I'm looking for advice for my upcoming order. I have just 5 brews under my belt (BIAB) using only Pilsner malt, Carared and combos of Magnum, EKG and Saaz. I've been using Safale T-58 and Notty yeasts.
Not being able to buy everything I'd like, I'm hoping to maximize the combo possibilties with the least amount of ingredients. So far my preferred brew was an all Pilsner psuedo pale ale using the T-58, Magnum for bittering with Saaz for flavour and a hint of EKG for aroma.
Pilsner malt is the cheapest where I am (continental Europe). Maris Otter is almost double that price, so that's out. I like to brew pale ale styles. Specifically I'd like to brew an English ale, an American and a Belgian.
Here's what I cobbled together based on my budget, please tell me what improvements I could make...
Big bag of Pilsner (because it's cheap and I liked it on its own even as a psuedo ale)
Small amount of Biscuit (to bring some bready/biscuitness for an English style?)
Small amount of Munich or Vienna (Undecided. I've seen these malts in Belgian recipes but I didn't want to order both)
Some flaked wheat for head retention (or should I get Carapils? Are either needed at all? My head retention has not been great thus far)
Small amount of Belgian pale ale malt (to try something affordable that isn't Pilsner)
Is it silly to think I can brew my preferred styles with only the grains above? I am blessed with a palate which isn't too fussy, although I do slightly favour hoppier styles (not complete bombs) over malty, overly rich sweetness, which I find can get too sickly/syrupy.
I could perhaps take a big bag of the Belgian pale ale malt instead of the Pilsner since it's not too much more expensive. Would that go with the above choices? Would it be better to ditch the Pilsner, the biscuit and the Munich/Vienna and just replace it all with Belgian Pale ale malt? It'd shave off some coinage for sure. Is it madness to not have any caramel at all? I do have some Carared but not a lot and my preferred brew didn't have any of it.
Hops: I love Saaz, more so than the EKG which is still nice though. I need an extra 300g/11 oz or so of hops in total (I do small batches) and since I can get packets of 100g I thought I'd add 3 new hops.
I require a bittering hop since I don't have enough Magnum, but I'd also like flavouring/aroma hops which I could combine with the Saaz and EKG I have to make the 3 styles. I thought maybe Cascade to try something American. I read Hallertau Mittelfrüh may combine with Cascade and perhaps I could use it in a Belgian, but the site I order from doesn't have Mittelfrüh. Would Tettnanger be ok?
Challenger seems interesting as a bittering/dual hop that I could add to an English style and maybe combine with Cascade. Is it reasonable also to use it as a bittering hop in all these styles? Should I stick to Magnum in everything or try Target perhaps?
Do any of the above hops clash with my Saaz and EKG? Are they too similar to be interesting? I'm hoping to make as many combos as possible, but ones that work.
Yeasts: I liked the T-58 a lot, interesting and tasty. I think Notty left my beer a bit bare and since my grain bills have been so simple those beers were a bit ordinary with just Pilsner malt alone. Will this change with the above grains?
I was planning 3 different yeasts for comparisons, again still for the aforementioned styles. These yeasts also happen to be among the very best priced I can get.
Safale S-33
S-04
S-05
Does this make sense? I thought I'd try the S-33 instead of the T-58 for comparison. Will the other 2 yeasts leave my American and English styles too bare-boned given the limited grain and hop choices?
Ideally I'd need roughly 9 packets of yeast but I'll be damned if I won't try to do a bit of washing instead. In US currency the difference for me between 3 packets and 9 is close to 20 euros (over 20 bucks). Is it folly to not order more? Would two packets of each of the above yeasts be wiser? I can't buy yeast locally (unless it's for wine) and totally rely on websites where the delivery costs are kinda pricey.
I'd appreciate any comments, ideas, etc.
Not being able to buy everything I'd like, I'm hoping to maximize the combo possibilties with the least amount of ingredients. So far my preferred brew was an all Pilsner psuedo pale ale using the T-58, Magnum for bittering with Saaz for flavour and a hint of EKG for aroma.
Pilsner malt is the cheapest where I am (continental Europe). Maris Otter is almost double that price, so that's out. I like to brew pale ale styles. Specifically I'd like to brew an English ale, an American and a Belgian.
Here's what I cobbled together based on my budget, please tell me what improvements I could make...
Big bag of Pilsner (because it's cheap and I liked it on its own even as a psuedo ale)
Small amount of Biscuit (to bring some bready/biscuitness for an English style?)
Small amount of Munich or Vienna (Undecided. I've seen these malts in Belgian recipes but I didn't want to order both)
Some flaked wheat for head retention (or should I get Carapils? Are either needed at all? My head retention has not been great thus far)
Small amount of Belgian pale ale malt (to try something affordable that isn't Pilsner)
Is it silly to think I can brew my preferred styles with only the grains above? I am blessed with a palate which isn't too fussy, although I do slightly favour hoppier styles (not complete bombs) over malty, overly rich sweetness, which I find can get too sickly/syrupy.
I could perhaps take a big bag of the Belgian pale ale malt instead of the Pilsner since it's not too much more expensive. Would that go with the above choices? Would it be better to ditch the Pilsner, the biscuit and the Munich/Vienna and just replace it all with Belgian Pale ale malt? It'd shave off some coinage for sure. Is it madness to not have any caramel at all? I do have some Carared but not a lot and my preferred brew didn't have any of it.
Hops: I love Saaz, more so than the EKG which is still nice though. I need an extra 300g/11 oz or so of hops in total (I do small batches) and since I can get packets of 100g I thought I'd add 3 new hops.
I require a bittering hop since I don't have enough Magnum, but I'd also like flavouring/aroma hops which I could combine with the Saaz and EKG I have to make the 3 styles. I thought maybe Cascade to try something American. I read Hallertau Mittelfrüh may combine with Cascade and perhaps I could use it in a Belgian, but the site I order from doesn't have Mittelfrüh. Would Tettnanger be ok?
Challenger seems interesting as a bittering/dual hop that I could add to an English style and maybe combine with Cascade. Is it reasonable also to use it as a bittering hop in all these styles? Should I stick to Magnum in everything or try Target perhaps?
Do any of the above hops clash with my Saaz and EKG? Are they too similar to be interesting? I'm hoping to make as many combos as possible, but ones that work.
Yeasts: I liked the T-58 a lot, interesting and tasty. I think Notty left my beer a bit bare and since my grain bills have been so simple those beers were a bit ordinary with just Pilsner malt alone. Will this change with the above grains?
I was planning 3 different yeasts for comparisons, again still for the aforementioned styles. These yeasts also happen to be among the very best priced I can get.
Safale S-33
S-04
S-05
Does this make sense? I thought I'd try the S-33 instead of the T-58 for comparison. Will the other 2 yeasts leave my American and English styles too bare-boned given the limited grain and hop choices?
Ideally I'd need roughly 9 packets of yeast but I'll be damned if I won't try to do a bit of washing instead. In US currency the difference for me between 3 packets and 9 is close to 20 euros (over 20 bucks). Is it folly to not order more? Would two packets of each of the above yeasts be wiser? I can't buy yeast locally (unless it's for wine) and totally rely on websites where the delivery costs are kinda pricey.
I'd appreciate any comments, ideas, etc.