LME type and other questions

I posted this on the extract forum but I figured it makes sense to put it here as well.

I want to make the extract version of this IPA recipe:

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f69/dogf...extract-25709/

"DFH clone

Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 2.5 gal
Estimated OG: 1.072 SG
Estimated Color: 13.1 SRM
Estimated IBU: 49.8 IBU

Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:

Amount Item Type % or IBU
9.5 lbs Pale Liquid Extract (8.0 SRM) Extract 90.83 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 9.17 %

1.25 oz Warrior [15.00 %] (60 min) Hops 26.7 IBU
(Read notes!)

1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (35 min) Hops 10.0 IBU
1.00 oz Simcoe [12.00 %] (30 min) Hops 13.1 IBU
(Read notes!

1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (Dry Hop 7 days) Hops
0.50 oz Simcoe [12.00 %] (Dry Hop 7 days) Hops

Notes:

Pacman yeast used, but any clean well attenuating yeast can be used. Try WLP001, Nottingham, or 1056 if pacman is not available.

Hops were added as continuous first warrior for the first 25 minutes ( approximately half at 60 minutes, then a little bit at a time until 35 minutes was left in the boil). Then the rest of the hops were mixed together, and added continuously at 35 minutes."

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1) I'm planning on using Nottingham yeast (should I use something else?), which isn't a problem, but should I make a starter since this is a higher OG beer than I've ever made before? If so how should I do it?

2) Also I was thinking that since I can boil almost 4 gallons of water that I could save a bit of money and use less hops? Or should I just buy 2 oz of warrior and 2 oz amarillo and 2 oz simcoe and just use the extra and make it a bit hoppier than the recipe calls for? I like hoppy beers, so as long as it would still be good that would not be a problem. (I don't know how beersmith works so forgive my lack of number crunching)

3) Also what kind of LME is that specifically? I normally buy from brewmaster's warehouse, and it seems as though they have "extra light" and "golden light" and I'm not sure which to use.

 

Seems to me plain light would be it. Just use the hop amounts & times called for. I do pb/pm biab in a 5 gallon kettle with about 3 1/2 gallons boil volume. Hop flavors come out great. Notty would be fine, or US-05. S-04 seems to give good malt/hop balance too.

 

Extra light is often pilsner extract. Golden light is likely Briess and it's an ale malt with carapils made in it for head retention. I'd go with the latter.

I'm not sure if you'd be under pitching enough to warrant a starter, but if you felt the need to you'd rehydrate the yeast in warm water for 1/2 an hour before making a small starter which you'd give 12-24 hrs.

Were it me I'd likely not buy 2 oz of Warrior as you'd have more starting water and could also increase the boil time a little to make up the difference.

 

I'd follow more along with Yooper's continuous hopping, mainly just for fun. I'm going to be doing so with my IPA in the future, 2.5oz of Amarillo, Summit, and Warrior split into 13 parts and added every 5 minutes. I'm going to see how this one comes out, also dry hopped with 1oz Amarillo and 1oz Summit, and then make some adjustments based on that, which will probably include moving towards what Yooper says in using the Warrior first, then mixing the other two hops near the end. Or I might mix the Warrior and Summit in the beginning, then add Amarillo to the mix halfway through. Who knows?? That's the beauty of homebrewing, you can do whatever you want and you'll probably make pretty good beer!

 

I'd go with the recipe & see how you like it first to establish some kind of baseline. Plenty of time for experimenting.

 

Would using 2 packets of yeast be easier or should I just take like 2 OZ of light DME and use that to make a 1 pack starter?

Also when dry hopping how important is it to not have headspace? I have a 7-8 gallon primary fermenter and a 6 gallon secondary (both buckets). Do I need to snag a 5 gallon bucket/carboy to dry hop properly or is using buckets with some headspace not a huge deal?

Thanks again for all the advice everyone.

 

If you're using dry yeast, you don't need to worry about a starter, just re-hydrate per the instructions and pitch. If you're using liquid, you could use those 2oz of extract in 2 cups to get around a 1.040 starter wort. (I usually just use grams and ml since you want a 1:10 ratio that way for a good starter wort).

As for headspace, you want headspace in your primary because it will be filled with CO2 and krausen during fermentation, so there's less of a need for a blow-off tube and no worries about air getting in. If you ever do a secondary, you need as little headspace as possible, since fermentation is over and the beer won't be producing anymore CO2 to fill the space above it, which means you're trapping your beer in with whatever's in the air.

 

Using dry danstar nottingham, so just pitch it in, wait half an hour, and stir, as per the directions?

And that makes sense, I'm assuming I still need an airlock for my secondary as opposed to just a sealed lid? (I'm in a 2 story apartment and only have 1 usable arm for a few months, so no carboys for me)

 

Secondary should be treated just like a primary, airlock or blow-off tube.

Though I'd advice against a secondary if you aren't aging or adding fruit. It's been talked to death, and basically boils down to outdated information and stronger yeast strains right now. The link in my signature has a good conversation between two of the top homebrew gurus on the subject.

 

I've added my dry hops to the primary in a bucket for up to ten days. I've not noticed a problem.

You'll want to use a pint glass filled with warm water to about 12 oz and rehydrate your yeast.

I doubt you'd be under pitching enough to worry about a second pack of yeast.

 

Okay so I can just dry hop in primary? Thanks yall that saves a ton of effort

 

I use a reusable hop bag with long strings that I set under the lid so that I don't need to fish it out on bottling day. I'd think a regular muslin bag can be used in this same fashion.