First Extract Brew...

[RobWalker]

So, I'm more of a cider and fruit wine man, but my dad's Bitter made me want to try an ale...all well and good so far! I added 6oz Glucose to the original recipe to bring the ABV up slightly. This is "Greene King Pale Ale" from Dave Line's "Brewing Beers Like Those You Buy."

OG: 1.030, should come out around 4-4.5% with any luck.

3.3lb Light Malt Extract Syrup
12oz Crushed Crystal Malt
1lb Soft Dark Brown Sugar
1 1/2oz Northern Brewer Hops
2oz Goldings Hops
1tsp Irish Moss
6oz Glucose
1 packet Ale Yeast

Boiled ingredients for 45 mins, added Irish Moss at 30 minutes. Brown Sugar and Glucose dissolved and added into the bucket. Strained out the Wort, and now in the bucket fermenting away.

Fermentation about 5 days.

Secondary vessel + clearing/ageing about 10 days.

 

[MmmBeers]

I'd like to hear how this turns out. It looks great

 

[jaycount]

Is that your measured OG? It should have been higher. I've put in your ingredients list to beer calculus and am getting an OG of 1.036, this estimate DOES NOT include your Crystal malt though. There are many types of crystal malts, they come in a range of colors so make sure to include that when posting a recipe (more on crystal malts here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mash_ingredients#Crystal_malt).

Sounds like it'll be a tasty bitter once it's done though!

 

[C-Rider]

Is that your measured OG? It should have been higher. I've put in your ingredients list to beer calculus and am getting an OG of 1.036, this estimate DOES NOT include your Crystal malt though. There are many types of crystal malts, they come in a range of colors so make sure to include that when posting a recipe (more on crystal malts here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mash_ingredients#Crystal_malt).

Sounds like it'll be a tasty bitter once it's done though!

Could be he didn't mix the wort w/the water when topping off to 5 gal.

 

[RobWalker]

Possibly - we thought it was low, hence why we added some glucose to bring it up to 1.030. This is my first time though and I followed the recipe, so it's a brain scratcher for me at the moment. We strained the crap out and mixed it for ages, it's all seperated out now.

I think mine was a darker crystal malt, it definitely had a purple-ish appearance.

 

[RobWalker]

down to 1.010...should i be expecting lower? not sure if there's any non-fermentables in there...

 

[TopherM]

With a OG of 1.030 and a FG of 1.010, you are only looking at a ABV of 2.7% or so. It'll still taste good, but it's going to take 10 of them to give you a buzzzzzz!

I'd leave it in the primary for another week and take another reading. At 1.010, there ARE more fermentable sugars in there, it just depends on if your particular yeast strain are going to eat them or not. You could also perhaps get a little more alcohol out of the batch by carefully controlling the temperature where your primary is stored. Try to get it around 65-68 for this last week you let it sit, if possible?

 

[RobWalker]

This has taken a fair while for the amount of sugar, weirdly, but it's ready now at 1.002 - I might try and leave it a day or two because if it can ferment down to 1.000, it'll be almost 4% bang on, which is what I wanted - instead of the 3.7% it is now.
Just had a quick taste and it's all good. Gonna keg it up and start drinking as soon as it's clear!

 

[RobWalker]

Boom! Drinking through this now. Nicely carbed and a complex taste and body. enjoying it thoroughly, although it's a bit strong tasting overall imo.
Nice. Time to put another on.

 

[Calder]

I just noticed this thread. Glad to hear the beer came out well. A couple of suggestions:

Mix more throughly next time to get a good OG reading. With those ingredients you would have been closer to 1.040. No big deal, the yeast will still find the sugars.

If you followed Dave Line's instructions, you would have boiled with the grains. This is no longer a recommended technique as boiling extracts tannins from the grains. Next time try and get the grains out when the water gets to 170 F.

 

[jaycount]

Glad to hear it came out well!