First Semi-homemade Recipe - Thoughts?

[scottedk]

For my 3rd brew I am planning on making a Belgian Style Apricot Pale Ale. I basically merged a Magic Hat #9 Clone and a Belgian Style Apricot Ale recipe (from here on HBT). I put it in to BeerSmith and I think it looks fine but this being my 3rd batch, I have never NOT followed an ingredient kit (and honestly do not know what a good beer looks like in BeerSmith).

0.5 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt (60L) - 30 minute steep
6 (or 7) lbs extra pale DME (60 minutes)
1 lb Candi Sugar
1 oz Columbus (60 minutes)
1 oz Cascade (30 minutes)
1 oz Amarillo (2 minutes)
WL500 Trappist Ale

I am planning on adding some Apricot Extract right before bottling. I might actually only do the apricot in HALF of the batch and the other half just be a plain Belgian Style Pale Ale.

I am at work so I can't throw it in BeerSmith and get the stats for it.

1) Does this look like a recipe that might work?
2) It seems like there aren't very many hops in this recipe. Should I be shooting for more? I think the IBUs should be around 35.
3) I am debating including an extra pound of light DME (to bring it to 7 lbs) which would raise the ABV by about 1% (from 6.6% to 7.6%). Any thoughts on this? Should I drop the candi sugar and add in the extra lb of light DME? Should I add both in?

Thanks!

 

[helibrewer]

I don't think I'd use "C" hops in a Belgian PA. I prefer nobles like Saaz or Hallertau, you want subtle spiceyness for balance, I think the "C" hops are too citrusy for the style.

Just my opinion though. The grain bill looks good...maybe Crystal 20 or 40 instead of the 60.

 

[strambo]

I've never used a kit, just recipes I made up in Beersmith...

Beersmith will take care of the IBUs, color, and ABV for you, you just need to really learn the ingredients; what they add, how they taste, and in what quantities/ratios. I'm a newbie just a few brews in, but I look at some recipes for the style I want to brew as a guide, then change things up to suit my tastes. For example, the porter I just made used a lot of chocolate malt and some oatmeal for a smooth mouthfeel and flavor, I was trying to avoid an over-roasted flavor (like is in a typical stout and many porters). It turned out good, but a little too smooth, I will add more roasted barley next time for a little more roasted character.

For your recipe, I would think more about what hops you are using and their flavor/aroma, whether it goes with this beer (I don't know, I've never used Amarillos). I did a Pale Ale with Citras, great mild citrus-y flavor and aroma, if you can get some, they would go well with the apricots, even as the only flavor/aroma hop. My Pale tastes very juicy and citrusy, everyone asks if there is fruit or citrus in it. Nope, just LME, C20, Warriors for bittering and Citras for aroma/flavor.

I would definitely do the split batch with the extract in only half of it. That way you can isolate how this recipe tastes w/o the extract. I'm brewing a wheat now that I'm debating adding some citrus zest, but will only do it in half, since it is a recipe I made up...I need to know how the beer tastes w/o anything added.

My goal for a first time recipe is for it to be "decent" to "pretty good" then after brewing it once, I'll fine tune it to make it "really good!" the next time. I can also use it as a base to start playing with (adding fruit, coffee etc.)

Beersmith makes creating recipes so easy...I figure why buy a kit?

 

[Jayhem]

My only recommendation is to drop the apricot extract addition. Adding fruit, crazy flavors is something to experiment with after you have the process of recipe building down. I almost made the same mistake but decided do work on recipe building and brewing technique first and I have yet to make a beer I didn't like.

 

[scoundrel]

I agree with noble hops like Saaz or Hallertau for a belgian ale. Styrian Goldings is particularly nice. There has been a trend to hop up beers with Belgian yeast but IMO its not so good. They just taste weird. One other recommendation would be to add the sugar in the last 3rd of fermentation, not to the boil. Adding to the boil can give you a hot alcohol taste. Plus your attenuation will be better. Look it like your malt is the main course and the fully fermentable sugar is the dessert. Oh and as for sugar, you should save some cash and just use table sugar or if you really want to be authentic, beet sugar like real Belgian breweries.