Spring Beer

[Brews and Blues]

I've done about 7 or so extract kits - all of them Brewer's Best. I currently have a Belgian Golden Ale in the fermenter that will be ready to keg in another 10 days. For my next batch, I want to try to venture off on my own with a recipe, piecing together the ingredients instead of relying on the kit. The kits are great for convenience, but limited in variety sometimes.
I want to stick with extract brews or extract with steeping grains. By the time this beer is ready, it should be spring, so does anyone have a good recipe or suggestion that I should try? I am a bit new, so nothing insanely complex. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

 

[Steveruch]

Any particular style you're looking for?

 

[Brews and Blues]

Any particular style you're looking for?

Before this Belgian, I have done quite a few malt forward beers. Would like something more hoppy probably. Maybe a session IPA? I really into black IPAs right now. I'm also interested in the Kolsch/Helles realm, but I do not have temp control for fermentation. My basement stays at perfect temp - around 60-62 degrees - but with the rise in temp during fermentation, I'm not sure i can pull off a Kolsch or Helles since i hear that yeast prefers cooler temps.

 

[Steveruch]

Before this Belgian, I have done quite a few malt forward beers. Would like something more hoppy probably. Maybe a session IPA? I really into black IPAs right now. I'm also interested in the Kolsch/Helles realm, but I do not have temp control for fermentation. My basement stays at perfect temp - around 60-62 degrees - but with the rise in temp during fermentation, I'm not sure i can pull off a Kolsch or Helles since i hear that yeast prefers cooler temps.

Do you have a local homebrew shop? If not and you want to stick strictly with extract I recommend Williams as they have some proprietary blends that are really good. Their Baltic black will make a good black IPA.
W34/70 can make a good helles at 60.

 

[DBhomebrew]

I see you're in St. Louis.

Missouri Malt Supply just off I-44 in Fenton is a truly great resource. Excellent prices, regular group orders from the major yeast and grain suppliers, wide variety of domestic and imported specialty malts in 1# packages. Can't say much about their extract turnover/freshness, I don't use it.

 

[Brews and Blues]

I see you're in St. Louis.

Missouri Malt Supply just off I-44 in Fenton is a truly great resource. Excellent prices, regular group orders from the major yeast and grain suppliers, wide variety of domestic and imported specialty malts in 1# packages. Can't say much about their extract turnover/freshness, I don't use it.

I recently discovered them! He helped me quite a bit when I was building my kegerator. I live in the Oakville area so its not far. That was actually the place i was going to call when getting things together!

 

[Brews and Blues]

Do you have a local homebrew shop? If not and you want to stick strictly with extract I recommend Williams as they have some proprietary blends that are really good. Their Baltic black will make a good black IPA.
W34/70 can make a good helles at 60.

Thanks! I just checked out that baltic black... looks like a winner! I think we are on to something here

 

[Kickass]

Hoppy pils with 34/70. That yeast does really well at 60-62f ambient temps. Go all pils malt use 2-3oz of your favorite hop inside of 10 minutes then dry hop with another oz or two for 5 days. I did this with home grown hops and it it’s killer! I fully intended to make it a regular in my lineup with store bought hops now as well.

 

[Brews and Blues]

Hoppy pils with 34/70. That yeast does really well at 60-62f ambient temps. Go all pils malt use 2-3oz of your favorite hop inside of 10 minutes then dry hop with another oz or two for 5 days. I did this with home grown hops and it it’s killer! I fully intended to make it a regular in my lineup with store bought hops now as well.

Nice! Can’t get easier than that!

 

[D.B.Moody]

Friar Tuck;s carries home brewing supplies. There's one on Crestwood and one in Fenton. I've never been in the Fenton one, so no idea what they actually carry. (And, due to Covid, I haven't much of anywhere for a year for that matter.)
I actually buy my supplies on line. Most recently I have been using Label Peelers at sale times, though there are some things they don't carry or make to difficult to find and it irks me to wait for sales. (And, not just because of Covid, I'm older and crankier now.)
Anyway here's a 5 gal. recipe:

5 1/2 water
2 tsp. gypsum (I filter my water, so I sometimes do this.)
5 lbs. Munton's amber DME (6 lbs. if you want it stronger.)
1 oz. Centennial hops, boil, 60 min. (This is about 10-11 HBU.)
1/2 oz. Cascades hops, aroma, 2 min.
1 US 05 ale yeast (I have used Munton's and Nottingham with this, but US-05 makes a nice American IPA with these hops.)
(If you want it hopper. put the other 1/2 oz. Cascades in the boil, or at 30 minutes, or for more aroma.)
(If you want it black, steep 1/4 lb. roasted barley and 1/4 lb. black malt.)

BTW: I spent 17+ years working at roughly Lemay and Lindbergh.

 

[DBhomebrew]

Friar Tuck;s carries home brewing supplies. There's one on Crestwood and one in Fenton. I've never been in the Fenton one, so no idea what they actually carry.

I live a few miles from the Fenton location. It's largely Brewer's Best kits and a wall of LD Carlson. Some hops and liquid yeast in a cooler, don't know how fresh. Dry yeast on a room temp shelf, much out-of-date last I checked. A good place to grab an emergency auto-siphon, bag of caps, or such.

 

[NGD]

Not sure if this is your style, but during late spring I like to brew a session mosaic IPA. 4.5% ABV, 30-40ibu. 20 minute boil with Golden light DME, us-05 or Kviek Voss. WPL001 would also work well for this recipe.

Its stupid simple, comes out clean and if you want to get more flavor you can throw some nelson in the mix late.

 

[Brews and Blues]

Not sure if this is your style, but during late spring I like to brew a session mosaic IPA. 4.5% ABV, 30-40ibu. 20 minute boil with Golden light DME, us-05 or Kviek Voss. WPL001 would also work well for this recipe.

Its stupid simple, comes out clean and if you want to get more flavor you can throw some nelson in the mix late.

Definitely my style. I always have some kind of low ABV session IPAs in my fridge. Great suggestion!

 

[Brews and Blues]

I live a few miles from the Fenton location. It's largely Brewer's Best kits and a wall of LD Carlson. Some hops and liquid yeast in a cooler, don't know how fresh. Dry yeast on a room temp shelf, much out-of-date last I checked. A good place to grab an emergency auto-siphon, bag of caps, or such.

Basically the same with Crestwood. They are at least usually good about dating things too which is great. Not everything is super fresh, but at least you aren't guessing. A trip to Friar Tucks leads me down the dark path of a good hour visit and a hefty price at check out . I love that place.

 

[Brews and Blues]

Friar Tuck;s carries home brewing supplies. There's one on Crestwood and one in Fenton. I've never been in the Fenton one, so no idea what they actually carry. (And, due to Covid, I haven't much of anywhere for a year for that matter.)
I actually buy my supplies on line. Most recently I have been using Label Peelers at sale times, though there are some things they don't carry or make to difficult to find and it irks me to wait for sales. (And, not just because of Covid, I'm older and crankier now.)
Anyway here's a 5 gal. recipe:

5 1/2 water
2 tsp. gypsum (I filter my water, so I sometimes do this.)
5 lbs. Munton's amber DME (6 lbs. if you want it stronger.)
1 oz. Centennial hops, boil, 60 min. (This is about 10-11 HBU.)
1/2 oz. Cascades hops, aroma, 2 min.
1 US 05 ale yeast (I have used Munton's and Nottingham with this, but US-05 makes a nice American IPA with these hops.)
(If you want it hopper. put the other 1/2 oz. Cascades in the boil, or at 30 minutes, or for more aroma.)
(If you want it black, steep 1/4 lb. roasted barley and 1/4 lb. black malt.)

BTW: I spent 17+ years working at roughly Lemay and Lindbergh.

I work about a mile away towards Reavis Barracks on Lemay. And I live a couple miles the other way off Lemay just north of Baumgartner. Small world!

 

[D.B.Moody]

I work about a mile away towards Reavis Barracks on Lemay. And I live a couple miles the other way off Lemay just north of Baumgartner. Small world!

Well, then, I need to tell you that also spent 4 years getting on Lemay Ferry from Meramec Bottom Road when I taught at Fox High School. Of course that was 15 years before I started up near Lemay and Lindbergh, and I left there over 20 yard ago.