1554 Recipe Help

[BrewingBoar]

Hey guys, got a few questions regaurding a 1554 clone I bought from AHS.

Here is the recipe:
6oz chocolate malt
1oz black patent malt
0.5 lbs cara pils malt
0.5 lbs caramunich malt
0.25 lbs de-bittered black malt
8lbs munich extract
4oz malto dextrin
.75oz target hops
1 oz paradise seed

yeast-White Labs Southern German Lager

#1 I've never used the paradise seeds before but have read that they are very strong. Would you recommend using 1oz for the last 15min? Would you gently crush them or put them in a grinder?

#2 From what I have read,the 1554 is made with a lager yeast fermented at ale temps. What temp would you recommend me fermenting this at?

#3 I have just ordered a starter plate and I'm pretty excited about it. I'm not sure that I'm using mrmalty correct though. For White Labs yeast is says to use the best before date -4 months, well that would leave my yeast not even being alive yet. So i did the six months and put stir plate in their as well. It says I need one liter of starter with two vials, is that correct? Would you even make a starter for this since White labs says you don't need a starter for anything under 1.060?

#4 I ordered some yeast fuel that instructs me to put it in the wort for the last 15 min of the boil. Have you ever used it and is it worth the money?


This new hobby has def become an addiction. Very excited about this brew and the new stir plate.

Thanks guys :rockin:

 

[ATXweirdobrew]

#1 I dont know much about those type of seeds your using but if they are really strong I would not grind them. I would go ahead and do what you are planning on doing and then if it is too weak add them at 30 minutes and if too strong add them at the last 5 minutes the next time you brew it.
#2 Typical ales temps would be anywhere from 60-65F. Look up the yeast type online and the manufacterer should be able to tell you what temps to ferment at for that yeast.
#3 I dont use stir plates or starters. I have used both white labs and wyeast and I I always brew as soon as I get home with the kits from my LHBS. Just let the yeast sit at room temps as long as you can before pitching but no longer then 24 hours or whatever is recommended on the packaging. Starters do help but since I dont use them I have no advice on them. I have never had an bad tasting beer (not to sound arrogant) and I have never used starters even for double IPS with OGs of around 1.080.
#4 I prefer to not add anything that is not %100 percent required. I am kinda a hippy when it comes to making all natural beer. I have used yeast nutrients before I havent really noticed too big of a difference.

My biggest piece of advice is to go ahead and expirement with alot of different kinds of methods and then take notes on what you think is the best for your tastes. Keep a log of every beer you make and what you did that was different from the last time. Then you can compare and pick what you like best. Even if it isnt the best beer you can make, it will still taste like the best beer in the world. Have fun, and dont take anything too seriously.

PROST!!!!

 

[BrewingBoar]

Thanks for the advice. I will need to look up the temp for that yeast.

 

[ChandlerBrewery]

#1 I've never used the paradise seeds before but have read that they are very strong. Would you recommend using 1oz for the last 15min? Would you gently crush them or put them in a grinder?

I don't know about paradise seeds, but generally crushing or grinding will greatly increase it's contribution. I always error on the side of "not enough" rather than "too much". Beer recipes at their core are usually pretty good, additives can easily ruin them. If it were me - I wouldn't crush them for the first batch, unless the recipe calls for it.

#2 From what I have read,the 1554 is made with a lager yeast fermented at ale temps. What temp would you recommend me fermenting this at?

68 degrees.

#3 I have just ordered a starter plate and I'm pretty excited about it. I'm not sure that I'm using mrmalty correct though. For White Labs yeast is says to use the best before date -4 months, well that would leave my yeast not even being alive yet. So i did the six months and put stir plate in their as well. It says I need one liter of starter with two vials, is that correct? Would you even make a starter for this since White labs says you don't need a starter for anything under 1.060?

This looks like a 5 gal batch. I would think two vials is overkill. Save money and build a good starter (you probably don't even need that, it just helps to know you didn't buy dead yeast).

#4 I ordered some yeast fuel that instructs me to put it in the wort for the last 15 min of the boil. Have you ever used it and is it worth the money?

This is probably just nutrient. The recipe looks to have plenty of fermentables. I don't think it's necessary in the future, but it won't hurt this batch.

Hope this helps. Happy Brewing!

 

[PoppinCaps]

I recently made a 1554 clone that turned out great. The recipe was pretty similar to yours, but for the seeds of paradise I only used 1 tsp finely crushed with a mallet. This turns out to be around 2g. I think 1 oz would be a ton, since I could still taste the seeds pretty well, kind of peppery. I wouldn't put them in uncrushed, though, you probably won't get much out of them.

 

[BrewingBoar]

Thanks guys i was thinking a 1/4oz would be enough. I should be able to keep at that temp in the garage. I do plan on building a yeast starter just to get it started faster and i get to play with the new toys. Thanks again for all the help you guys rock.

 

[BrewingBoar]

I recently made a 1554 clone that turned out great. The recipe was pretty similar to yours, but for the seeds of paradise I only used 1 tsp finely crushed with a mallet. This turns out to be around 2g. I think 1 oz would be a ton, since I could still taste the seeds pretty well, kind of peppery. I wouldn't put them in uncrushed, though, you probably won't get much out of them.

Was your recipe prettly close to mine? I would like to see your recipe if you don't mind and see what you thought you would do different the second time around.

 

[PoppinCaps]

I don't give my recipes out to ANYONE!

Ha, those people make me laugh. Here's mine, for a 2.25gal batch. I thought it would be pretty bitter at 40 IBU low-ish gravity, but it turned out pretty smooth and balanced. I don't think I'd do anything differently, maybe ferment at a little lower temp. Might cut down on some of the fruity yeast flavor and let the malt shine a bit more.

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 2.55 gal
Post Boil Volume: 2.34 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 2.25 gal
Bottling Volume: 2.25 gal
Estimated OG: 1.054 SG
Estimated Color: 21.4 SRM
Estimated IBU: 40.2 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 72.0 %
Boil Time: 55 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
2 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM) Grain 1 41.7 %
1 lbs 12.0 oz Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 2 36.5 %
5.6 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 3 7.3 %
4.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 4 5.2 %
4.0 oz Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 5 5.2 %
3.2 oz Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 6 4.2 %
0.40 oz Magnum [12.00 %] - Boil 55.0 min Hop 7 40.2 IBUs
0.25 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 mins) Fining 8 -
0.50 tsp Seeds of Paradise (Boil 5.0 mins) Spice 9 -
1.0 pkg Saflager S-23 (Fermentis #) [50.00 ml] Yeast 10 -


Mash Schedule: My Mash
Total Grain Weight: 4 lbs 12.8 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Step Add 5.28 qt of water at 169.9 F 156.0 F 75 min

Sparge: Fly sparge with 1.81 gal water at 168.0 F
Ferment: 68F, 14 days.

 

[ATXweirdobrew]

Another trick I have learned when adding any kind of flavoring that is potent is to try adding it to the burnout. I make a hefeweizen with an ounce of lemongrass. If I put that in the boil it would be overkill but since I put it in the burnout it makes for a perfect citrus taste to compliment the orange peels in it. Perfect for that Texas summer heat.