Have grain -- need a recipe

[Junglebrewer]

I've gotten six all grain kits from a supplier here in Brazil. The grain bills and infusion receipts have varied, but the hopps and yeast are always the same -- 1/2 oz Hallertau and Nottingham Ale yeast. I haven't been very impressed with the results. It could be my processes since I am just starting to do all grain brewing, but I think that more and/or different hopps may help.

I'm back in the US for a few days and can pick up some ingredients to improve the kit I have back in Brazil.

It is supposed to be a Trappist Style beer. Here is what I have (Brewsmith is on the PC in Brazil, so I apologize for not converting the metric units):

7.04 lbs Pilsen malt
0.88 lbs Crystal malt
0.88 lbs Brown malt

0.88 lbs sugar (obtain locally)

0.5 oz Hallertau hopps pellets

Nottingham Ale yeast

OG 15.5 - 16.5 Brix

Ramps
20 minutes 52C
30 minutes 62C
60 minutes 68 - 70C
5 minutes 78C

Boil time (presumed) 60 minutes.

I can take DME, LME, hopp pellets, yeast, but not grains.

One option is to make it a Trappist style, but I think I need to supplement the receipe. I've thought about using Belgian Candi syrup instead of sugar, but I'm open to other ideas.

The grains also look suitable for a brown ale.

Can anyone make suggestions?

Thank you!

 

[hercher]

I don't think you are going to hit a Trappist style ale with that yeast. You are right, it is closer to a brown ale. In either case, I also don't think using only a half ounce of Hallertau is going to cut it -- that was the first thing that jumped out at me. I don't know what other kits you got, but if all them used only a half ounce of a relatively low alpha hop, you're really limiting the styles of beer you can make. I would seriously consider picking up at least another ounce of hops, maybe something relatively neutral like a Northern Brewer.

If you want to switch to a brown ale, you might want to use all Fuggles, instead -- use about 2 ounces.

 

[Junglebrewer]

That's the type of ideas that I am seeking.

What and how much hops to add?

Alternative yeasts?

Is it enough grain for 20 liters?

Should I take back DME to add to it? If so, how much of which kind?

Thanks.

 

[hercher]

For the yeast, I'd suggest something like Wyeast 3522 Belgian Ardennes. (The White Labs equivalent is WLP550.) You will want to take back some DME to make a starter. In my opinion, DME is something you generally want to have around for yeast starters.

For hops I would pick up 2 more oz Hallertau - boil 1 oz for 60 minutes, 1 oz for 15 minutes, and 1/2 oz either at flameout or for dry hopping.

If you want more of an English Brown ale, I like Wyeast's Thames Valley 1275 a lot. I would pick up an ounce of Northern Brewer hops and an ounce of Fuggles. You can follow the same schedule as above.

Do you know what lovibond (color) your Crystal malt is? That is going to really dictate how dark your beer gets.

More malt would be good, especially if you want a Trappist style ale, so if you can't take back more Pilsen malt, then I would take a couple lbs of DME.

 

[Junglebrewer]

I'm on the east side of Cleveland, now. My nearest HBS has Safale yeast packets and White Labs liquid yeast. They have the WLP550 on their web site. I've not used a liquid yeast before. I'll talk to them about it when I go over there this afternoon.

I'm still on the fence about going for a Trappist or a brown ale. The brown sounds easier to get to. I do like browns.

Regarding the color of the crystal, it doesn't say.

I'm rather embarassed about this whole thing of ordering the kits in Brazil. I started making extract kits and ordered three of his kits (free shipping with 3 kits plus it takes 3 weeks to get to Manaus from Rio) when I ran out of extract kits and wasn't heading home for a few weeks. After ordering, I looked more carefully at the web site and realized that I was getting all grain kits. The shipping was longer than I expected, so I had a trip home before they arrived and I grabbed some gear to do all grain. I ordered a second batch of the kits before the beers from the first batch matured. I guess I'm kind of impatient -- and bored, so I brew every Saturday. After tasting 2 batches and being a little disappointed, I figured out that they are under hopped. I have also figured out by more carefully reading the web site that I am starting with 11 grams of yeast as opposed to 500 grams that comes in a Danstar Nottingham yeast package. That explains the slow start of fermentation that I have experienced.

I don't have a magnetic stirrer, but that is on the list to order and have ready to take back on my October trip to the US. From what I have read, that is a good thing to have to make a starter.

I have 3 pounds of light DME and 3 pounds of wheat DME on my list of general purpose ingredients / supplements to take back with me. I like wheat beers and I'm starting to research hefeweisses.

Now that I am in an all grain frame of mind, I see that I can order grains from this guy in Brazil and have him mix and crush a custom grain bill. I'll have to check into that more when I get back. The guy is somewhat helpful over the phone, but doesn't provide a lot of information by e-mail. Since my Portuguese is sketchy at best, I have to have my Manufacturing Manager call him and act as an intermediary / translator.

Thanks for your advise. Gotta leave to go to the HBS!

 

[Erroneous]

Will he ship different kinds and amounts of hops and dry yeast? 3 week shipping time can be a bit long for liquid yeast. Personally, depending on how often you come to the states, I'd pick up a couple packs of whatever dry yeast you can find. There's even a trappist one now, though I've never used it. Maybe pick up some hops as well while you're here.

 

[hercher]

Regarding your yeast, you don't need a stir plate and magnetic stirrer, though those are really nice to have. Make your starter by boiling a 1/2 cup of DME in 2 pints of water for 15 minutes. Let it cool to room temperature, and put it in a sanitized gallon wine jug or similar vessel. Pitch the yeast. Do this the day before you brew. Shake it up really good every time you walk by it.

The trappist ale really isn't more complicated than the brown -- just a different yeast.

After your beer has fermented, you can harvest the yeast and keep it for future batches. If shipping is a problem for you, this can save some heartache, as you won't have to worry about the time it takes to receive.

Keep some DME on hand at all times for starters. There is a really good thread on washing/rinsing yeast. I think you'll find that a useful skill.

 

[Junglebrewer]

I'm going to do the trappist. I ended up buying a dry yeast because I am a little concerned that my flights may get delayed in Miami and I don't know the conditions for storage of my bags. The HBS had S-33. I may try taking liquid yeast on my next trip as I think I will try out the new AA flight that doesn't require an overnight layover in Miami. That will also give me time to come up with, or empty, a 3 or 4 liter wine jug.

I've stocked up DME, hops, and dry yeast packets and should be in good shape for the couple of months that I'll be gone.

I've revisited the web site of my Brazilian supplier. Of course, it's in Portuguese, but Google Translate does a pretty good job on it. During my first visits, I was in an extract kit seeking frame of mind. Now, I have found that he also supplies grains, yeast and hops separately. Not the variety that I get in my HBS in the USA, but the basics are there.