How to read/understand a recipe

[jwic]

I've done three kits and I'm itchin' to move on. My next step will be to do a recipe out of a book and so I'm looking through "How To Brew." If you have it handy, I want to try the recipe on pp.220-1.

When a recipe includes malt, does that mean it's a grain to be steeped in 150-170dF water for 30 or so minutes and then add the extract? Or, is it a partial mash recipe where more is required with the grains (lautering, sparging, and all that good stuff) before adding any extract?

Cheers,
JWiC

 

[Yooper]

I've done three kits and I'm itchin' to move on. My next step will be to do a recipe out of a book and so I'm looking through "How To Brew." If you have it handy, I want to try the recipe on pp.220-1.

When a recipe includes malt, does that mean it's a grain to be steeped in 150-170dF water for 30 or so minutes and then add the extract? Or, is it a partial mash recipe where more is required with the grains (lautering, sparging, and all that good stuff) before adding any extract?

Cheers,
JWiC

That amber looks good! That recipe has "options" at the bottom if you want to do all extract, or all-grain. But the recipe written out is an extract recipe with steeping grains. When you see a recipe like that, you follow the steps like this:

(here's the recipe for people that don't have the book open):

3.3 pounds pale LME boil
3.3 pounds pale LME at knockout
2 pounds crystal malt 60L

.05 oz centennial 60 minutes
1 oz Mt. Hood 30 minutes
1 oz willamette 15 minutes

Steep 2 pounds of crystal malt in 2 gallon water of water at 150-160 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove grains, and bring the resulting liquor to a boil. You can add water at this time to bring you up to your boil volume also.

When this is boiling, take it off the heat and add 3.3 pounds LME. Stir well, and put it back on the heat. Bring to a boil. When boiling, add the centennial hops and set the timer for 60 minutes. When the timer has 30 minutes left, add the Mt. Hood hops. With 15 minutes left in the boil, add the willamette. At 0 minutes (knockout) turn off the flame and add the 3.3 pounds LME. Stir well, and then chill the wort.

Add to fermenter, and add water to 5 gallons. Pitch yeast when wort is at 70 degrees.


Palmer explains the whole procedure in Chapter 13, on page 136.

 

[gregger]

I have done many batches with steeping the grains for 30 minutes or so in 160F water, then adding my extract afterwards. That's how I interpret those types of recipes. Worked well everytime.

Lautering and sparging and all that stuff is for all grain which I know nothing about and will probably not want to do anytime soon.

 

[jwic]

So, I bought the ingredients for the aforementioned recipe from Palmer's HTB. I hope this isn't too stupid a question: should I have milled the grains at the store? Or, do I steep them whole?

 

[Bob]

You must at least crack them. You don't want to grind them to powder; you want to gently abuse them, releasing the nummy goodness from the husk but keeping the husk relatively intact.

I suggest going back to your LHBS and getting them to run the Crystal malt through their mill.

Cheers!

Bob

 

[jwic]

I'm not too far from my LHBS but I'm wondering if a few pulses in a coffee grinder (or food processor) would do the trick?

 

[Bob]

I really couldn't advise it. It'll chop things up too much. Besides, 2 pounds is an awful lot of grain to put through a coffee grinder! You'll be at it for EVAR. Srsly.

You could always use the Ancient and Venerable Method advised by Papazian and others: Put the malt in a large Ziploc bag, put the bag on a hard surface (your kitchen counter, etc.), then roll something heavy over it. Something like a large can of food or a rolling pin or something. That will gently crack the grains while leaving the husks intact.

Cheers,

Bob

 

[Bithead]

I'd go back to the LHBS and have then mill those grains for you.

 

[jwic]

Okay, thanks for the help! I'll try to swing by my LHBS after work today.