Starting to tinker with my own recipes

[Flushot22]

So I'm stepping into the field of creating my own recipes and could use a little feedback. I want to start fairly simple so of course I'm going with a pressure fermented lager and room temps of 69-72 with 34/70. I ran to the LHBS and grabbed 6lbs or 2-row and 6lbs of Golden Promise for a 6gal batch. I think I'm going to stay strictly with that grain bill. I have at least a couple ounces each of Fuggles, EKG, Columbus, Citra, Amarillo, Saaz, Centennial, Galaxy '24, Cascade, X-14 (don't even know what that is or why I got it), Mosaic, and El Dorado. I'll also be fining with gelatin to help make it clean as possible

I have an idea of just bittering with an ounce or 2 of Fuggles and late adding some EKG for taste, but how would you hop this sucker if you were looking for a nice easy drinking clean lager?

 

[Brewsmith]

If lager is what you are going for, I’d go with the Saaz. Do you use any brewing software? What kind of setup do you use? You have some kind of fermentation vessel that can handle pressure, but what about the brewing side? Just trying to steer you closer to your goal.

 

[Flushot22]

If lager is what you are going for, I’d go with the Saaz. Do you use any brewing software? What kind of setup do you use? You have some kind of fermentation vessel that can handle pressure, but what about the brewing side? Just trying to steer you closer to your goal.

I'm starting use Brewfather to input my recipes. I use a 10.5gal Anvil Foundry and I have a fermzilla all rounder 30L and a Fermzilla 27L Tri-conical. SO I can pressure ferment.

 

[Brewsmith]

Do you have a target OG and IBU? 12 lbs of grain looks a little much for a simple lager at 6 gallons. I’m assuming you have AA% on your hops.

 

[An Ankoù]

Do you have a target OG and IBU? 12 lbs of grain looks a little much for a simple lager at 6 gallons. I’m assuming you have AA% on your hops.

Should get an OG of around 1060 with that grain bill.

 

[Flushot22]

I can adjust the amounts, I was just commenting that those were the types of grains I would be using.

 

[Flushot22]

Do you have a target OG and IBU? 12 lbs of grain looks a little much for a simple lager at 6 gallons. I’m assuming you have AA% on your hops.

No set target, maybe between 20-30 IBU. I don't mind a little bit higher abv, and I'm not looking to make an American Light Lager per say. So I think 5.5%-6.0% is fine on the high end. I just want crisp, easy drinking, not too hoppy, and tasty. (I have a IPL on tap now that scratches the hop itch.) I do have AA%s for the hops, but I'm at work now and can post them when I get home.

 

[An Ankoù]

No set target, maybe between 20-30 IBU. I don't mind a little bit higher abv, and I'm not looking to make an American Light Lager per say. So I think 5.5%-6.0% is fine on the high end. I just want crisp, easy drinking, not too hoppy, and tasty. (I have a IPL on tap now that scratches the hop itch.) I do have AA%s for the hops, but I'm at work now and can post them when I get home.

While I'm fascinated by the recipe, and I like it, I think it's going to turn out more like an English Pale Ale then a Pilsner (if that;s what you've got in mind when you say lager). The hops are quintessentially English. Why not try more european hops or even noble hops or something grown in the Alsace like strisselspalt of triskel? But you've ready got Saaz, which would be good.
I do like that recipe, I might steal it and have go myself.

 

[Flushot22]

While I'm fascinated by the recipe, and I like it, I think it's going to turn out more like an English Pale Ale then a Pilsner (if that;s what you've got in mind when you say lager). The hops are quintessentially English. Why not try more european hops or even noble hops or something grown in the Alsace like strisselspalt of triskel? But you've ready got Saaz, which would be good.
I do like that recipe, I might steal it and have go myself.

Because 2 brews ago I made a Pilsner with Saaz and Mt Hood and I wanted to try something different. LOL

Also, I’m using 34/70. So I’ll be surprised if it becomes a Pale Ale.

 

[An Ankoù]

Cool. I've used W-34/70 fermented warm to make ales when it's too hot for ale yeasts. But I've never done pressure fermenting so it'll be interesting when you tell us how it turns out.

 

[Flushot22]

Cool. I've used W-34/70 fermented warm to make ales when it's too hot for ale yeasts. But I've never done pressure fermenting so it'll be interesting when you tell us how it turns out.

I used 34/70 under pressure for the pilsner with Saaz and Hood, and it turned out great. I didn't use gelatin, so it was a touch hazy, But it was definitely a lager.