Blonde Ale Miller Lite (Really Triple Hopped)

[RatCity]

StinkyVp, I do BIAB. I use the 1.25qt/lb ratio, so with 6lbs of grain or so, you're talking about roughly 7.5qts or 1.875g of mash water. Then I sparge with however much water I need for the preboil volume to be 6.5g. So if I assume .5g of liqiud lost in the grain (it's usually not this high, but just to make it easy), I need 6.5g - (1.875g-.5g), or 5.125g of sparge water.

That said, boiling this for 90 minutes could reduce the volume a bit more, so take some good notes the first time and adjust as needed.

 

[StinkyVp]

Thanks Rat, that helps a lot. Now I need to work out how I am going to do this with the limited equipment I have. It's going to be a fun weekend. I'm going to buy 2 of these and do one Sat and one Sun I think.
Is using my bottling bucket to sparge with a dumb idea? I'm goin to try that unless someone has had a bad experience with it. That water will not be too hot I wouldn't think.

thanks all

 

[RatCity]

Hmm, if I were you, I'd spring for a 7g pot to do the sparge and boil in, (you can find an aluminum one at a reasonable price on Amazon) and use your 6.5g for the mash. Unless your oven can’t get that volume boiling (try using two burners…works for me). I don’t know if those buckets are good at 180 degrees or so, maybe someone else has experience with that. Personally I wouldn’t bother trying…for the cost of a few ruined batches you could just get the pot.


Hey also, YMMV, but the pot I mash in fits in my oven, which I don’t turn on but just helps insulate the whole thing. I only lose a few degrees of heat in a 90 minute BIAB mash, and regularly get 75%+ efficiency.

 

[msa8967]

How many days do you recommend to dry hop this beer using cascade?

 

[NTOLERANCE]

Brewed ten gallons of this two weekends ago. Tossed in a touch of crystal 10L. Used new zeeland hallertau hops. Just started dropping clear this week. Gonna dry hop one carboy with saaz and the other sunbeam. These will be fresh hops from the yard.

 

[Schlenkerla]

How many days do you recommend to dry hop this beer using cascade?

The recipe calls for two weeks. Thats what I do. I'd make that the limit. If you go too long it will get grassy. Keep it to two weeks, one will work as well.

 

[msa8967]

I was unsure about trying to add the amalyze enzyme and dry hopping the beer at the same time. Thanks for letting me know what to do.

 

[NCPAdennis]

I brewed this as my first AG and it turned out great. Unfortunately, for some reason at the last party I had I put my keg in a tub of ice and this beer froze!! The last few glasses were really hoppy, now I have thawed it but it is basically carbinated hop flavored water. Guess I will have to dump it and brew it again.

 

[Schlenkerla]

I brewed this as my first AG and it turned out great. Unfortunately, for some reason at the last party I had I put my keg in a tub of ice and this beer froze!! The last few glasses were really hoppy, now I have thawed it but it is basically carbinated hop flavored water. Guess I will have to dump it and brew it again.

During the party you must have drank all the alcohol out as it froze. I have never hear of that happening before.

 

[msa8967]

At day 10 I racked two 4 gallon size batches onto the amalyze enzyme powder in 5 gallon glass carboys. This leaves about 1.25 gallons of head space. Should I be seeing any kind of activity at all due to the enzyme? It is the first time I ever used amalyze.

 

[TheVille]

I didn't get my AE in the mail in time and added about a week after going to secondary and dry-hopping (20 days).

Like the above poster is asking, how long should i wait for AE to do its magic before I keg?

 

[Schlenkerla]

At day 10 I racked two 4 gallon size batches onto the amalyze enzyme powder in 5 gallon glass carboys. This leaves about 1.25 gallons of head space. Should I be seeing any kind of activity at all due to the enzyme? It is the first time I ever used amalyze.

The activity in the carboy is rather tame. It will generally create millions of tiny bubbles with slow activity in the air lock. Stick a flashlight up against the carboy and you will see what I'm talking about. Only once did I have a need for a blowoff. I think there was lots of ample starch and complex sugars in the first batch, but thats just a guess. (might have been five days in the primary.) It blew beer out the airlock. But it was brimmingly full.

What kind of makes this unique is the bubbles rise from the bottom but S-O5 is an ale yeast. Ales are top cropping. Its basically converting residual starches and complex sugars into simple sugars for the yeast to eat through out the carboy. You will have a dry crisp beer with a little alcohol boost. Maybe .004 to .008 points extra in the generation of ABV.

I didn't get my AE in the mail in time and added about a week after going to secondary and dry-hopping (20 days).

Like the above poster is asking, how long should i wait for AE to do its magic before I keg?

About two weeks. You might want to check the gravity. The stopping point is 0.000.

You might want to agitate the carboy with a gentle swirl or rocking of the carboy. Anther way is to is to sanitize a racking cane and stir the beer gently with the bent end and the other end attached to a cordless drill. Whatever you do, do NOT aerate the beer. Odds are doing nothing is ok as long as you give ample time to do its work.

Not everybody has gotten results at zero, they were just a few points higher than zero.

 

[msa8967]

Slight problem. I have two carboys of this recipe with 4 gallons each to dry hop but I only have 1 oz of Cascade to use and no local HBS to get more from. I have plenty of Centennial to use but I have never dry hopped with it before.

Should I:

1. Split the 1 oz Cascade package between both?

2. Split the 1 oz Cascade package between both and add 1/2 oz of Centennial to each?

3. Use 1 oz Cascade in one carboy and 1 oz Centennial in the other?

 

[NTOLERANCE]

Pic, with a big zip lock bag of fresh saaz hops in the secondary.

The pyrex carboy makes dry hopping a snap!

 

[Schlenkerla]

Slight problem. I have two carboys of this recipe with 4 gallons each to dry hop but I only have 1 oz of Cascade to use and no local HBS to get more from. I have plenty of Centennial to use but I have never dry hopped with it before.

Should I:

1. Split the 1 oz Cascade package between both?

2. Split the 1 oz Cascade package between both and add 1/2 oz of Centennial to each?

3. Use 1 oz Cascade in one carboy and 1 oz Centennial in the other?

I'd do number three if you want two different beers or number two if you want one.

That said, you can't go wrong with any of the three. Be advised that if you use pellet hops you might want them in a muslin sack when you dry hop. Otherwise you will loose a bit of beer with racking losses or deal with hop particles in the beer. Neither are too much of an issue. I rather loose beer vs having dirty beer. Thats just me.

 

[msa8967]

Thanks for the advice. I ended up doing 1/2 oz Cascade and 1/2 oz Centennial in each carboy. I used a pair of women's nylons (boilled and sanitized) to hold onto the pellet hops. Looking forward to trying this in 4-6 weeks.

 

[Schlenkerla]

Pic, with a big zip lock bag of fresh saaz hops in the secondary.

The pyrex carboy makes dry hopping a snap!

Whats the deal on your pyrex carboy with the bottom stem? Do use that at all? Seems like it would be good for easy transfer if it didn't clog.

 

[NTOLERANCE]

Whats the deal on your pyrex carboy with the bottom stem? Do use that at all? Seems like it would be good for easy transfer if it didn't clog.

I got that from aformer UW Wisconsin Med Student. He snagged it for brewing beer back in the 80's I have been tpying with flipping it over and using it as a conical.

You could use it to bottle, but only if the beer had been racked to it, it would definetly clog.

 

[RatCity]

Just racked a batch made with all Saaz. Tasted delicious, like a Pilsner Urquell Light. Can't wait for it to carb up..

 

[Schlenkerla]

Just racked a batch made with all Saaz. Tasted delicious, like a Pilsner Urquell Light. Can't wait for it to carb up..

Sounds delicious. I need to remake this soon with the Saaz. Hmmmm......

A buddy of mine likes michelob amber bock. I suppose this recipe, using saaz or liberty, with about 1/4 oz debittered chocolate malt might do the trick. Might call it a Black-light Beer.... Have it ready for Halloween.

 

[NTOLERANCE]

This brew doesnt need a lime, but it looks more festive with one.

 

[Schlenkerla]

This brew doesnt need a lime, but it looks more festive with one.

The man-law about fruit in beer is only for pu$$ies who can't drink anything heavier than Lite. The fact they (Miller Brewing) don't want fruit taking over responsibility for contributing flavor.

I hate the commercials that talk about manning up and drinking a beer with flavor.

If thats the case..... Man up and drink a New Belgium Ranger or a Dog-Fishead 60 Minute IPA. Mofos.

 

[Marlowefire]

Northern Brewer sells Rice syrup solids for 1lb.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/default/rice-syrup-solids-1-lb.html

if doing the extract version of this, can I use these solids, and how it would it change (if at all ) from 1.50 lbs. Rice Syrup Generic 1.040 that the extract recipe calls for?

 

[Schlenkerla]

Northern Brewer sells Rice syrup solids for 1lb.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/default/rice-syrup-solids-1-lb.html

if doing the extract version of this, can I use these solids, and how it would it change (if at all ) from 1.50 lbs. Rice Syrup Generic 1.040 that the extract recipe calls for?

Not sure I understand your question. Are you asking to deviate from 2.25lbs LME and 1.5lb of rice syrup? You would want use the right about of each to hit the OG. So like 3.3lbs of LME and one pound of rice syrup will go past 1.030... I can't remember how much maybe up to 1.040.

The most important thing is to hit the IBU target of 18 with your hop addition. You would want to use software to calculate the correct hop addition. Try this link below.

Http://www.recipator.com

If I got this wrong please clarify your question. Ok

 

[Marlowefire]

Not sure I understand your question. Are you asking to deviate from 2.25lbs LME and 1.5lb of rice syrup? You would want use the right about of each to hit the OG. So like 3.3lbs of LME and one pound of rice syrup will go past 1.030... I can't remember how much maybe up to 1.040.

The most important thing is to hit the IBU target of 18 with your hop addition. You would want to use software to calculate the correct hop addition. Try this link below.

Http://www.recipator.com

If I got this wrong please clarify your question. Ok

I'm asking what is the ratio if corn syrup solids to corn syrup if I substitute. I don't want ti deviate from the recipe. I just can't get my hands on corn syrup. Northern brewer only has the solids.

 

[Schlenkerla]

I'm asking what is the ratio if corn syrup solids to corn syrup if I substitute. I don't want ti deviate from the recipe. I just can't get my hands on corn syrup. Northern brewer only has the solids.

Gotcha. Let me look at pro mash to see what the default points per pound per gallon of water is in specific gravity.

 

[Marlowefire]

Thanks. Also why is it a bad idea to add AE to the primary?

 

[carrolte]

subscribed. I have my second batch of this in the secondary right now. And enough ingredients to do 8 more. Batch #1 is drinkable, but I either under pitched (started from a slant of S-05 on #1 or have water issues). Batch 2 tasted good prior to amylase addition so I got my fingers crossed (pitched a 1 liter starter of wyeast 1056 and used bottled spring) ph appeared good in mash and I hit my numbers).

 

[IPAAAA]

So with the amylase you should be able to get the FG to around 1.000?

 

[Schlenkerla]

So with the amylase you should be able to get the FG to around 1.000?

That would be correct!

Be advised it needs a little time for the parched dryness to dissipate. About 7 days chilled after it its carbed.

My best explanation of parched dryness is its got a weird dry aftertaste or mouthfeel when very young.

 

[IPAAAA]

Without it we will just have a slightly less alcoholic beer and the taste will be pretty similar?

 

[carrolte]

I am currently sipping on my 3rd try at this. It is also my 4th batch since getting back into the game. Delicious, I am using 2lb-2lb-2lb and wyeast 1056. Thanks for the thread! I have some chill haze; But hey you can't have everything can you? It really is awesome. Other than running out of DME for starters I have enough supplies for 7 more batches. Although I'm contemplating a 4-4-4 high gravity version.

Thanks again!

I Love Beer.
TC

 

[Schlenkerla]

Without it we will just have a slightly less alcoholic beer and the taste will be pretty similar?

Yes, slightly less alcoholic and a slight sweetness with some subtle corn taste.

Don't skip the enzyme. It makes it dry, or not sweet, with no corn taste whatsoever.

Somebody here did skip it and later said they regretted it....

 

[Marlowefire]

Why can't we add the AE TO THE PRIMARY AFTER 14 days??

 

[Schlenkerla]

I think you can, somebody here has done that. Not sure who. I always do it in the secondary as a clean finishing method. This beer is super light and clear. Having it really clean is what i'm after. I don't want any yeast in this .

This beer is usually drank by the BMC crowd, so I try to get rid of any visual defect. That's what they mainly key in on, after the taste and mouthfeel. I also keg this beer, and transport it so I really want absolutely no sediment in this beer.

This base recipe was created by Charlie Papazian in the 70s when secondaries were done because they feared autolysis.

FWIW - I just added the triple hop schedule because of the stupid triple hop commercials.

 

[Marlowefire]

Ok thanks. I too plan on kegging this. I think I'm going to add the AE to the primary. I also use a better bottle with the racking adapter so I don't get a lot of sediment.

 

[carrolte]

I added the dry hops and the AE to the primary container. Mine have been a little hazy, but they taste great and everyone that has tried it has said they liked it.

 

[carrolte]

heres a pic...

 

[Schlenkerla]

Nice beer, if I was at your place, I'd drink several of those then to try out your slide. :rockin:

 

[MikeRoBrew1]

I added my AE to primary, it turned out great. Very crisp and dry and super-clear. No corn taste. Thanks again for the recipe, I have made this three or four times now. Everyone loves it and its cheap!