My first ALL grain ever

[spam]

Well I got 10# of "crisp pre-crushed pale 2-row english malt" and one# of carafoam german crystal malt 2-4 L , one ounce of willamante pellet hops,and safeale s-05 yeast. I mashed for one hour at 150-155 F and sparged for 15 in 160F water. When I was done not all of the sparge water would fit into my 5 gallon stock pot I used the 2- pots and a bag method from deathbrewer. I ended up adding a half gallon of tap water to get 4.5 gallons total.

What kind of beer did I make?
Will it be any good?
I mashed at a ratio of 1.5 quarts of h2o per #of grain,,,is that ok?

 

[BOBTHEukBREWER]

It will be "not very bitter" and too strong....

 

[Orthobrewsky]

I think that might be a cream or blond ale of some sort. That's an adventurous way to do things--making a beer and finding out what it is later.

Your mash ratio was pretty standard. Let us know how it turns out.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

Was this made from the ole malt grab bag under the counter at the LHBW? I generally start with a recipie, then select my grains. Call me anal.

 

[TopherM]

ole malt grab bag

LOL....you mean the bag that they make out of the grains they vacuum off the floor at the end of the day?

This seems like it is going to be pretty much an underhopped APA. The 1lb of crystal will add a tinge of darkness, but not much malt character as 9% of the grain bill. 91% of the body and flavor is going to come from the Two-Row. You really would have been better off leaving the crystal out of this one.

If you had added just one more ounce of hops, this would have turned out to be a well balanced APA. HOWEVER, with just one ounce, you are going to have an underbittered APA with mostly the malt character of the two row.

This is going to be a drinkable beer, but a bit out of balance. You are about to learn what two-row tastes like.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Perhaps drop another ounce of hops once fermentation subsides a bit for a little more hop character...nothing wrong with winging it while you learn...I like the 'have no fear approach"

 

[MrSpiffy]

He could always dry hop to up bitterness, couldn't he?

Edit: Looks like I'm just a bit late. I had the same idea as wilserbrewer.

 

[TopherM]

Dry hopping will add aroma, which is "perceived bitterness." The actual IBU contribution is negligible, but the fact that you smell it makes it seem more bitter.

It wouldn't hurt! This beer would turn from decent to pretty darn good with something like two weeks of citra dry hop.

 

[tre9er]

I was wondering if he could boil some hops in water and add them (after cooled) for hop bitterness, flavor and aroma (do a hop schedule)

 

[slarkin712]

I was wondering if he could boil some hops in water and add them (after cooled) for hop bitterness, flavor and aroma (do a hop schedule)

This would help tremendously. The hop tea method.

 

[spam]

this was a recipe from the "brewing classic style" book "blonde ale" BUT the home shop did not have exact matches for the recipe. I was not trying to wing-it,,just happened that way. I have columbus,cascade,and willamante hops on hand. so help me out

 

[spam]

should I boil an ounce of hops and toss em in? anybody...?

 

[wilserbrewer]

should I boil an ounce of hops and toss em in? anybody...?

I wouldn't boil them for too long, I would boil a pint of water, shut off the heat and add an ounce of hops and let the hops steep in the covered pot, when cool, add to your fermenter. Personal preference really whether you boil or not, and what your desired result is. The group here feels your brew will be a bit bland as it is...and hopping it up a tad will likely help.

Cascade will work for an APA.

 

[spam]

ok thank you,,,one APA on the way!

 

[tre9er]

If he's underbittered, he will want to boil the hops long enough to break down the crystals or else it will be all flavor/aroma and not much bitterness. I'd suggest just north of 30 minutes.

 

[Orthobrewsky]

this was a recipe from the "brewing classic style" book "blonde ale" BUT the home shop did not have exact matches for the recipe. I was not trying to wing-it,,just happened that way. I have columbus,cascade,and willamante hops on hand. so help me out

I have the book and the one substitution you made seems pretty moderate, so far as the flavor goes--the pound of dextrine malt in place of the 1/2 pound of crystal 15. Your gravity could be a bit off the high end for the style, depending on your efficiency. Your bittering seems right on target for a blonde, so, if you wanted a blond, I'd say leave it alone and enjoy your heavy blonde. Of course, like others said, a pale ale could be made with that recipe, but would be more hopped.

 

[tknice]

Don't get discouraged Spam, it will be fine I'm sure. It's not far off from a few smash beers I've made (Single Malt And Single Hop) and there are plently of people that will love it. I try to have a simple beer like this on tap along with the other hoppier and darker beers because people drink it up--especially the lager drinkers.

Did you boil the williamette for 60 minutes?

 

[spam]

well thanks for all the help guys. I got jittery and boiled up 1oz. of cascade and dry hoped one more ounce of cascade. I will have to try the recipe again without adding the extra hops. I am having a hard time understanding malts. and the bag of grain at the store always says something other than what I have read about in palmers books