SlitheryDee
General Manager
So I've got some extract kits that I really need to brew. I'm going to do a vanilla cream ale this weekend from my LHBS. I have two problems with it though. The first one is that I've been bitten by the all-grain bug. I just don't have much motivation to make extract kits now. The second one is that this particular kit is just plain weak in terms of OG and ABV. I decided to combine the two and see if I could get my all grain fix and boost this kit a little in the process.
The original recipe is as follows:
LA homebrew vanilla cream ale
8 oz white wheat malt (steep 30 mins @ 155)
7 oz crystal malt (steep 30 mins @ 155)
6 lbs pale liquid malt extract (add half at beginning of boil and half with 15 mins left in boil)
.25 oz nugget hops (boil 60 mins)
.5 oz Mt Hood hops (boil 5 mins)
2 vanilla beans (chop and add with 15 mins left in the boil)
After steeping, boil half the pale malt and nugget hops for 60 mins, adding remainder of extract and chopped vanilla at 15 mins. Add Mt hood hops with 5 mins left in the boil. Cool to 72 degrees and pitch one packet of safale us-05. When primary fermentation is complete, rack to secondary.
Numbers according to beersmith
Batch size - 5 gallons
OG - 1.038
Bitterness - 11.7 IBUs
Color - 6.9 SRM
Est ABV - 3.8%
My proposed changes are as follows:
Misc ingredients:
2 split and chopped vanilla soaked in 4 oz of light rum for 7-10 days (add after primary fermentation.)
Mash ingredients:
3lb 2 row
1 lb flaked corn
1 lb flaked rice
8 oz white wheat malt
7 oz crystal 10L
Mash 60 minutes in 8.91 qt water @ 148 degrees (going for light body here)
Sparge with 19.24 quarts of water and heat to 168 degrees (to bring me to full boil volume.)
Boil ingredients:
.25 oz nugget hops (60 mins)
.5 oz Mt hood hops (5 mins)
3lb pale liquid malt extract (boil 15 mins)
Complete mash and bring to full boil volume. Add hops as per schedule. Add extract at 15 minutes. Cool to 62 degrees and pitch one packet of safale us-05. Ferment at 62 degrees until activity stops, then add rum soaked vanilla beans and raise temp to 72 degrees for an additional 7 days.
Numbers according to beersmith:
OG - 1.049
Bitterness - 14.3 IBUs
Color - 5.6 SRM
Est ABV - 4.9%
Batch size 5.5 gallons
The main differences here are that I get a bit more strength. I get some adjuncts in there aside from the steeping grains (How could it even be a cream ale without corn anyway?). I'm getting higher IBUs from the same hop additions due to increased utilization from the full boil. It'll probably be a prettier beer due to the lighter color (not that it matters THAT much...). I get an extra .5 gallons of beer to work with so I can bottle the full 5 gallons at least. In general it brings all the numbers into the range that beersmith finds acceptable for a cream ale, and I think I'm going to get a lot more vanilla flavor from the tincture than I would adding the beans directly to the boil. I'm just going to keep the extra 3 lbs of malt extract for later use.
So how does it look to you guys? Is there any aspect of a partial mash I'm missing here?
The original recipe is as follows:
LA homebrew vanilla cream ale
8 oz white wheat malt (steep 30 mins @ 155)
7 oz crystal malt (steep 30 mins @ 155)
6 lbs pale liquid malt extract (add half at beginning of boil and half with 15 mins left in boil)
.25 oz nugget hops (boil 60 mins)
.5 oz Mt Hood hops (boil 5 mins)
2 vanilla beans (chop and add with 15 mins left in the boil)
After steeping, boil half the pale malt and nugget hops for 60 mins, adding remainder of extract and chopped vanilla at 15 mins. Add Mt hood hops with 5 mins left in the boil. Cool to 72 degrees and pitch one packet of safale us-05. When primary fermentation is complete, rack to secondary.
Numbers according to beersmith
Batch size - 5 gallons
OG - 1.038
Bitterness - 11.7 IBUs
Color - 6.9 SRM
Est ABV - 3.8%
My proposed changes are as follows:
Misc ingredients:
2 split and chopped vanilla soaked in 4 oz of light rum for 7-10 days (add after primary fermentation.)
Mash ingredients:
3lb 2 row
1 lb flaked corn
1 lb flaked rice
8 oz white wheat malt
7 oz crystal 10L
Mash 60 minutes in 8.91 qt water @ 148 degrees (going for light body here)
Sparge with 19.24 quarts of water and heat to 168 degrees (to bring me to full boil volume.)
Boil ingredients:
.25 oz nugget hops (60 mins)
.5 oz Mt hood hops (5 mins)
3lb pale liquid malt extract (boil 15 mins)
Complete mash and bring to full boil volume. Add hops as per schedule. Add extract at 15 minutes. Cool to 62 degrees and pitch one packet of safale us-05. Ferment at 62 degrees until activity stops, then add rum soaked vanilla beans and raise temp to 72 degrees for an additional 7 days.
Numbers according to beersmith:
OG - 1.049
Bitterness - 14.3 IBUs
Color - 5.6 SRM
Est ABV - 4.9%
Batch size 5.5 gallons
The main differences here are that I get a bit more strength. I get some adjuncts in there aside from the steeping grains (How could it even be a cream ale without corn anyway?). I'm getting higher IBUs from the same hop additions due to increased utilization from the full boil. It'll probably be a prettier beer due to the lighter color (not that it matters THAT much...). I get an extra .5 gallons of beer to work with so I can bottle the full 5 gallons at least. In general it brings all the numbers into the range that beersmith finds acceptable for a cream ale, and I think I'm going to get a lot more vanilla flavor from the tincture than I would adding the beans directly to the boil. I'm just going to keep the extra 3 lbs of malt extract for later use.
So how does it look to you guys? Is there any aspect of a partial mash I'm missing here?
