Modifing Recipe Question

[pirate252]

I am thinking about this kit from austin homebrew:

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_452_42_173&products_id=354

But I am going to add some bitter orange peel to it, to get something somewhat close to Sam Adams Winter Lager, and yes I know this in an ale not a lager, so it wont be perfect

But my question is:

The recipe makes an estimated 1.050 OG, which is only 5%, if this is going to be a winter beer like I want it to be, especially to imitate SA winter lager, it needs to be higher, like around 6.5-7% The site sells this alcohol boost stuff, but I would have to add 2 packs to get to a 1.065 OG, which should give me about 6.8%.

But I am wondering if that would be the best way to go verses, either one of these two things, or both, either adding more malt extract, or steeping some sort of specialty grains in there, I think the grains would make the better tasting beer, but I have no idea how much sugars to expect from them, can someone help me out?

Here is the recipe for the SA winter lager clone I am basing this whole thing off of as well, so maybe some of the grains that it uses, dont know how much sugars I will get from them though, and austin homebrew does carry some of them, such as the munich malt...

5 Gallons
OG - 1.069
FG - 1.016
IBU - 29
SRM - 19
ABV - 6.9%

2.75 lbs. light dried malt extract
4.0 lbs. Light liquid malt extract (late addition)
1.0 lb. wheat malt
1.5 lbs. munich malt
1.5 lbs. crystal malt 60L
1.0 oz. Curacao Orange Peel (bitter orange peel)
0.5 oz. ginger root (freshly grated)
0.5 tsp. Cinnamon (powdered)
9.5 AAU East Kent Golding hops (60 mni)
4AAU Tettnanger hops (2 min)
4AAU Hallertau Hersbrucker hops
White Labs WLP830 (German Lager)


Thanks!

 

[Torchiest]

Well, if you're doing an extract with steeping grains only, you'll need to add more extract to get more fermentable sugars. The grains will give you flavor and color, as well as a higher starting gravity, but that won't translate to a higher alcohol content at the end. Definitely don't use the booster packs; they're just dextrose, cheap garbage.

I'd say just add a pound or two of LME to the recipe. That'll give you a boost in alcohol, and also leave behind a bit more maltiness. If the recipe you're getting already comes with crystal and chocolate, you should be good on flavor, but adding a 1/2lb of munich malt sounds pretty good to me. It would add even more maltiness to the beer.

 

[david_42]

Add two pounds of 2-row and do a mini-mash. Just like steeping, except for the temperature.

 

[cweston]

Why not just forget the kit and brew the recipe you posted?

If you can't lager, try whichever of European Ale or California Lager best fits the temp range for fermentation that you have. Most winter warmers are ales, anyway.

 

[pirate252]

Yeah, thats pretty much what I think I am gonna do now, I think I want to go with their 'seasoning' kit, cuz it comes with cloves in addition to all the other goodies and its like 2 bucks.

So none of those malts add any sugars? Dang, I thought they added some, just not much. Umm, well will adding 2 or so more lbs of malt change the flavor to much?

I dont see how the recipe I posted above would be so much higher in alc than the one on that site i was looking at since they both contain about 7 lbs of malt... hmmm

 

[pirate252]

As I am doing some more reading it is looking like the wheat malt and munich malt need to be mashed, is this true?

Also wondering if I am going to get any fermentables out of them if not mashed, hopefully they dont have to be because I dont really have the stuff to do a real mini mash like a cooler, and it sounds like the wheat will just make it hazy if I dont mash it... hmmmm

 

[lefteye]

Starch conversion cant happen til the starsh has reached gelatinization temp -149-
be nice to know how much sugar just falls off the grain during a rinse and what kind of suger

 

[pirate252]

OK I think I have come up with a recipe, let me know what you think and what kind of yeast I should use. The kit that started me down this road suggested using White Labs East Coast Ale, let me know if you think thats the right choice or not.

7.0 lbs Munich LME (20/80 Munich/Barley)
1.0 lbs Wheat DME (45/55 Wheat/Barley)
1.5 lbs 60L Crystal Malt

1 pack of this seasoning pack: http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_21_75&products_id=10240

1.0 oz Bitter Orange Peel

9.5 AAU East Kent Golding
4.0 AAU Tettnager
4.0 AAU Hallertau Hersbruker

Also, the last hop, I can only find them seperatly, like they sell Hallertau hops, and Hersbruker hops, but not Hallertau Hersbruker hops... Anyone know what to do about that? can I just do 2 AAU of each?

I would also really like to know if someone can give me any idea on an efficiency for this, I ran the calculations at 90% and the OG should be 1.065 for 4.5 gallons (only have 5 gallon carboys) I want to know if 90% is a good number or if I need to adjust because I dont really want more than 7% ABV, I would think it would start to taste to much like alcohol, wouldn't it?

Thanks