Recipe check please

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Bobby_M

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Since I got all creative on my stout and basically failed (jury is still out on it, but it's probably too sweet), I thought I'd ask if there are any inherent problems with the recipe for my next batch.

I'm basically trying to do a German Pilsner using stuff I have on hand. I'm cheating a bit with using some American 2row but I think it will be OK.

4lb 2-row
3lb German Pilsner
1lb Vienna

Mash at 152F for 60 minutes, 1.5qt/lb. Shooting for 1.044 OG

1oz Tettnanger 60min
.5oz Tettnanger 20
.5oz Tettnanger 5
1oz Hallertau Dryhop

Approx 27 IBU.

Saflager S-23 @ 53F

So, what are the downsides?
 
Looks good to me. I find the Vienna to make my Kolsch a bit "thick" feeling?

Last time I replaced it with 1/2 lb of honey and 1/2 lb of crystal 60. The flavor was the same but the beer was crisper, lighter if you will.

But you're doing like me. Reciping with your inventory on hand. :ban:
 
You don't have enough malt to work with those 3 oz. of hops. You IBUs will be over 100 due to the low gravity of 1.034 based on 75% efficiency.

The low end on Pils O.G. is 1.044, so I'd bump the pale ale to about 6.5#.
 
Why is Promash screwing me on the IBUs? Actually, Qbrew puts that hop schedule at only 20IBU also and I noticed it does compensate for gravity/untilization. You didn't think I was boiling it all for 60 minutes did you?

Recipe Style Generic Ale
Brewer Batch 5.00 gal
Mashed

Recipe Characteristics
Recipe Gravity 1.045 OG
Recipe Bitterness 20 IBU Alcohol by Volume 4.4%
Recipe Color 3° SRM Alcohol by Weight 3.5%

Ingredients
Quantity Grain Use
4.00 lb American two-row mashed
1.00 lb American vienna mashed
3.00 lb German pilsener mashed
Quantity Hop Form Time
1.00 oz Tettnanger pellet 60 minutes
0.50 oz Tettnanger pellet 20 minutes
0.50 oz Tettnanger pellet 5 minutes
1.00 oz Hallertauer pellet 0 minutes
 
Yeah. I agree with Edwort about the hops, for most taste buds, but your hop bill sounds great to me (I'm fond of bitterness). Also, I always do a rest at 122 deg when using german pils. I know, I know- no need to.... but I find that I get better eff and better beer if I do. -p
 
There's something about a low gravity beer having a higher utilization for the hops. If you add more malt, the IBUs come down. Right now, with his 8 pounds of grain, the O.G. is 1.034 at 75% utilization.

Anyone else find it different?
 
Beersmith gives me 1.040 OG at 70% efficiency, 1.043% at 75%. 25 IBUs using both the Tinseth and Rager formulas. It's assuming Tettnang is only 4.5% AA%.

No way this is a 100 IBU recipe. For those hop quantities, you'd need AA% north of 18% to approach that much bitterness.

The lower-gravity-equals-higher-bitterness thing is true, but that's accounted for in the calculations. That comes into play when converting an extract recipe, not doing an AG recipe from the bottom up.
 
I've doublechecked with Qbrew, Promash, and that online calculator you sent me via PM and none of them end up outside of 20-26 IBU for that schedule. I know that at least Qbrew and Promash take gravity into account when figuring IBU... which you can test by leaving the hop schedule the same and adjusting your grain bill. More grain, lower IBU and viceversa. Now, If I enter all those hop additions as 60 minute boils, which I suspect you did, you get 100+ IBU.... but I'm going 60/20/5/dry on those additions.
 
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