small batch Pale Ale

[MrSpaz]

Let me start by saying I have been doing partial boil and partial mash brewing for about a year or so. I thought it would be fun to try to all-grain (BIAB) a smaller batch and see what a difference in taste it would be. My thoughts were to try to a fairly simple Pale Ale recipe and mash as much as I can with my 5 gallon kettle. Here are my thoughts:

5.5 lbs 2-row
0.5 Crystal 40
1 oz corn sugar (up the ABV a bit and dry it out)
0.5 Magnum (60min)
0.25 Magnum (30 min)
1 Cascade (5 min)
1 Cascade Dry Hop
WLP001
Brew Toad says that will give me about 41 IBUs.

My hope is that it will get me about 4 gallons to boil and I will ferment whats left. Couple of questions:
1) What are you thoughts? Any advice and/or suggestions?
2) Should I be safe and make a starter even with this smaller batch to be safe?
3) Should I still ferment this in my 6 gallon plastic fermentor? Or should I try to split it between two Mr. Beer 2 gallon fermentors?

Thanks for the help!

 

[reinstone]

I'd use a bit more malt. Your efficiency prob won't be that great. You won't need the corn sugar What are you putting in the program for efficiency?

 

[MrSpaz]

75%. I'm concerned I won't have any more room for grains with a 5 lb paint strainer bag.

 

[reinstone]

You can mash in anything and then just strain it into your kettle. ....I mean anything in reason. Do ya have a cooler?

 

[MrSpaz]

I have a big cooler and a couple of smaller coolers. Would it be possible to mash in there, as you are saying, then pour into the kettle and filter it using the paint strainer bag? Or do you have another thought?

 

[reinstone]

That was my exact thought, use whatever cooler fits your grain best...ie don't used a huge cooler for a little grain.

 

[MrSpaz]

Sounds like a great idea. Thank you for the help! Do you have any other thoughts on the grain bill? I might try to do a pour-over sparge or something to get me to the 4 gallons, but I'll have to calculate that later.

Thoughts on using the 6 gallon fermentor?

 

[reinstone]

6 gallon fermenter will be fine. Make sure to get the chlorine out of your water and figure out your ph. As far as the grain bill.....what type beer are ya looking for?

I'll help as much as possible.

 

[reinstone]

Ok. Do you already have the grains?

 

[MrSpaz]

Nope. Still working out the details before I head to the LHBS. Was thinking it would be fairly simple to go for a Pale Ale. So I based this recipe off a Sierra Nevada Clone. My main issue is the hops breakdown. I can buy an oz at a time but don't brew enough to keep the leftovers really.

As for PH, I typically use Spring Water so I don't have to mess with my own tap water.

 

[reinstone]

Either way you are probably gonna have to mess with your water to get ph right. That's important. I'm sure you can go online and find a Cincinnati water profile. Then get some campden tabs and use your own water. You'll save tons of $.

As far as a base malt id use pale ale malt. It's a bit darker and has more flavor. I don't use cascade, I think it goes bad real quick and I don't like its flavor. I'd go with centennial. There is a brewshop online called label peelers. They have good prices and are in ohio. I'd check them out. I also like rite brew a lot. That's who I use.

The yeast is good. I'd do 10 lbs of pale malt a pound of crystal 40 and call it a day.

 

[MrSpaz]

Ok. I will look into it. Thanks for the help.

Should I still use a starter I'm guessing?

 

[reinstone]

You'd be fine with a small starter about a liter or a pack of safeale us05.

 

[MrSpaz]

Being that his a 4 gallon batch (for purposes of getting a boil going with my 5 gallon kettle):

7 lbs Pale Ale Malt
0.75 lb Crystal 40

My concern is hops. If I do 0.5 (60 min) 0.25 (30 min) of Magnum and 1 oz (5 min) of Centennial, that puts me at 49 IBUs. Should I cut down on the 5 min addition? I'm trying to balance this out while getting a great flavor and aroma.

 

[reinstone]

I'd add the magnum a little later and do an oz of centennial at 20 and 10. Move the magnum to earlier or later in the boil to get the ibus you want.