First all grain. Recipe ideas? Make it difficult

[Kmcogar]

Im doing my first all grain recipe. I really want a great beer with hops and flavor. Crisp and clean. Ya know?

Anyone have a complicated recipe I can try for my first one? Something that I will want to make over and over again. Dark or light. Doesn't matter, or even a dark that taste like a light beer I like a little difficulties. Bring it on.

One thing I can't do is controlled temp too much. I'm working on it.

Whatcha got?

 

[SouthBay]

Go for a wee heavy with a decoction mash. I don't have a recipe handy, but in terms of processes, it's fairly complex ( at least as much as making ales really gets)

 

[Homercidal]

Do you mean you can't do controlled fermentation temps? If so, what do you expect your temps to be, and what kind of variance?

Almost all recipes are going to be as difficult as any other, since the process is the same for all of them.

Maybe an American Wheat beer. Wheat can make your sparge stick.

Janet's Brown Ale is a very tasty dark beer with lots of hops and flavor.

There are plenty of American IPA recipes that make a drier, crisper hoppy beer.

 

[Riddei]

8# wheat malt
.5# crystal 20
.5# flaked wheat

1oz citra 60m

nottingham
:cross:

 

[Kmcogar]

I actually have an American wheat fermenting now (partial mash batch) the Janet's brown or American ipa sound tasty. Got any favorites.

And yes, I can NOT control fermentation temps

 

[Kmcogar]

Got any favorites?*

 

[RM-MN]

And yes, I can NOT control fermentation temps

And why not? Most of us have some control of temperature. In my house the temperature is 72 degrees F. all winter except for the part of the house I keep cooler. I can arrange for one room to be cooler or warmer or I can place my fermenter into a tub of water and control that somewhat by adding ice or hot water.

 

[Kmcogar]

Hmm, have you ever done a lager this way? Control the temp by ice? water?

And sorry by misspeaking. I have a spot in My house that is about 71-72 degrees. At least I try to keep it that way.

I live in a house with women so it's always changing. It really just depends on the time I the month. Just a little joke. But somewhat serious.

 

[Brulosopher]

Hmm, have you ever done a lager this way? Control the temp by ice? water?

And sorry by misspeaking. I have a spot in My house that is about 71-72 degrees. At least I try to keep it that way.

I live in a house with women so it's always changing. It really just depends on the time I the month. Just a little joke. But somewhat serious.

At those temps, I'd recommend a Hefeweizen, as that yeast can tolerate those temps well... and your roommates will likely appreciate it as well

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

14% quad decoction Rye-Weizen Steam-Bock.

 

[Kmcogar]

You got a recipe for that?

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

You got a recipe for that?

Aventinus clone + Rye. Scale to 14% ABV

Use California Common yeast.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/aventinus-weizenbock-clone-recipe-18319/#post174450

Guess at quad decoction schedule for giggles.

 

[Riddei]

I got my ale down to 59* by putting in a large storage tub and putting frozen water bottles around it and a towel on top. Ambient temp was about 70.

 

[Brickout]

Why not try BierMuncher's Centennial Blonde?

 

[9Frogs]

Gotta agree with Brickout. Even when you mess it up (as I did....), it still turns out great! Anything I keep wanting to drink when it's warm and flat prior to bottling....gotta be good, especially if I get it right next time!

 

[jbsg02]

if it's difficulty you want then you can try to brew a bud light clone, haha.

Get a water analysis report if you can, that will go a long way in telling what you should and shouldn't do for your first all grain.

 

[brew2enjoy]

I dove in head first and did a DFH 90 minute IPA clone for my first AG. 17lb of grain, continually hopped for 1 1/2 hours. And I actually didn't screw up! Only missed my OG by a few points. I probably should have done something a little more simple for my first attempt but I am glad now that I went for it. I say find something you want to brew and go for it, no matter how difficult/easy the recipe is.

 

[Homercidal]

Regardless of recipe, I'd recommend finding a way to make a swamp cooler or something to get the temps down another 5 degrees or more. It will make a difference in your beer.

That won't help for Lagers, but it should get your fermentation temps in a better place for ales.

Here is Janet's Brown Ale. It's from the Brewing Classic Styles book (which I recommend if only for having a base recipe to work from, but also a pretty decent collection of recipes to brew straight up.)

 

[udt89]

Why do you want your first attempt to be complicated?

My first go was complicated enough because it was my first go.

 

[Nashbrewer]

Try a high gravity.
Difficult on the Mash, on yeast, and take a while to age normally:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f68/double-w-imperial-stout-74932/

 

[kh54s10]

Why do you want your first attempt to be complicated?

My first go was complicated enough because it was my first go.

Because he wants to have a "What's did I do wrong in my first all grain?" post.


I don't have a suggestion for a difficult recipe. But if you are careful any should turn out well. Good luck.

For me I went simple and did a kit for my first. It is not fully carbed yet but tastes very good so far.

 

[Yooper]

Regardless of recipe, I'd recommend finding a way to make a swamp cooler or something to get the temps down another 5 degrees or more. It will make a difference in your beer.

I agree. It's silly to spend 8 hours on a complicated brewday but not be able to try to control fermentation temps by setting up a cooler in a water bath.

If the fermentation temperature is 78 degrees (as fermentation itself produces heat and can easily be 8-10 degrees higher than room temperature), the recipe doesn't matter a bit. The beer won't be very good.

For the first go, I'd suggest a simple recipe with a single infusion mash at a temperature of 153 degrees or so. The thing with AG brewing is all of the grains go into the mash, so the complicated recipes really don't exist unless you're doing decoctions or boiling down first runnings or something like that. Since all grains go into the mash, all recipes are about the same. But the technique really matters, anyway. Not oversparging, not overshooting the mash temp by 15 degrees (trust me, that is possible ), and so on.

AG isn't hard at all, but it certainly has plenty of steps in it to keep someone busy most of the day!

 

[SweaterMonkey]

I'm gearing up for my first all-grain. I'm keeping it simple though so I can go through and get used to the mashing procedures. I'm mashing 10-12 pounds of 2 row pale ale malt and adding 2 oz of cascade during the boil.

 

[Kmcogar]

Fair enough, I'll just brew some beer