Recipes for testing new systems

[BassManNate]

Do any of you have a go to recipe for testing new systems while working out your efficiency, boil off, etc?

I'm getting back into brewing after several years with a ebiab setup I've built. I don't know how this is going to perform at all as all my brewing has been stovetop including mashing in a bucket wrapped in a sleeping bag.

 

[Bramling Cross]

I went through something similar to what you describe earlier this year when I retired my trusty old square cooler MT in favor a a shiny new SS Brewtech Immersion MT. During my first few batches I concentrated on simple recipes that I knew like the back of my hand--bitters, milds, pilsners, that sorta thing. Once I had a handle on all barley mashes, I started to introduce adjuncts. Once the adjuncts were squared away, I started messing around with the gooey stuff like wheat. I have yet to mess around with oats, but that's coming soon.

In other words, I started out with a simple baseline and took baby steps towards more demanding grists and mash schedules. Ultimately I didn't have to do much in the way of problem solving, but my cautious, iterative process would've made the problem solving process much easier.

My advice would be to start simple and steadily learn your new system from that simple baseline.

Congrats on the new rig and best of luck!

 

[Sammy86]

SMASH beer:

100% Pils or 2-Row (YourFavorite)
Mittlefrue Hops at 60, 30, 10 and 5 to no more than 30-35 IBUS.

34/70 or SD Super or Kveik Yeast and you'll have a nice quaffable beverage.

 

[csantoni]

I agree with @Sammy86, something simple.

I would do 100% 2-row, Cascade at 60 and flameout for about 30 IBUs and US-05 fermented at 68-70F.

ETA: I used this recipe on my new 3V all-grain system to get all my volumes right and processes down. It was a good beer.

 

[Beerstein]

Use the oldest malt first. I’ve become very suspicious about the stuff imported from Europe the last year.

 

[Sammy86]

Use the oldest malt first. I’ve become very suspicious about the stuff imported from Europe the last year.

Suspicious of what? Taste? Flavor? D-Power?

 

[3 Dawg Night]

During my first few batches I concentrated on simple recipes that I knew like the back of my hand

This is the key. It doesn't really matter what recipe you use, it just needs to be the recipe/beer that you know best. It's probably the one you have brewed the most. I would bet you already have one in mind.

Mine would be my APA. It's a pretty simple recipe, and I know exactly how it's supposed to turn out.

 

[Beerstein]

Suspicious of what? Taste? Flavor? D-Power?

I’ve become suspicious of the freshness. So taste, and maybe even DP. I suspect that the Castle, Viking, and several other brands may be close to a year old by the time I buy some and have it delivered. Or something in the transit process (boat) is affecting it.

when I was breaking my spike solo, I used the oldest malts, and made a simple recipe with just bettering hops. KISS

 

[Sammy86]

I’ve become suspicious of the freshness. So taste, and maybe even DP. I suspect that the Castle, Viking, and several other brands may be close to a year old by the time I buy some and have it delivered. Or something in the transit process (boat) is affecting it.

when I was breaking my spike solo, I used the oldest malts, and made a simple recipe with just bettering hops. KISS

Got ya. I haven't experienced that myself with Viking...just did back to back brews with it and the beers have been hitting the numbers and the flavor has been good.

Anyone else experiencing this?

 

[BassManNate]

Thanks for the suggestions. I haven't brewed in probably 3-4 years. Moving and going changes have just made life busy.

Much of what prompted me to get back into brewing was that my wife suddenly likes beer. The only catch is that she doesn't like hoppy beers. She's liked every single one I've given her as long as the hop flavor wasn't dominant. I've got a SNPA clone recipe that is really good and it's fairly simple but it's going to be too hoppy for her. Might go with something like a blonde or cream ale to keep it simple, though.

 

[csantoni]

I've got a SNPA clone recipe that is really good and it's fairly simple but it's going to be too hoppy for her.

I created the Cascade SMASH recipe I posted above because I wanted something that was SNPA but less hoppy and lighter. I used half the hops as first wort and the other half at whirlpool for 10 mins @ 170F. All my friends that don’t like hoppy beers liked it because the hops came out very well balanced.

It’s still pretty simple and might fit the bill for your semi-hop-averse wife (mine used to be too).

 

[BassManNate]

I created the Cascade SMASH recipe I posted above because I wanted something that was SNPA but less hoppy and lighter. I used half the hops as first wort and the other half at whirlpool for 10 mins @ 170F. All my friends that don’t like hoppy beers liked it because the hops came out very well balanced.

It’s still pretty simple and might fit the bill for your semi-hop-averse wife (mine used to be too).

How much of everything did you use? I should be able to figure out the 60 minute addition of Cascade just to get me to 30ibu but how high do you usually go on the og with something like this?

 

[csantoni]

How much of everything did you use?

On my system, for 5 gals packaged I need about 5.5 into the fermenter so that’s the batch size:

11 lbs 2-row
2 oz Cascade (1 oz FWH, 1 oz Whirlpool)
US-05

OG 1.053
FG 1.011