Recipe Help- partial mash

[Jaeger48]

So I'm doing my first partial mash and I picked up the following:

3 gallon boil

Boil grains for 60 minutes:

8oz crystal 40l
4oz victory malt

3 lbs pale DME in boil
3 lbs pale DME at knockout

1oz Cascade 60 mins 11.5 IBUs

.75oz Willamette 15 mins 4.3 IBUs

.25oz Willamette 5 mins .6 IBUs

Total IBU- 22.3

WLP-01 California Ale Yeast

Beer Smith says my OG should be around 1.045-1.056 and FG 1.10-1.015

I want to make a beer similar to a Widmer Drop top but with more biscuit flavor. My LHBS was out of biscuit malt but one whiff of victory started me thinking.

Feedback needed. 22 IBUs feels a little low and I'm afraid my low grain usage is going to mean too little flavor but I was hesitant to go further without any partial mash experience. I'm considering increasing the grain and hops, IBUs around 35 feels about right...

 

[Blender]

First off, don't go boiling the grain. Steep them in water about 155 for 30 minutes. Promash says 6lbs. of DME for 5 gallons will be at 1.050 which sounds right. I would bitter it more and use 8 oz. of Victory. Can you get a higher AA for bittering? I think somewhere around 35-40 would be good for an APA.

 

[Jaeger48]

That's what I was thinking for my bittering. I was going to swing by the LHBS tonight and pick up another vial of yeast just in case (this one in the starter hasn't bubbled after 30 hours) at which time I can pick up some more hops. I'll punch it into beer smith but I'll drop the willamette and use centenial for the 60 min hops. (should be around an 11 AA hop)

 

[Jaeger48]

Ok, dropped the Willamette and I'm using 1 oz of Centennial for my 60 min

1/2 oz Cascade @15 mins
1/2 oz Cascade @ 2 mins.

Also bumped it up to 8 oz Victory Malt.

Total IBUs are now around 37, seems just about right.

Steeping as I type.... god I love it ^^

 

[Blender]

Thats a nice pale ale. You have a nice balance and it sounds good.

 

[Jaeger48]

my god, this one tastes great even if it's only been a week and it still have until next week to be bottled.

I do have another question though- my victory malt just doesn't seem to be showing through. From other's experience at what point is a specialty grain going to be too much?