First post and first all grain!

[madmall89]

Great forum and great info! Well this weekend will be my first all grain batch, and my fourth brew day. Just wanting to get some peoples opinions on my recipe. Going for a American Amber Ale.

 

[BigMack]

I would basically switch your hops. Use a little bit of warrior as an early addition to get to whatever IBUs you want, and then use the cascade later to get the flavor and aroma.

I'm also really curious as to the reasoning behind the rice in the recipe? I definitely think you should nix that and add in more base malt.

 

[normonster]

Welcome dude. Good times.

Yeah, the rice is out of place for an Amber but whatever...I personally say @#$# styles. Brew whatever you want.

My advice is to record your results so you can dial in Beersmith. Don't know what you're brewing with but note how much you mash/sparge with (and the temps of strike water and resulting stabilized mash temp), note how much wort collected in your BK (pre boil volume), note how much boils off (boil off rate) and note how much you actually get into the fermenter (loss to trub and chiller). And of course, make note of preboil SG, post boil SG and FG after fermentation.

Beersmith needs to be refined if you're going to maximize it's utility.

Cheers!

 

[madmall89]

It's not really set in stone at this point. I still need to go to the LHBS to pick up another carboy. So I think I'm going to tweak it a bit while I'm there. Probably add a few more pounds of 6 row to replace the flaked rice.

 

[BigMack]

It's not really set in stone at this point. I still need to go to the LHBS to pick up another carboy. So I think I'm going to tweak it a bit while I'm there. Probably add a few more pounds of 6 row to replace the flaked rice.

I didn't even realize that was 6 row instead of 2 row. Any particular reason for that? I would think 2 row would lend itself a little better to an Amber Ale. Especially if you're going to skip using the rice.

 

[madmall89]

I didn't even realize that was 6 row instead of 2 row. Any particular reason for that? I would think 2 row would lend itself a little better to an Amber Ale. Especially if you're going to skip using the rice.

Just using a recipe from one of the guys I work with. Just playing around with it at this point.

 

[chickypad]

I agree with everything BigMack said. Also that much chocolate is probably going to come through so it might drink more like a brown, which is fine if that's what you want. Personally for an amber I'd go with a darker crystal (or a combo of a couple darker crystals) and back the chocolate down to a couple oz if you want it for color or a hint of roast. Besides swapping the hops you could add a little more cascade late, maybe at flameout, for a bit more hop character if you want.

 

[kombat]

I still need to go to the LHBS to pick up another carboy.

Check Kijiji/Craigslist first. In my experience, there's no shortage of them to be found there, for much lower cost than buying brand new. Go with glass and give it a good soak with warm PBW, they'll look brand new.

 

[kombat]

Welcome dude. Good times.

Yeah, the rice is out of place for an Amber but whatever...I personally say @#$# styles. Brew whatever you want.

I'm with you, but he should at least have a reason for its inclusion. He should know why he's adding it, what he hopes it to add. If it's just there for randomness, then in my opinion, that's a mistake.

 

[madmall89]

I agree with everything BigMack said. Also that much chocolate is probably going to come through so it might drink more like a brown, which is fine if that's what you want. Personally for an amber I'd go with a darker crystal (or a combo of a couple darker crystals) and back the chocolate down to a couple oz if you want it for color or a hint of roast. Besides swapping the hops you could add a little more cascade late, maybe at flameout, for a bit more hop character if you want.

I myself like browns and I did decide to drop the oats. Instead adding a three pounds of 2 row. I do like the idea of the flame out hops addition.

 

[madmall89]

Check Kijiji/Craigslist first. In my experience, there's no shortage of them to be found there, for much lower cost than buying brand new. Go with glass and give it a good soak with warm PBW, they'll look brand new.

Yeah I've been a day late and a dollar short on everything I've found the past few weeks. Carboys and corney kegs.

 

[madmall89]

Ended up changing the the grain bill a bit after some reading. Made it last night and seems to have turned out great.
10.5 lbs of 2-row
3 lbs of 6-row
12oz of Crystal 20
4oz of chocolate malt

Hops
1oz warrior AA 15.8% BA 4.4% 60mins
1oz cascade AA 5.5% BA 6.3% 45mins
1oz fuggles AA 4.0% BA 2.7% 30mins
1oz cascade AA 5.5% BA 6.3% 15mins

PBG 1.061
OG 1.071

 

[madmall89]

just started drinking on my fist all grain batch and it turned out pretty good. I was still figuring out my equipment, but I have it down now. I think if I do this again I will definitely dry hop it. But it did make for a decent beer. It's only been in the keg for about three days now.