recipe advice?

[shlegminitism]

Hey folks. I'm messing around with beersmith and my goal started out as making something along the lines of a maibock, but as an ale. I've looked at a few recipes and i'm pulling from a few different ones, and throwing in a little here and there to achieve the color i'm looking for based mostly on what i have on hand. It may be a bit of a frankenbeer, but as long as its tasty fairly balanced and makes me feel much more attractive than i am, i'll be able to sleep at night. I'm wondering if anyone who may have a knack for looking at a recipe and seeing its potential could tell me if there's anything blatant that stands out as a no no (I selected the mash profile arbitrarily just because its supposed to give a medium body (according to beer smith). May not be the best method). Thanks in advance for any help, suggestions, assistance, or euthanasia that you can provide!


Ingredients Type # % /IBU
13 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 78.8 %
1 lbs 1.4 oz Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 6.6 %
1 lbs Melanoiden Malt (20.0 SRM) Grain 6.1 %
8.6 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 3.3 %
14.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 90L (90.0 SRM) Grain 5.3 %
2.00 oz Hallertauer [4.80 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 23.2 IBUs
1.00 oz Hallertauer [4.80 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 8.9 IBUs
1.00 oz Hallertauer [4.80 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 2.3 IBUs
1.0 pkg German Ale (Wyeast Labs #1007) [124.21 ml] Yeast


Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.069 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.046 SG

Est Final Gravity: 1.015 SG
Measured Final Gravity: 1.010 SG


Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 7.1 %
Actual Alcohol by Vol: 4.7 %

Bitterness: 34.4 IBUs
Calories: 151.6 kcal/12oz

Est Color: 12.6 SRM

Mash Profile
Mash Name: Temperature Mash, 2
Total Grain Weight: 16 lbs 8.1 oz
Step, Medium Body
Sparge Water: 2.15 gal
Grain Temperature: 72.0 F

Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F
Tun Temperature: 72.0 F

Adjust Temp for Equipment:
Mash PH: 5.20

 

[helibrewer]

You might consider a kolsch/alt yeast. Also, look at an Alt recipe, it's an amber hybrid German Ale.

 

[BigEd]

Here's the problem. Just because you fool around with a recipe program and come close to numbers of color and OG doesn't mean you have made a Maibock. That doesn't mean the beer won't be good and it will be a nice tasting brew but if you want it to taste like a Maibock you really need to use base ingredients that are signature to the style IMO. In this case that means lots of German Vienna malt. I'd also simplify the hop schedule as it's more of a pale ale than bock outline. The suggestion of a German ale yeast is a good one but even they really need lower temps than typical ale strains. Another type of yeast depending on your temp possibilities is California Common (Steam Beer) which will function at slightly higher temps than traditional lager yeasts. Here's a possibility for next time:

10 lbs German Vienna
2 lbs German Pils
1 lb German CaraHell

1.25 oz Hallertau @ 60 min
.25 oz Hallertau @ 20 min

 

[shlegminitism]

Thanks for the advice/suggestions. I'll have to see what the local homebrew store has in stock as far as yeast goes. Small town means i may have to compromise unless i want to order something online. 68F is probably about as low as i'd want to ferment. I just remembered that i have some wlp029 that i collected after a batch i made quite some time back. I may see if its still viable before i go buy anything.

I did start out with a Maibock in mind, but only because i had a good one the other day and I'd like to have something along those lines in bulk, but at the same time be able to burn through some of the grains i have on hand. So making the platonic form of a maibock isn't as important to me right now as just making something tasty. But i would like to make a legit one at some point, so i appreciate the recipe you listed. I'm going to take your advice on the hop scheduling too. Cheers!