recipe critique

[esp]

On Rebel Brewer they are offering wet hops and Malteurop 2-row. I wanted to experiment with these and create a smooth blueberry ale. I'm still not great at creating recipes, so I based this off of another recipe I've found. I want to try a SMaSHish recipe, converted into a partial mash. This is what I came up with:



2lbs Light DME
8lbs malteurop 2-Row
10oz Wet Centennial hops (60 min) (I believe they said it's a 5 to 1 conversion rate)

Mash @ 168
add extract to secondary (as per bottle directions)

 

[shanecb]

I don't have any experience partial mashing so I don't know if procedure is different, but 168 is a pretty high mash temperature. Even 158 would be considered in the higher range.

 

[Malticulous]

Mash it at 150 for one hour. And your going to want some finishing hops, something like another 8 oz at 10-5 minutes. I think 1/2 lb crystal 60L would be nice too. Most SMaSHes always leave me wanting.

 

[esp]

Can I use Golden DME instead of the light for the extra crystal malt? (I have have the grain and the DME already).

 

[Ichthy]

Aren't those centennials pretty high in AA's? If so that would be like bittering with 2 oz hops, might be more bitter than you want.

 

[permo]

Aren't those centennials pretty high in AA's? If so that would be like bittering with 2 oz hops, might be more bitter than you want.

2 oz of 10AA centennial at 60 will not give you smooth blueberry ale. Centennial is flavorfull and fairly aggressive.

I am not understanding why you would want to go through the expense and trouble of obtaining wet hops, and then using them for blueberry ale

Showcase the hops man!

 

[mkling]

Two things: 1) Don't waste wet hops on the bittering addition. All that is interesting and special about wet hops is going to happen in aroma and maybe a bit in flavor. Try to use wet hops for flameout and dry hopping if you really want to get what is unique out of them. 2) Don't waste wet hops on a fruit beer. Because wet hops are mostly about aroma & fruit additions are largely about aroma, you're going to set up competition between these two aroma elements that likely won't be complementary but instead will cancel each other out.

If you want to use wet hops make a pale ale or IPA which will show off those wet hops aromas.

 

[esp]

I am not understanding why you would want to go through the expense and trouble of obtaining wet hops, and then using them for blueberry ale

SWMBO said I could buy some more brew supplies if I made a blueberry ale. I'm excited about the wet hops after trying the Southern Hemisphere Harvest. It sounded...interesting...to put the two together. My mind pictured an earthy, yet tart ale to start off the school year in the proper fashion.

As far as the bitterness of the alpha acids, I'm trying to work out how to balance IBU with malt flavor. When I have a style in mind, it's easy to follow style perimeters, but with fruit beer I haven't really found any guidelines. Basically, 2oz was called for in the style I mocked for this one, so I ran with it.

If you want to use wet hops make a pale ale or IPA which will show off those wet hops aromas.

In that case, what hops should be used for a blueberry ale?

 

[mkling]

In that case, what hops should be used for a blueberry ale?

For a blueberry ale, it doesn't really matter what hops you use. I would say you want no more than 10-15 IBUs. This could be 1/4 to 1/2 oz of a high AA hops or 1 to 1.5 oz of a low AA hop. Because it is all in the bittering addition, it doesn't matter which variety it is because you're not going to get flavor or aroma contribution. But don't use wet hops because 1) you don't really know the AA of wet hops, and 2) you have to use 5 times as much in weight which increases the hop expenses to 5 times as much as it would be with pellets.

My blueberry ale that has just been moved to secondary & had the fruit added has 3/4 oz of Northern Brewer (60 min) for right around 15 IBUs.

 

[esp]

Ok I've decided to use 5lbs of grain 3lbs of DME, but with more hops and making a pale ale instead of blueberry. SWMBO was very sympathetic to my plight, but it will cost me something later I'm sure. I picked up 3oz of Independence, 3oz of Revolution, 3oz of Sorachi, 3oz of glacier and a pound of wet centenniel hops. What would make a good hopping schedule that would showcase the wet hops to full effect?