they are not particularly stable and need to be drunk very young. A 30 minute boil will stabilize the wort no problem, but conventional wisdom say you may (may, again this has been contested by folks like Brulosopher) get residual DMS, which is not an issue with extract. But as I said, if you do a smaller batch, and draw off less runnings, you will pull less sugar out of the grain. What that means is that instead of 75% efficiency for ~1.060 at 3 gallons post-boil, you may only get 65% efficiency, for ~1.052. You'll just get diminishing returns, that's all.

There's no reason that you can't do what you're planning for this one, but I wouldn't advise a no-boil beer unless you're ready to get into sour brewing, because that beer will probably end up sour at some point down the line.

 

[seabrew8]

So.... lol

60min boil
Pre-boil Volume 4 gallons
6lbs of 2 row
0.5lb crystal
1oz williametter 60min
0.5oz mt.hood 10 min
Coopers ale yeast

 

[seabrew8]

While there are "raw" (no-boil) beers, they are not particularly stable and need to be drunk very young. A 30 minute boil will stabilize the wort no problem, but conventional wisdom say you may (may, again this has been contested by folks like Brulosopher) get residual DMS, which is not an issue with extract. But as I said, if you do a smaller batch, and draw off less runnings, you will pull less sugar out of the grain. What that means is that instead of 75% efficiency for ~1.060 at 3 gallons post-boil, you may only get 65% efficiency, for ~1.052. You'll just get diminishing returns, that's all.

There's no reason that you can't do what you're planning for this one, but I wouldn't advise a no-boil beer unless you're ready to get into sour brewing, because that beer will probably end up sour at some point down the line.

Thanks for the help i'm only shooting for %60 efficiency, thats what i'm basing my volumes off.

 

[seabrew8]

While there are "raw" (no-boil) beers, they are not particularly stable and need to be drunk very young. A 30 minute boil will stabilize the wort no problem, but conventional wisdom say you may (may, again this has been contested by folks like Brulosopher) get residual DMS, which is not an issue with extract. But as I said, if you do a smaller batch, and draw off less runnings, you will pull less sugar out of the grain. What that means is that instead of 75% efficiency for ~1.060 at 3 gallons post-boil, you may only get 65% efficiency, for ~1.052. You'll just get diminishing returns, that's all.

There's no reason that you can't do what you're planning for this one, but I wouldn't advise a no-boil beer unless you're ready to get into sour brewing, because that beer will probably end up sour at some point down the line.

This is a noob question but what do you mean by runnings? I understand your refering to a mash tun. I'm assuming you think i should use more water and boil longer?

 

[Qhrumphf]

This is a noob question but what do you mean by runnings? I understand your refering to a mash tun. I'm assuming you think i should use more water and boil longer?

Runnings are the wort you get out of the mash. It either means sparging more for a higher preboil volume, or if you're doing full volume BIAB using a thinner mash for more wort. I've never done the latter, only the former.

But yes, that's the basic idea. Rinse out the grain bed with more water and boil longer.

If you're planning on low efficiency then your process should be fine (save the DMS concern), but i wouldn't call that sustainable in the long term for every batch.

 

[norsk]

Have fun, and yes, boil for at least 60 min. Then spend a few hours and read as many articles and comments on this site as you can, as well as those on other sites. Soon you will be spending as much money on beer as the rest of us do... though it isn't required...

 

[seabrew8]

Have fun, and yes, boil for at least 60 min. Then spend a few hours and read as many articles and comments on this site as you can, as well as those on other sites. Soon you will be spending as much money on beer as the rest of us do... though it isn't required...

Haha! i spend more money then most on beer. At least $125US a week, if i'm good. When i was in the alberta oil patch i would spend $750US a week easy!

 

[seabrew8]

Update: No big deal for a lot of you guys but i just finished my first AG batch!

- 9L of strike water with 6lbs of 2 row and 0.25lb of crystal 77L
- 8.5L of sparge water
- Boiled for 45 min with 0.5oz of %6.9 AA williamette

SG - 1.052!

I guess i got some conversion I used the stovetop BIAB method.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Update: No big deal for a lot of you guys but i just finished my first AG batch!

- 9L of strike water with 6lbs of 2 row and 0.25lb of crystal 77L
- 8.5L of sparge water
- Boiled for 45 min with 0.5oz of %6.9 AA williamette

SG - 1.052!

I guess i got some conversion I used the stovetop BIAB method.

Congrats. Easier than you thought innit?

 

[seabrew8]

Congrats. Easier than you thought innit?

Thanks, I didn't think BIAB was overly hard but i didn't think it would be some much fun and i love the smell of fresh grains!

side note - whats up with innit? You know any newfoundlanders? haha

 

[seabrew8]

Update: I fermenented it for 10 days in the mid to high 60's and now its been cold crashing for a few days at 36-38. I added gelatin yesterday and now i can see all kinds of light coloured stuff floating, i assume it gelatin.

What do you guys think? I never noticed gelatin floating the other few times i used it.

 

[seabrew8]

I bottled this brew a few days ago and man i never seen such little particules floating in the beer bottle before.? But almost clear..if you know what i mean.

I was wondering if its the hops debris and/or something to do with the gelatin?

 

[Qhrumphf]

I've found with gelatin if you don't follow a very precise procedure with gelatin it either leaves floaties or just doesn't do much. Have to bloom first, then fully dissolve it, then add it to cold beer. And if rouse it up once it's settled down, it usually won't resettle again.

 

[seabrew8]

I've found with gelatin if you don't follow a very precise procedure with gelatin it either leaves floaties or just doesn't do much. Have to bloom first, then fully dissolve it, then add it to cold beer. And if rouse it up once it's settled down, it usually won't resettle again.

Its really loose - its floating all over the bottle so to speak - if i shake it, the only thing i can think of was not having it totally dissolved.

And when i poured the wort in the fermenter - the end of my pour there was a lot of hop debris.

Newbie Question; Instead of looking it up i will just ask here.

Do you expect trub in your boil kettle? I just poured it all in my bucket. It was pretty thick/green near the end. Shouid i stop when i see all the trub?

 

[seabrew8]

Well i just had to try one lastnight just to see. Its only been in the bottles about 1.5 days wow! What a delicious taste of fresh grains! Never tasted anything like it besides a few pubs that brewed there own in house beer!

I'm sold!