Made my first recipe! Suggestions?

[dasiala]

I'd like to start by saying that BeerSmith is the best invention ever, and has helped me go from brewing kits to making my first recipe! Here it goes:

BeerSmith 2 Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: D's Cream Ale
Brewer: Davin Asiala
Asst Brewer:
Style: Cream Ale
TYPE: Extract
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 6.00 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.50 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.25 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.25 gal
Estimated OG: 1.049 SG
Estimated Color: 4.5 SRM
Estimated IBU: 17.6 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 0.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
6.00 gal Distilled Water Water 1 -
12.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 10.7 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 3 7.1 %
5 lbs Extra Light Dry Extract (3.0 SRM) Dry Extract 4 71.4 %
12.0 oz Corn Sugar (Dextrose) (0.0 SRM) Sugar 5 10.7 %
0.50 oz Cluster [7.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 6 13.4 IBUs
1.00 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 7 -
1.00 oz Willamette [5.50 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 8 4.2 IBUs
1.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) Yeast 9 -


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out
Total Grain Weight: 7 lbs
----------------------------

Sparge: Remove grains, and prepare to boil wort

If anyone has any additions, subtractions, suggestions, please let me know!

 

[DannyD]

well, its beer , why the corn suger if you are using DME? (a question in general, I only do all-grain)

 

[dasiala]

Well, I was doing some reading about the cream ale style and added the corn sugar as a substitute for actual corn/flaked maize that you all-grain guys use. If that isn't going to do anything for me, then I'll probably take it out.

 

[Doomsday]

where did you read that? corn sugar is not supposed to add any sort of flavor at low levels. Hell I just added 22 ounces to my IPA to up the ABV.

 

[dasiala]

Here http://www.beersmith.com/blog/2009/04/04/cream-ale-recipes-beer-styles/

The first paragraph under "Brewing a Cream Ale" where it says, " Corn based sugars in the boil are also commonly added in the place of corn."

 

[Doomsday]

well I guess since it says:

"Corn adjuncts such as flaked maize may be used for up to 20% of the grain bill."

and

"Corn based sugars in the boil are also commonly added in the place of corn."

If you were to use 20% of your fermentables as corn sugar I would imagine it would have some sort of taste. I dont use nearly that much though so I dont know, sorry man.

 

[prrriiide]

I notice you have your boil size set at 6 gallons, and your yield into the fermenter at 5.25 gallons. IMO, that's really ambitious. That is to say, it ain't gonna happen unless you are planning for it and topping up. You will boil off WAY more than 2 quarts over a 60 min. boil, and 1 quart loss in the kettle is a low number, too. You will boil off more like 1.5 gallons over 60 minutes. That discrepancy will throw your gravities all to hell and gone.

A better model might be a 6.5 gallon boil and 5 into the bucket, accounting for boil off and kettle goo. Yield 4.5 gallons after fermentation due to trub.

 

[dasiala]

Thanks, prrriiide. I was planning on topping off if I had to, but maybe I'll just up it to 6.5-6.75 so I can get closer to my goal.

 

[DannyD]

this is damn interesting because my first reaction was "no.....it does not work like that", but the more i think of it the more "maybe" it gets? but there are problems like 20% of grain bill is not 20% of fermentables? and would you realy get that maizy taste?

 

[dasiala]

this is damn interesting because my first reaction was "no.....it does not work like that", but the more i think of it the more "maybe" it gets? but there are problems like 20% of grain bill is not 20% of fermentables? and would you realy get that maizy taste?

I guess I'm going to find out . Maybe my first partial mash recipe I'll do will be a version of this one, and do a comparison.

 

[strambo]

I was thinking PM, so you can use corn. I am doing my first PM today, I realized it would only take 20 mins longer, and is only marginally harder, than doing extract w/ steeping grains.