recipe help

[LaffnJack]

I have brewed several extract "kits" with good results and now have decided to experiment some with my own recipe. I am hoping that you all will be willing to give me your thoughts on my ingredients and any warnings of a possible disaster. Here is the recipe for a 5 gal batch and hopefully a nice Irish Red.

8 lbs Maris Otter LME

Steeping Grains
1 lb Crystal (120L)
8 oz Abbey
8 oz Caramunich (60L)
4 zo Carared

Hops
1 oz Kent Goldings (5.7%) 60min

Safale 04

I have no idea what the OG will be as I have little experience with this, but I would guess around 1.055 based on past kits. I would appreciate any input you might have.

Thanks,
-J-

 

[ong]

Abbey is a base malt, and you'd want to mash it rather than just steeping it. I might leave it out (the small amount you're using wouldn't do that much anyway), or, if you're trying to get a lot of maltiness, maybe look at something like melanoidin malt instead.

I would expect to see some later addition hops in a red, unless you are not a big fan of hops flavor... Are you just going for more of a malty profile here?

 

[Yooper]

A pound of crystal 120L is probably too much, as it's very strong and raisiny and dominant. You have .75 pound of crystal already with the carared and the caramunich, but if you want a little bit of the 120L, like .25 pound, it would be ok.

Generally, you want crystal/cara malts to be under 15% of the grainbill always, and usually under 10%, depending on what you're making.

I'd suggest some free brewing software to help you determine those percentages, as well as to get a predicted OG. There are lots of calculators/software on the internet to pick from, and many of them describe the grains as well and give advice on the maximum amount in a batch.

 

[LaffnJack]

Thanks for your help. My ultimate goal is to develop recipes in the styles I love that are my own but still meet the requirements for the style. And while I am not against IPAs, I truly love Reds, Browns, Porters, and Stouts, so I will start here. And thanks for the advice on brewing software. That helps a bunch.


-J-