Stuck and confused...

[trailrunner13]

I have brewed 1 LME batch and 1 BIAB batch since I started this awesome hobby.

So now I have put together a recipe with the help of my LBS, but since I've inputted it into Brewer's Friend's Recipe page, my numbers are off.

Is anyone familiar with how to set up the "Batch Size" and "Boil Size" portions of this. I set it up how I thought it should be, but it is skewed. I've read through the FAQ's, but I want to make sure that I have the recipe set up correctly for how I am going to brew.

I am doing a grain steeping with 2 row, munich, etc. and brewing with DME, shooting for an IPA around 6.5-7% and IBU's around 75 or so. I went back and set it up how I thought it should be, but my ABV is still low. Do I have it set up properly to where I can just add some more DME to boost the ABV or is something wrong?

I have a 7 gallon kettle, so I can do a full boil, but if it would be better to do a partial with my 5 gallon kettle, I can do that to.

I can't seem to get it set up properly, and to be honest, it's making me feel like an idiot. Any help would be appreciated.


Jonah



HOME BREW RECIPE:
Title: Charlie One
Author: Jonah

Brew Method: Extract
Style Name: American IPA
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 5 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 3 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.088
Efficiency: 30% (steeping grains only)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.053
Final Gravity: 1.012
ABV (standard): 5.29%
IBU (tinseth): 75.39
SRM (morey): 7.12

FERMENTABLES:
5 lb - Dry Malt Extract - Extra Light (50%)

STEEPING GRAINS:
3 lb - American - Pale 2-Row (30%)
1 lb - American - Munich - Light 10L (10%)
0.5 lb - American - Carapils (Dextrine Malt) (5%)
0.5 lb - American - Caramel / Crystal 40L (5%)

HOPS:
0.5 oz - Ahtanum, Type: Pellet, AA: 6, Use: First Wort, IBU: 4.92
0.5 oz - Columbus, Type: Pellet, AA: 15, Use: First Wort, IBU: 12.3
0.5 oz - Ahtanum, Type: Pellet, AA: 6, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 8.12
0.5 oz - Amarillo, Type: Pellet, AA: 8.6, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 11.64
0.25 oz - Centennial, Type: Pellet, AA: 10, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 6.77
0.5 oz - Cascade, Type: Pellet, AA: 7, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 4.7
0.5 oz - Centennial, Type: Pellet, AA: 10, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 6.72
0.5 oz - Columbus, Type: Pellet, AA: 15, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 10.08
0.5 oz - Amarillo, Type: Pellet, AA: 8.6, Use: Boil for 5 min, IBU: 2.32
0.5 oz - Cascade, Type: Pellet, AA: 7, Use: Boil for 5 min, IBU: 1.89
1 oz - Citra, Type: Pellet, AA: 11, Use: Boil for 5 min, IBU: 5.94
1 oz - Citra, Type: Pellet, AA: 11, Use: Dry Hop for 0 days
0.25 oz - Centennial, Type: Pellet, AA: 10, Use: Dry Hop for 0 days

YEAST:
White Labs - California Ale Yeast WLP001
Starter: No
Form: Liquid
Attenuation (avg): 76.5%
Flocculation: Medium
Optimum Temp: 68 - 73 F
Fermentation Temp: 70 F
Pitch Rate: 0.35 (M cells / ml / deg P)


This recipe has been published online at:
http://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/219875/charlie-one

Generated by Brewer's Friend - http://www.brewersfriend.com/
Date: 2015-02-27 18:48 UTC
Recipe Last Updated: 2015-02-27 18:48 UTC

 

[unionrdr]

First of all, 2-row is a base grain & must be mashed. Crush the grains if they aren't already & mash in 1.25 to 1.5 quarts of water per pound of grain. So that'd be 1.875 gallons of water maximum with 5lbs of grains. Mash at 152-153F for 60 minutes. You could even mash in 1.5 gallons of water, drain the wort from the grains & sparge with another 1.5 gallons @ 170F & combine the two worts for 3 gallon boil volume. I use spring water to brew with, keeping a couple gallons in the fridge a day or two before brew day for topping off in the fermenter. I do pb/pm biab with great success. It isn't hard at all, just more specific as to grain/water amounts, temps & times.

 

[Sailingeric]

That is a lot of hops. If it is your third brew, I would go simple so you can get a feel for the different hops flavors.

 

[kombat]

First of all, 2-row is a base grain & must be mashed.

So is Munich.

 

[McKnuckle]

I believe you have it set up correctly, but the issue is your 4 lbs of base malts (2-row and Munich) being steeped, rather than mashed (as noted above), AND the very low efficiency estimate of 30%.

If I plug in these values into my trusty private spreadsheet, I get an OG of 1.051. If I up the efficiency to 70%, I get 1.065. Much better! You need to mash those grains, which is just a tiny bit more effort than steeping. Go for it... use BIAB. You might get 80% that way and be even happier.

 

[Onkel_Udo]

Your issue is that you have basically built a partial mash recipe and you are not mashing those grains. Unless you plan to mash those grains, the calculator is giving you accurate results.

This might me time to try a partial mash. There are a number of ways to do it easily. If you oven can be set to 150 and your 5- gallon pot fits in it, the easiest way is to pre-heat the oven to 150 whi bringing about 2 gallons of water to about 163 f (guesstimate but the calculator will do the math for you), drop in your grain bag (make it pretty big or use a paint strainer bag) of crushed grains in the water and stir a few times. Turn of you oven and pop the whole thing in there for about 45 minutes. Remove the pot, place it on the stove, remove the bag an put it into a colander allowing it drain...press it as much as you can with a big spoon.

After that boil the partial wort with your hops...maybe add a #of your DME and another gallon of water up front. At flame-out add the remaining DME.

 

[RM-MN]

Since I don't use Brewer's Friend I don't know where to make the change but as you have it posted, your steeping grains (partial mash is what it really is) shows a 30% efficiency. You would get that much if you didn't even mill the grains. I would change that to 70% efficiency and see where your numbers fall.

 

[trailrunner13]

I agree on the 2 Row and Munich being base grains. The way it was presented to me was that if I steeped the same way I would normal accent grains, then I could get enough sugars along with color, etc, to account for more fermentables in the wort. How much? That I don't know how to figure out. I found it odd, but it made sense to me as it was explained.

The 30% efficiency was suggested by the brewing software since I was steeping the grains.

So, my options are to BIAB with the crushed grains and then add the DME before the boil or to do a partial mash? Am I understanding correctly?

 

[trailrunner13]

That is a lot of hops. If it is your third brew, I would go simple so you can get a feel for the different hops flavors.

It is alot, but that is what I am looking for in this beer. Kinda "Jai Alai"'ish.

I have done 2 SMASH recipes with BIAB before. That was fun. It let me now that I like Amarillo better than Falconer's!

 

[McKnuckle]

As long as you have the DME in the mix, it's a partial mash you need. Whether that's done "naked" in a standard tun or using a bag (BIAB), it's the same process. BIAB is the way to go!

 

[Onkel_Udo]

So, my options are to BIAB with the crushed grains and then add the DME before the boil or to do a partial mash? Am I understanding correctly?

Both are methods of partial mash.

Stop listening to that LHBS if he/she was suggesting steeping more that 5-10% of any base malt.

 

[unionrdr]

For partial mash, mash the grains, sparge the grains, add sparge & main wort together & bring to a boil. Do all hop additions. Add extract needed @ flame out & stir well to fully mix. Cover & steep while getting ice bath ready (or whatever you use). Chill to pitch temp, or within 10 degrees or so if topping off. You can use well chilled top off water to get 75F wort down to 65F or less in seconds. This can give a good cold break as well.

 

[trailrunner13]

Both are methods of partial mash.

Stop listening to that LHBS if he/she was suggesting steeping more that 5-10% of any base malt.

It sounded off to me at the time, but as a new brewer, I'm learning, experimenting, and of course making mistakes as I go.

I don't want to just do what someone, even someone with experience, says, but I like to know why and how. These answers that you guys have offered have helped to answer the "How". Thanks for that.

 

[trailrunner13]

Thanks again for all of your help and suggestions guys. I greatly appreciate it!

I've revised my recipe and I think that this is a much better representation of what I'm trying to accomplish and the style of beer that I'm wanting. I also bumped up the DME a little to increase the ABV slightly as I have an extra 1 lb bag laying around.

Learning how things work and go in a recipe, why they are done certain ways, and then getting to taste the finished product...why don't more people homebrew!


Any comments are more than welcome.


HOME BREW RECIPE:
Title: Charlie One
Author: Jonah

Brew Method: Partial Mash
Style Name: American IPA
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 5 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 3 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.118
Efficiency: 70% (brew house)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.071
Final Gravity: 1.017
ABV (standard): 7.13%
IBU (tinseth): 62.37
SRM (morey): 7.24

FERMENTABLES:
5.5 lb - Dry Malt Extract - Extra Light (52.4%)
3 lb - American - Pale 2-Row (28.6%)
1 lb - American - Munich - Light 10L (9.5%)
0.5 lb - American - Caramel / Crystal 40L (4.8%)
0.5 lb - American - Carapils (Dextrine Malt) (4.8%)

HOPS:
0.5 oz - Ahtanum, Type: Pellet, AA: 6, Use: First Wort, IBU: 3.73
0.5 oz - Columbus, Type: Pellet, AA: 15, Use: First Wort, IBU: 9.33
0.5 oz - Ahtanum, Type: Pellet, AA: 6, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 6.17
0.5 oz - Amarillo, Type: Pellet, AA: 8.6, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 8.84
0.5 oz - Centennial, Type: Pellet, AA: 10, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 10.28
0.5 oz - Cascade, Type: Pellet, AA: 7, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 3.57
0.5 oz - Centennial, Type: Pellet, AA: 10, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 5.1
0.5 oz - Columbus, Type: Pellet, AA: 15, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 7.65
0.5 oz - Amarillo, Type: Pellet, AA: 8.6, Use: Boil for 5 min, IBU: 1.76
0.5 oz - Cascade, Type: Pellet, AA: 7, Use: Boil for 5 min, IBU: 1.43
1 oz - Citra, Type: Pellet, AA: 11, Use: Boil for 5 min, IBU: 4.51
1 oz - Citra, Type: Pellet, AA: 11, Use: Dry Hop for 0 days

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Temperature, Temp: 152 F, Time: 60 min, Amount: 6 qt

YEAST:
White Labs - California Ale Yeast WLP001
Starter: No
Form: Liquid
Attenuation (avg): 76.5%
Flocculation: Medium
Optimum Temp: 68 - 73 F
Fermentation Temp: 70 F
Pitch Rate: 0.35 (M cells / ml / deg P)


This recipe has been published online at:
http://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/219875/charlie-one

Generated by Brewer's Friend - http://www.brewersfriend.com/
Date: 2015-02-27 20:38 UTC
Recipe Last Updated: 2015-02-27 20:38 UTC