How's my pale look?

[Dionysos911]

Brewhouse Efficiency: 60.00
5.25 gallons

Ingredients
Amount Item Type % or IBU

11.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 66.67 %
2.00 lb Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 12.12 %
1.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 9.09 %
0.50 lb Rye Malt (4.7 SRM) Grain 3.03 %
0.75 oz Galena [13.00 %] (60 min) Hops 36.5 IBU
0.25 oz First Gold [7.50 %] (30 min) Hops 3.6 IBU
0.50 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (20 min) (First Wort Hop) Hops 3.4 IBU
0.25 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (15 min) Hops 2.1 IBU
0.25 oz First Gold [7.50 %] (5 min) Hops 1.2 IBU
1.05 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
0.50 lb Corn Sugar (Dextrose) (0.0 SRM) Sugar 3.03 %
1 Pkgs Nottingham (Danstar #-) Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.066 SG Measured Original Gravity: 1.010 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.016 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.005 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.55
% Actual Alcohol by Vol: 0.65 %
Bitterness: 46.9 IBU Calories: 43 cal/pint
Est Color: 6.6 SRM

mashing around 150 and added .lb of corn sugar to help keep it a bit drier and a tad stronger.

Think it'll work?

 

[bob1852]

I'd drop your crystal to 0.5 or 0.75 lbs and make it 40L rather than 10L.

1.5 lbs is too much IMO

 

[Dionysos911]

I'd drop your crystal to 0.5 or 0.75 lbs and make it 40L rather than 10L.

1.5 lbs is too much IMO

I've had difficulties with my beers developing head retention so figuring this might help (still new to all grain) plus only getting 60% efficiency.. Still think I should lower it?

 

[KingBrianI]

At less that 10% of your grain bill I think its fine. Especially when you're mashing at 150 and adding sugar.

 

[bob1852]

I've had difficulties with my beers developing head retention so figuring this might help (still new to all grain) plus only getting 60% efficiency.. Still think I should lower it?

Crystal doesn't do anything for head retention.

Some folks use carapils (=dextrine malt) for head retention.

 

[KingBrianI]

Crystal doesn't do anything for head retention.

Some folks use carapils (=dextrine malt) for head retention.

I'd have to disagree, all crystals have dextrins, carapils just happens to be so low in color that all it adds is dextrins while other crystals are used both for their dextrins and color and flavor.

 

[wildwest450]

I'd have to disagree, all crystals have dextrins, carapils just happens to be so low in color that all it adds is dextrins while other crystals are used both for their dextrins and color and flavor.

I agree. I never use carapils/dextrine in my pales/ipas because I always use a crystal malt. I always have excellent head retention.

 

[uglygoat]

why 60 percentbrew house eff? what mash/sparge set up are you employing?

what sort of pale are you aiming for? pale ale should, imo be a session beer. you've got an imperial mark up there with 11 pounds pale and corn sugar, it will need some time to mellow out.

depending on your setup and your effeciency, i'd go eight or nine pounds max for an india pale, and not put the corn sugar in. for a regular pale, maybe six or seven pounds pale.

 

[bob1852]

I'd have to disagree, all crystals have dextrins, carapils just happens to be so low in color that all it adds is dextrins while other crystals are used both for their dextrins and color and flavor.

I agree. I never use carapils/dextrine in my pales/ipas because I always use a crystal malt. I always have excellent head retention.

well, I'll be snookered....learn something new everyday. Confirmed from the wiki on this site:

"Crystal malts also add to a beer's body and increase head retention."

by all means, keep that crystal at 1.5 lbs (it's less than 10% of the bill and will give you some retention).

don't listen to that other AZ_IPA guy

Thx for setting me straight king and wild

 

[Dionysos911]

why 60 percentbrew house eff? what mash/sparge set up are you employing?

what sort of pale are you aiming for? pale ale should, imo be a session beer. you've got an imperial mark up there with 11 pounds pale and corn sugar, it will need some time to mellow out.

depending on your setup and your effeciency, i'd go eight or nine pounds max for an india pale, and not put the corn sugar in. for a regular pale, maybe six or seven pounds pale.

well I've only done one PM and one AG.. the PM I got about 40% but that's mostly due to too much water and not enough time to boil off. the AG I got about 57%. I use a 10gallon rubbermaid with a steel mesh hose. Still dialing in my process. I grind my grains twice at the LHB store so guessing my crush is ok. I seem to hold and hit my temps fine. I mash for 60-90 minutes and stir every 20-30. So not sure my issue yet. Experience will improve.

I do love IPAs so shooting for this one to be nearly that level but to back off the aroma a bit by not dry hopping. The intent is to smooth it out a bit but still have a nice strong flavor. Plus I just like stronger beers.

 

[wildwest450]

I would ditch the rye and sugar, and drop the crystal to #1 and make it 40l.

Also if you mash at 150 and use Notties it should be plenty dry.

And with those numbers it's technically an IPA.

 

[uglygoat]

word dio... with experience it will improve.

in your situation, i would make the recipe as simple as possible. pale malt, a half pound of crystal and a simple hop schedule. dial in your process mechanically, with that set up, you can get to 80 in a few brews i think, then start tweeking recipes.

good luck!