First AG...Help with recipe

[Pombe]

Hey all,

Just got our all grain rig up and running and we're planning on brewing an American Pale Ale this weekend. I've been using Homebrew Formulator and it's working pretty well for me. I just wanted to post the recipe and get some feedback on anything that may look out of place:

Environment
Target Volume : 10.00 Gal
Efficiency: 70%
MT Thermal Mass: Inputted 0.40 after rough calc.
Grain Absorption: 0.125 gal/lb grain
Evap. rate: 1.40 gal/hr
Boil Time: 60 Min

Recipe
Yeast: Wyeast 1056 American Ale
Fermentables: 15# Canadian Two-Row
3# American Crystal 60L
2# Honey Malt

Anticipated O.G.:1.049
" " F.G.:1.012
SRM: 13

Hops: 1.5 oz Centennial @ 60 min
1.0 oz Centennial @ 30 min
0.5 oz Cascade @ 15 min
Total IBU: 39

Target Mash Temp: 154F
Total Mash water: 6.25 gal
Total Mash volume w/grain: 7.81 gal
Sparge Volume: 8.18 gal
Initial boil volume: 11.93 gal

What do you guys think? Brewing Sunday so I'd like to get it tweaked before we go buy ingredients Saturday.

Thx.
G

 

[adamjab19]

I would maybe consider cutting the crystal and honey malt in half and upping the base malt to make up for it unless you want the beer a bit "sweeter". Plus your color would be more pale than amber. and adding at least a flame out addition of an ounce of the cascade if not a small dry hop.

 

[Pombe]

I actually wanted it to be a little bit on the amber side. Is 13 SRM too dark? Could I substitute something different to get away from the sweetness?

 

[nilo]

All you OG/FG/Color/IBU are within the guidelines for the style. Just the ABV% may be lower than the min 5%(your seems to be at 4.5%).

 

[adamjab19]

Actually pale ales can have an amber color you just don't want it to be too malty which may or may not happen depending on how much your yeast actually ferments the beer out, actual mash temp. that actually occurs etc. etc. Give it a go either way it should be a good brew!

 

[Yooper]

I'm not a fan of the recipe. The malt bill is too sweet. Way too much crystal, and the honey malt will make it even sweeter. You've got 25% total of crystal and honey malt!

I don't like the hopping, either. You've got mostly bittering hops with no aroma or late hops. Hops added before 20 minutes from the end of the boil will provide bittering, but very little hops flavor and almost no aroma. Hops added at 20-15 minutes are flavor hops, and hops added at 5-0 are aroma hops.

I'd totally change up the recipe.

More like:
18# Canadian Two-Row
2# American Crystal 60L


Hops:
1.5 oz Centennial @ 60 min
1.0 oz Centennial @ 15 min
1.0 oz Cascade @ 5 min

And then either dryhop with 2 ounces of hops, or add some at flame out.

 

[Yooper]

Here's my recipe for a very simple APA:

20 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 87.91 %
1 lbs 8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 6.59 %
12.0 oz Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 3.30 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 2.20 %
0.50 oz Cascade [5.40 %] (60 min) Hops 4.3 IBU
1.00 oz Magnum [13.40 %] (60 min) (First Wort Hop) Hops 21.2 IBU

2.00 oz Cascade [5.40 %] (15 min) Hops 8.6 IBU
2.00 oz Cascade (homegrown) [5.00 %] (0 min) Hops

2.00 oz Cascade (homegrown) [5.00 %] (Dry Hop 7 days) Hops -

Mash at 152.

 

[Pombe]

Excellent feedback. I am new to recipe formulation so this is really helpful! Thanks for the insight Yooper!! Might give your recipe a try!!

Just an additional note, the volume calculator from the software for mash/sparge water look correct?

Thanks,
G

 

[Yooper]

Excellent feedback. I am new to recipe formulation so this is really helpful! Thanks for the insight Yooper!! Might give your recipe a try!!

Just an additional note, the volume calculator from the software for mash/sparge water look correct?

Thanks,
G

Oh, no- math!!!! I drink, so my math sucks after 8 PM.

Anyway, do it quick in your head- 1.25-quarts of water per pound of grain. so, 20 pounds of grain times 1.25 quarts of water = 25 quarts (6.25 gallons) of mash water.

The grain should absorb 2.5 gallons of that mash water. So, 6.25-2.5= 3.75 gallons out of the MLT. If you're planning a 12 gallon boil, you'll need 8.25 gallons of sparge water.

So, mash in with 6.25 gallons and sparge with 8.25 gallons if my rough math is correct!