I have been designing my first black ale/lager and have a few questions. Here's the recipe:
2) Also, should I bother with the CaraPils? What would I lose if I replaced the CaraPils with 8 oz CaraMunich and 1 lb Munich Malt and mashed at 154?
Thanks in advance.
1) I am worried about the California Lager yeast not getting to a decent FG. I'd like the FG to be around 1.015, which is what I would get if I used Bavarian Lager yeast (using hopville calc). I was thinking of mashing lowish to hit a lower FG, but I have been having trouble with thermometers, mash temps and over attenuation, so I have no idea what I should try (the steam beer I washed the yeast from started at 1.056 and finished at 1.010, and was mashed at 152 according to my thermometer, which I think was wrong). I want to use the California Lager yeast because I have that on hand and I want to try using washed yeast for the first time, plus I wanted to brew this at ale temps.5.5 Gallon Batch
OG: 1.061
FG: 1.019
IBU: 21
Color: 37
ABV: 5.6
7 lbs Munich (9L)
3 lbs Pilsener (2L)
1.5 lbs CaraPils (2L)
8 oz Carafa Special III (525L)
8 oz Chocolate Malt [Thomas Faucet] (508L)
1 oz Challenger (21 IBU)
California Lager Yeast (washed)
Thinking about mashing at 152F
2) Also, should I bother with the CaraPils? What would I lose if I replaced the CaraPils with 8 oz CaraMunich and 1 lb Munich Malt and mashed at 154?
Thanks in advance.