Recipe Sugestions for first time extract brewer

[estoppel]

Hey guys,
I have been homebrewing the Wort-in-a-bag Brewhouse and Fiesta bre kits for a few years now. I have decided to take brewing a little more seriously and am ready to launch into my first all-extract brew.

I have hacked some of the Brewhouse Kits by dry hopping, doing small (3-4L) boils of other extracts and hops to try to tweak Brewhouse kits, and by inevitably changing the yeast from Cooper's to something else which more fits the style. As a result, I am not feeling too overwhelmed by the thought to doing a complete extract brew.

Being Canadian, I apologize for using metric measurements. But I have a number of the old plastic carboys which are in or around the 23L to 25L range. I have used these (despite the suggestions of many on these forums) without much trouble. I do have an 18.9L glass carboy. Given the constant suggestions that I use glass, I have decided to use it for my first extract brew.

What I am looking for is a simple recipe (my LHBS has limited ingredients, so pick the most common ones!) for an APA or IPA which will make 19L (~5 US Gallons) . It looks like DME will be easier to get around these parts. Liquid Yeast can also be scarce, so dry yeast would be best!.

Edit: I should mention I am doing a partial boil.

 

[Clifton]

If you're planning for a final batch volume of 19L I would use your plastic 23L carboy for primary fermentation.

A simple APA recipe
Steep .5lb of Carapils malt for 20 minutes at 150-165 degrees F
5lbs Light DME Boil 2-3lbs for 60 minutes add the rest with 15 minutes remaining.
2oz. Cascade 60 min boil
1oz. Cacadee at 5 min. remaining
Cool to 68 degrees f and pitch a pack of US-05 dry yeast

A delicious IPA
Steep 1 lb Caramel 40 for 20min. at 150-165
7.5 lbs light DME (Boil half for 60 the rest at 15 remaining)
1 oz Centennial for 60min.
1 oz Cen. for 25
2 oz Cen. for 5 min
1 oz dry hopped for a week after primary fermentation is complete (verify by hydrometer readings)

 

[Clifton]

BTW an easier one for your first time would be a Hefe

6lb Wheat DME
1oz Hallertau for 60minutes
WB-06

 

[Nateo]

Glass is heavy and fragile and expensive. I don't care for it at all. A lot of people on here may preach about glass, but I know a lot of people here still ferment in pails and better bottles too.

It's been a long time since I made extract brews, but I'd take DME over LME any day. It's more shelf stable and more likely to taste good.

I've had good experience with all of the Fermentis brand yeasts, so the US-05, S-04, T-58, etc. I wasn't impressed with Danstar, but I've never tried the Muntons or Coopers.

You can make a fine beer with just DME and hops. American hops if you want American style IPA, or noble hops for an English IPA. I like Saaz for noble hops and Chinook for American.

Have you seen hopville.com? It's an easy way to crunch numbers on recipes. Just add DME until you get the gravity you want, and add hops until you get the IBUs you want.

 

[estoppel]

I have a 23L glass Carboy that I also use and I don't really notice a difference between it and plastic either. In any case, the smaller glass carboy never gets used (cause Brewhouse make 23L kits) so I figured I'd use it this time round.

 

[estoppel]

I could re-use the trub from the Wyeast 1056 that I currently have in my primary as well.

Liquid Yeast more or less has to be special ordered here.

 

[Clifton]

If you are going to pitch on the cake go for the IPA.

 

[estoppel]

http://www.wascanawineandbrew.ca/products/beer-supplies

Here is a list of everything carried by my LHBS. There are a few other shops in town but most just carry no-boil kits. Basically, this is the list of ingredients I am working from. He will order in other products if I plan far enough ahead.