Steam beer recipe question

[TsunamiBeer]

I am thinking 7.5 lbs pale malt and 2.5 lbs 40L crystal. Should I trade out half a lb of the crystal for a cara-pils? Trying to make sure I get that nice creamy head on Anchor Steam. Other suggestions?

 

[BigEd]

I am thinking 7.5 lbs pale malt and 2.5 lbs 40L crystal. Should I trade out half a lb of the crystal for a cara-pils? Trying to make sure I get that nice creamy head on Anchor Steam. Other suggestions?

25% crystal malt??? That's way, way too much. If you want some extra dextrin a half pound of CaraPils is OK but also cut the crystal to a half pound (I would use 55L) and up the pale malt to 9 lbs.

 

[TsunamiBeer]

Thanks Ed.

 

[Yooper]

I like the idea of lowering the crystal (a LOT!) and using some Munich malt and victory malt to get a rich, toasty, malty flavor. I'd use no more than a pound of crystal total. A pound of 60L, a 1/2 pound of victory malt, and 1.5 pounds of Munich malt with your 7.5 pounds of pale malt would be about right.

 

[TsunamiBeer]

7 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 71.8 %
1 lbs Munich Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 2 10.3 %
1 lbs Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 3 10.3 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 4 5.1 %
4.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 5 2.6 %
1.00 oz Northern Brewer [8.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 6 29.5 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 7 9.5 IBUs
1.0 pkg California Lager (Wyeast Labs #2112) [124.21 ml] Yeast 8 -

I went with this. We'll see. thanks for your help guys.

 

[BigEd]

7 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 71.8 %
1 lbs Munich Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 2 10.3 %
1 lbs Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 3 10.3 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 4 5.1 %
4.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 5 2.6 %
1.00 oz Northern Brewer [8.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 6 29.5 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 7 9.5 IBUs
1.0 pkg California Lager (Wyeast Labs #2112) [124.21 ml] Yeast 8 -

I went with this. We'll see. thanks for your help guys.

I disagree about adding Victory malt, however, if you are using it at least stick with Yooper's recommendation of 1/2 lb. That's plenty.

 

[thetragichero]

my next brew will be a riff on cali common, but it'll be a munich/NB SMaSH (with the cali lager yeast)
everything seems to work out well in beer calculus... just need an empty fermenter!

 

[TsunamiBeer]

Sounds great. Let us know how it goes....