Help Reading AHA Recipe

[DiggidyD]

I am going to make the beer of the month, but the directions seem sparse. Not sure why it is a 90 minute boil. Do i add the Caramalt after 30 mins and the hops after 60? I plan to skip the acid.

Thanks in advance!

http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/homebrew-recipe/bastage-english-summer-ale/
Bastage English Summer Ale | Light Hybrid Beer
Ingredients
For 5.5 Gallons (21 L)
5.12 lb (2.3 kg) Maris Otter
14.0 oz (397 g) Vienna Malt
5.0 oz (142 g) White Wheat Malt
3.0 oz (85 g) Simpsons Caramalt 30
0.56 oz (16 g) Magnum hops, 12.5% a.a. (60 min)
1.85 ml Phosphoric Acid
3.0 g Calcium Chloride
5.0 g Gypsum
Gelatin finings
Wyeast 1028 London Ale

Specifications
Original Gravity: 1.031
Final Gravity: 1.007
ABV: 3.2%
IBU: 26
SRM: 4

Directions
Single infusion mash: 151°F (66°C) for 50 minutes. Mash out: 168°F (76°C) for 15 minutes. 90 minute boil. Ferment at 65°F (18°C).

 

[oljimmy]

I think the "30" in Caramalt refers to the Lobivond number, i.e. its darkness, not the time at which it is added.

Hops indeed are added at 60 minutes, 30 minutes into the 90-minute boil.

The acid, gypsum and chloride are added to your mash water before you mash. You'll have to calculate how much water to use, as the recipe doesn't tell you. Gelatin finings are added after fermentation... but I would suggest skipping them unless you want to get real serious.

Last thing: this is an all-grain recipe... my guess is that you're reading it as an extract recipe. If you're still only brewing with extract, then definitely don't attempt this, ha ha.

 

[PackerfaninSanDiego]

ditto

 

[DiggidyD]

This will be my first all grain. Shouldn't be too hard, not to mention the small amount of grains.

 

[oljimmy]

Cool, good luck! In the future, I'd advise adding the acid: it controls for Mash pH, which is (I have learned) an incredibly important variable in crisp, light-colored ales. You can sub in lactic acid, which is real cheap for a small vial you'll get years of homebrew use out of.

I like this recipe, I may give it a go in August. Keep us posted on how it turns out!

 

[DiggidyD]

So far so good besides spilling my grain in the grass when i was about to add it to the mash. It also took a good 48 hours for fermentation to start and its still going a bit, not really sure if i will be able to rack it within the 6 days claimed.

On a side note my chickens now love beer grains.

 

[oljimmy]

It also took a good 48 hours for fermentation to start and its still going a bit, not really sure if i will be able to rack it within the 6 days claimed.

Don't worry about rushing it... I've never racked a beer away from Primary in less than two weeks, though others rack sooner. Time is important because the final stages of fermentation, while not very visible, have crucial effects: the yeast "clean up" after themselves, gobbling up undesirable diacetyl and other compounds. Give it at least 10 days, I say!

 

[DiggidyD]

The brew is pretty good. Basically its my idea of what a light beer should taste like. Slight hoppy floral taste. You can easily make a few liters disappear.