Feedback on an AG Racer 5 Attempt

[WVBeerBaron]

My first AG - Racer 5 inspired.

I am formulating this recipe from other posts and info from around the web. This will be my first attempt at all-grain. I have various extract and partial mash recipes under my belt so I’m ready to try some AG. I am trying to come close to Racer 5 by Bear Republic with a few additives. I enjoy a strong malt backbone and an immense hoppiness. I try to give all of my beers as much body as I can, I like to chew on my beer. Also I deviate from the original when it comes to ABV, I like it strong. What do you think about adding oats to something like this? Please let me know what you think about my recipe.

OG - 1.097
FG - 1.026
Color - 12 SRM
IBU - 90.6
AVB - 9.5%

Yeast - White Labs California V Ale (WLP051)

12lb American 2 row 68%
1lb 12oz American Wheat Malt 10%
1lb 8oz American Crystal 60L 8%
1lb clear candi sugar 6%
8oz Belgian Caramel Pils Malt 3%
8oz flaked oats 3%
8oz cara-pils 3%

1oz Columbus 60min
1oz Chinook 60 min
1.5oz Cascade 20 min
1oz Columbus 20 min
.5oz Cascade 10 min
.5oz Columbus 10 min
.5oz Centennial dry hop
.5oz Amarillo dry hop
.5oz Columbus dry hop

 

[Yankeehillbrewer]

Looks mighty tasty to me, that's American Barleywine territory, Or I guess you could call it a Triple IPA, doesn't really matter. What efficiency are you planning for? What's your fermentation/aging schedule going to be?

 

[WVBeerBaron]

Thanks for the feedback!

You say this looks like a barley wine, I wonder if it’ll be too sweet? Maybe I should tone down the crystal. Racer 5 is a very hoppy ipa (maybe double) with a strong malt profile.

I’m not sure what to say about efficiency since this is my 1st AG. I will use 1.25q water for each pound of grain. Mash on the higher side, maybe 156 degrees to get extra body. Mash out for 10 minutes. I will be using a 10 gallon converted water cooler to mash in, I will batch sparge and my brewpot is 7.5 gallons. I don't have an aerator but I will be rocking the hell out of the fermentor before I pitch yeast. As far as fermentation schedule goes I’ll judge by the air lock for the primary fermentation, I'm guessing a week to 2 weeks for primary and then at least 2 weeks 2ndary. I had also been considering a cold conditioning for part of the secondary, but only if it results in a creamer beer. I have been aging all of my stuff for a minimum of 6 weeks, with this one I’ll probably give it 3 months before I open one because of the high ABV.

Is it safe to aerate several times after the primary fermentation has kicked off? I know the yeast need added oxygen but I don't want to cause problems either.

 

[brewt00l]

.. Also I deviate from the original when it comes to ABV, I like it strong. What do you think about adding oats to something like this? Please let me know what you think about my recipe.

I think you're not really going to have a beer that resembles Racer 5 at all.

Between all the wheat, oats, carapils and high mash temp, you're going way overboard in the pursuit for body. After all this, why even bother with sugar addition? I'd consider skipping the wheat & oats, dump the sugar, bump the malt for your desired gravity and use a lower attenuating yeast if you want a sweet malty chewy beer.

 

[FlyingHorse]

Thanks for the feedback!

You say this looks like a barley wine, I wonder if it’ll be too sweet? Maybe I should tone down the crystal.

Wheat malt, cara-pils, Belgian carapils, flaked oats...all of these will add unfermentables. They're generally used in a beer like this for head retention, and 8 oz of any one of them is probably plenty. Not sure I'd use any of them in addition to a pound and a half of C60 -- even that seems like a lot. What are you trying to get out of all of those?

I’m not sure what to say about efficiency since this is my 1st AG.

I typically get 85% on "normal" (~1.050 beers), and I'd be looking at 70% for a grain bill this big. Especially if you're trying to cram it all in a 7.5g pot. I'd aim for 60-65% if I were you.

Mash on the higher side, maybe 156 degrees to get extra body.

Again, with all those adjuncts, extra body won't be your problem. And the candi sugar is there presumably to dry things out...mashing high kind of defeats the purpose.

As far as fermentation schedule goes I’ll judge by the air lock for the primary fermentation, I'm guessing a week to 2 weeks for primary and then at least 2 weeks 2ndary.

Airlock activity is fairly ineffective as an indicator of fermentation progress. And I'd leave this beer in primary a minimum of 3 weeks.

Is it safe to aerate several times after the primary fermentation has kicked off? I know the yeast need added oxygen but I don't want to cause problems either.

I wouldn't. Make a big starter, aerate well at pitching, and you should be OK. Also, I'd look at a different (more attenuative) yeast than WLP051 for this beer. WLP001, US-05, Nottingham would all help you drive down the FG. I'm thinking that with all those adjuncts, a high mash temp, and WLP051 you'll be lucky to get this below 1.030 for a FG.

 

[WVBeerBaron]

Thanks for the feed back.

Good to know that I am overboard on the pursuit of body. My extract beers seem a bit watery sometimes, even after months of aging.

I went with crystal 60L to adjust the color just a bit and add some maltyness. If the Belgium caramel pils malt adds some sweetness then I do need to tone the crystal down or remove it. Maybe since I am using a less attenuative yeast it will remain nice and malty and not get too dry.

Seems like I’ve been adding cara-pils to every recipe just to add some body. I will remove that since there is already wheat malt and some oats.

I added the candi sugar to increase the abv without adding more flavor. Sounds like I should just add more 2 row instead.

Is it true you can cold condition ale near the end of the 2ndary to make it a bit creamier? Or cold conditioning is for lager only?

How long would you age this one in the bottle? I’m guessing at least 3 months.

One thing I failed to mention…when I have used a good amount of Columbus, Amarillo, and Centennial hops together it tastes like grapefruit. Yuck. Any advice on this?