Spitballing a summer-drinking recipe...

[betarhoalphadelta]

I realized today that I now have a 7.4% IPA, an 8.2% saison, and a 11%+ barleywine as my only homebrew. So I need to brew something relatively low in alcohol for the summer. I have a bunch of pilsner and 2-row on hand, a bunch of Magnum & Saaz, and about 4 oz of EKG (as well as 0.75# leftover black patent from a red ale a few months ago). I can buy any specialty grains I need, but for the most part want to find ways to use up some of these hops.

I don't really have a style in mind, but I think this might be kind of a red ale of sorts. I'm thinking the honey malt will provide a solidly sweet backbone to offset 0.5# of black patent, and outside of that should be a relatively balanced beer overall (a tad on the hoppy side for 4.3% ABV, but that's by design).

What do you guys think? Style guidelines aside, do you think this will taste good? Any particular adjustments or changes needed to hit a decent balance?

Ingredients Amount Item Type % or IBU
8.50 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 50.00 %
7.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 41.18 %
1.00 lb Honey Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 5.88 %
0.50 lb Black (Patent) Malt (600.0 SRM) Grain 2.94 %
1.75 oz Magnum [10.00 %] (60 min) Hops 31.8 IBU
2.00 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
2 Pkgs Nottingham (Danstar #-) Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile Estimated Original Gravity: 1.044 SG
Estimated Final Gravity: 1.011 SG
Estimated Color: 16.7 SRM
Bitterness: 31.8 IBU
Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 4.37 %

Mash at 152 deg.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

I guess I wasn't very specific here...

My primary question is the use of honey malt, as I've never used it before. I want something sufficiently sweet to balance 30 IBU and 0.5# of roasted malt, but don't want to overdo it (as I've heard people have done with honey malt).

Any thoughts from those of you who have used honey malt in the past?

 

[Nikkimaija]

No thoughts, never put honey malt in a recipe of my own (think I may have used it in a kit?) Question though: why mixing pilsner and pale malt? Just cuz it's what you have on hand? I sub pale for pils when I'm feeling cheapskate, but don't usually use both in the same beer...it seems you might obscure the pils specific characteristics if you filled it up with regular old 2 row? Just curious, not critical.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

I think I started the recipe with all pils as the base malt, and then cut the percentage because I have more 2-row on hand than pils right now (and might be using some pils in a couple upcoming recipes).

At 50% pils, I think it's significant enough to still taste the more "grainy" aspect of the pils, but you bring up a good point -- that might not be ideal given the rest of the grist. Whether I should nix it entirely for pale is something I'll definitely think about before brewday.