What are your thoughts on this AG Winter Ale?

[Shred]

This is my first time doing a winter ale. I'm shooting for a nice balance and maybe just a hint of residual sweetness (should I try to dry it out with corn sugar to get the FG down?).

The malt and hop bills were built with a slightly roasty, slightly nutty, spicy flavor in mind. I'm figuring a brown/nut brown as the base.

This will be my first time using molasses but as I understand it, it leaves a bit of sweetness and a strong flavor. Is a half pound a good amount?

Any thoughts on the spices?

Thanks!


Shred's "Sleigh Ride DUI" Winter Ale
5.5 Gallon Batch

Mash @ 154F - 75 minutes:

8 lbs Pale Malt, Maris Otter
1 lbs Chocolate Rye Malt
1 lbs Victory Malt
12.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L
8.0 oz Molasses

1.00 oz Cluster [7.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min
0.50 oz Cluster [7.00 %] - Boil 45.0 min

1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins)
0.50 oz Ginger Root (Boil 15.0 mins)
1.00 Items Whole Nutmeg (Boil 15.0 mins)

0.50 oz Cluster [7.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min

1.00 Items Cinnamon Stick (Boil 5.0 mins)

2.0 pkg English Ale (White Labs #WLP002)

Est Original Gravity: 1.059 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.018 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.5 %
Bitterness: 33.8 IBUs
Est Color: 26.5 SRM

 

[Shred]

Bump? :rockin:

 

[oconnorshomebrew]

If you want it to be sweet, don't use corn sugar as it's incredibly fermentable and will dry out the beer and thin out the body. The molasses will do this a little bit, especially depending on the kind of molasses, the lighter stuff being the more fermentable. The spices seem to be good to me.

 

[Shred]

If you want it to be sweet, don't use corn sugar as it's incredibly fermentable and will dry out the beer and thin out the body. The molasses will do this a little bit, especially depending on the kind of molasses, the lighter stuff being the more fermentable. The spices seem to be good to me.

I'm looking for a very mild sweetness to it. Almost perceived more than tasted. 1.018 seems like a high FG to me which is why I thought maybe a little bit of corn sugar. You think the hops will offset the sweetness enough that I'll end up with an "off-dry" finish if left as is?

 

[wonderbread23]

8oz molasses seems a bit high to me. I suppose it depends on whether you want it to be very obvious, or something that is supporting and blending with other flavors.

 

[Shred]

I don't want it to be overbearing. Just another wintery flavor blended in with the rest.

 

[mjohnson]

Cinnamon can be tough to dial in. Maybe consider making a tincture by soaking the cinnamon in a couple ounces of vodka for a few days. Add the tincture at packaging.

I wonder if the dextrin combined with the crystal malts will be too sweet. I'd shoot for a malty rich character that finishes fairly dry. I wonder if backing off on the dextrin in favor of something like Munich would be good.

 

[Shred]

Cinnamon can be tough to dial in. Maybe consider making a tincture by soaking the cinnamon in a couple ounces of vodka for a few days. Add the tincture at packaging.

I wonder if the dextrin combined with the crystal malts will be too sweet. I'd shoot for a malty rich character that finishes fairly dry. I wonder if backing off on the dextrin in favor of something like Munich would be good.

Good thoughts. Thanks!

I was battling with doing cinnamon at bottling time. As for the dextrine, I really wanted the body & head and I thought the 34 IBUs would be enough to balance. I'm not opposed to making a substitution, but do you think it will improve the overall balance?

 

[EOD_supraguy]

I might try this recipe in a couple of months. It sounds pretty good. Ill have to order all the grains soon. Might wait to hear your review first.

 

[mjohnson]

Good thoughts. Thanks!

I was battling with doing cinnamon at bottling time. As for the dextrine, I really wanted the body & head and I thought the 34 IBUs would be enough to balance. I'm not opposed to making a substitution, but do you think it will improve the overall balance?

We might be veering into personal preference, here. I dislike sugary sweetness in my beer and like my beers to finish on the dry side. I try to achieve richness as much as possible with base malts and try to minimize the amount of crystal malts. But as you say, its all about balance, and there are many ways to skin a cat.

For instance, I might get rid of the dextrin and crystal 60 entirely and add some munich. I might mash at 154-156 and still try to drive fermentation to get good attenuation. Then, I might carb it on the low side - like 1.5 to 2 vols of CO2.

Like I said, I think its personal preference.

 

[Shred]

Here is the latest revision:

Mash @ 154F
9 lbs Pale Malt, Maris Otter
1 lbs Victory Malt
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L
5.3 oz Carafa I (337.0 SRM)
5.3 oz Chocolate Rye Malt
4.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine

1.00 oz Cluster [7.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min
0.50 oz Cluster [7.00 %] - Boil 45.0 min

1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins)
0.50 oz Ginger Root (Boil 15.0 mins)
1.00 Items Whole Nutmeg (Boil 15.0 mins)

0.50 oz Cluster [7.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min

1.00 Items Cinnamon Stick (Boil 5.0 mins... may move to secondary)

2.0 pkg English Ale (White Labs #WLP002)
Est Original Gravity: 1.060 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.018 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.5 %
Bitterness: 33.7 IBUs