First all-grain batch

[sodandbeer]

Hello. I am thinking of doing my first all-grain batch. Here is my recipe.

Style: American Pale Ale
TYPE: All Grain

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 3.92 gal
Post Boil Volume: 3.38 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 2.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 2.10 gal
Estimated OG: 1.060 SG
Estimated Color: 3.7 SRM
Estimated IBU: 31.7 IBUs
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
5 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 95.7 %
4.0 oz Rye Malt (4.7 SRM) Grain 2 4.3 %
0.27 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [15.60 %] - Boil 30. Hop 3 19.3 IBUs
0.27 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [15.60 %] - Boil 15. Hop 4 12.4 IBUs
0.25 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 mins) Fining 5 -
1.0 pkg SafAle English Ale (DCL/Fermentis #S-04) Yeast 6 -


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 5 lbs 12.0 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperature Step Time
Mash In Add 7.19 qt of water at 159.1 F 148.0 F 75 min

Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (0.98gal, 2.09gal) of 168.0 F water
Notes:
------
Modified New Albion Ale clone with Columbus hops instead of Cascade hops

New Albion Ale clone recipe: http://byo.com/grains/item/2797-new-albion


What do you all think?

 

[JLeuck64]

Hello. I am thinking of doing my first all-grain batch. Here is my recipe.

Style: American Pale Ale
TYPE: All Grain

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 3.92 gal
Post Boil Volume: 3.38 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 2.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 2.10 gal
Estimated OG: 1.060 SG
Estimated Color: 3.7 SRM
Estimated IBU: 31.7 IBUs
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
5 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 95.7 %
4.0 oz Rye Malt (4.7 SRM) Grain 2 4.3 %
0.27 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [15.60 %] - Boil 30. Hop 3 19.3 IBUs
0.27 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [15.60 %] - Boil 15. Hop 4 12.4 IBUs
0.25 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 mins) Fining 5 -
1.0 pkg SafAle English Ale (DCL/Fermentis #S-04) Yeast 6 -


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 5 lbs 12.0 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperature Step Time
Mash In Add 7.19 qt of water at 159.1 F 148.0 F 75 min

Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (0.98gal, 2.09gal) of 168.0 F water
Notes:
------
Modified New Albion Ale clone with Columbus hops instead of Cascade hops

New Albion Ale clone recipe: http://byo.com/grains/item/2797-new-albion


What do you all think?

With that grain bill I would suggest mashing in with 5.75lbs of grain times 1.75 qts/H2O = 10.0625qts H2O or 2.5gal of H2O. The grains will absorb their weight in water (which is approx. 8.3lbs/gal) so divide 5.75 by 8.3 = 0.692gal lost. Expect to get about 1.8gal from the first runnings. Then you could simply batch sparge once with the volume needed to reach the pre-boil volume, in your recipe it's 3.92 so you would need sparge with an additional 2.1gal.

Here is the gem to consider. I've spent some time reading through Palmer's "How to Brew" and one chapter talks about efficiency and extracting the most sugars from the grains. The best way to do that is when the first runnings and the sparge are approximately equal in volume. So using the math above you could increase your mash by about a quart... decrease the sparge by the same and be at a 50/50 ratio ( : max efficiency for extracting sugars from the wort and it's easy breezy on brew day!

 

[Boleslaus]

I would suggest adding your 30 min hops at 60 min (adjusted for IBU). Leave your 15 min. addition and then add a 5 or 0 min addition (will add almost nothing in the way of bitterness). Right now I feel it will be decently balanced/malty pale ale but with very minimal hop character.

 

[chickypad]

If you want the rye to come through I would go with more than 4% - I'd say at least 10-15% though I like about 20%. I also agree with Boleslaus, I think you need more late hops for an APA.