Opinions/Advice

[WarrynPeace]

So I will not be brewing for a while and currently have a 3lb bag of Pilsner dme and 1oz of cascade. I was thinking of doing a 2.5 gallon batch to use this up. My question is, will the pilsner dme add enough malt flavor that this will taste like beer, or am I going to essentially end up with an alcoholic cascade hop tea?

 

[antony]

I *think* that's somewhere around 1.043 OG (assuming 72% efficiency). So, somewhere around 4% abv. I think you're bigger issue are the low ibus...under 14 as far as I can tell.

Definitely worth a try in my book.

 

[WarrynPeace]

Thanks for the response Antony. This is a 2.5 gallon batch with 1oz cascade. My calculations show around 48ibu and gravity about 5.2%. I am just concerned that the pilsner malt extract is going to impart almost no flavor. I have never used it by itself before only in partial mashes to boost abv.

 

[Yooper]

Since it's extract, efficiency doesn't come into play.

In 2.5 gallons, three pounds of DME should get you an OG of about 1.052. That would be an ABV of approximately 5.2%. I'd use the cascade like this:

.5 oz 60 minutes
.25 oz 15 minutes
.25 oz 5 minutes

 

[WarrynPeace]

Thanks Yooper, I had not decided on that just yet, but your suggestion is what I will go with. So do you think this will taste like beer rather than hop tea? I am not totally against steeping some grains, but it would defeat the purpose in a way.

 

[madscientist451]

Get some grains, do a mini-mash (wouldn't need very much) and do a czech dark lager, but use the cascade instead of the usual german/czech hops....but then you'll need some
lager yeast and a cold place to ferment.........

 

[slym2none]

*edit*

 

[WarrynPeace]

And madscientist451 wins the prize for inadvertently pointing out the flaw in my plan! I had hoped to not have to go to my local LHS and buy anything, but considering I have zero yeast on hand... I'll pick up some steeping grains while I am there. Thanks all.

 

[Yooper]

Thanks Yooper, I had not decided on that just yet, but your suggestion is what I will go with. So do you think this will taste like beer rather than hop tea? I am not totally against steeping some grains, but it would defeat the purpose in a way.

It'll be fine, but it'll be better with .5 pound of crystal 40L, I think!

And madscientist451 wins the prize for inadvertently pointing out the flaw in my plan! I had hoped to not have to go to my local LHS and buy anything, but considering I have zero yeast on hand... I'll pick up some steeping grains while I am there. Thanks all.

good plan!

 

[WarrynPeace]

Thanks again Yoop, my thoughts exactly on the crystal 40. Cheers!