Summer Ale

[BigStew84]

Hey all!!! I'm fairly new to brewing and BRAND new to the board!!! I am looking to try my hand at a nice low IBU summer Ale..was wondering what everyone thinks about my hop schedule...the IBUs are at 31 which is kinda right where I want it but feedback and ideas are always welcome...

.75 cascade at 60 min
.50 cascade at 30 min
.75 cascade at 15 min
.50 cascade at flameout
1.00 simcoe dry hop 7 days
.50 cascade dry hop 7 days

 

[ericbw]

5 gallon?

 

[BigStew84]

5 gallon?

Yes

 

[RM-MN]

Hey all!!! I'm fairly new to brewing and BRAND new to the board!!! I am looking to try my hand at a nice low IBU summer Ale..was wondering what everyone thinks about my hop schedule...the IBUs are at 31 which is kinda right where I want it but feedback and ideas are always welcome...

.75 cascade at 60 min
.50 cascade at 30 min
.75 cascade at 15 min
.50 cascade at flameout
1.00 simcoe dry hop 7 days
.50 cascade dry hop 7 days

Your 30 minute hop addition will be mostly bitterness and not much for flavor. I'd increase the 60 minute addition and simply remove the 30 minute and maybe increase the flameout addition where most of the flavoring will be retained without adding bitterness. The .50 Cascade from the 30 minute addition could be better used in dry hopping.

Personal preference, I might shoot for 25 IBU for an easy drinking summer ale.

 

[BigStew84]

Perfect! Thanks man I just plugged that in and dropped my IBU to 28 not a huge change but it's close [emoji482]

New hop schedule:

1.00 cascade at 60
.75 cascade at 15
.75 cascade at flameout
1.00 simcoe dry 7 days
.50 cascade dry 7 days

 

[catdaddy66]

Sounds delicious!

 

[BigStew84]

Sounds delicious!

Nice! I'm hoping for just that! Haha [emoji16]

 

[bobeer]

Hops look good! What's the grist and yeast?

 

[ericbw]

I aim for 20 for a summer ale. Remember that "summer ale" is an ethos, not a style, so there's not much right or wrong. It just has to be something you like drinking in the summer! I think what you have described is like a "session IPA," with the late hops and dry hops. That's a good beer to drink in the summer, though, so it counts.

Are you familiar with Simcoe hops?

 

[BigStew84]

Hops look good! What's the grist and yeast?

I'm doing 1# of pale ale malt 1# of crystal 10L and .5 # of Pilsner with one pack of safale 05

 

[BigStew84]

I aim for 20 for a summer ale. Remember that "summer ale" is an ethos, not a style, so there's not much right or wrong. It just has to be something you like drinking in the summer! I think what you have described is like a "session IPA," with the late hops and dry hops. That's a good beer to drink in the summer, though, so it counts.

Are you familiar with Simcoe hops?

Hmmmm maybe I'll try to bring the IBUs down a touch more...I never used them but I know they have a good citrus aroma which is why I want to dry hop them

 

[BigStew84]

New hop schedule..dropped me to 20 IBU...I wanted something even lighter than a session IPA..

.75 cascade at 60
.50 cascade at 15
.75 cascade at 0
1.00 simcoe dry hop for 7 days
1.00 cascade dry hop for 7 days

 

[ericbw]

Some say they smell like cat pee.

Also, that's a lot of Crystal to use. It could be like 15% at the most.

 

[BigStew84]

Some say they smell like cat pee.

Also, that's a lot of Crystal to use. It could be like 15% at the most.

Yeah I have seen that yet others say it's mostly citrus so I guess it'll be trial and error

As far as the crystal it's basically just 2 row so it's good for head retention as well so for a 5 gallon batch 1 pound is kinda standard for any beer I make

 

[RM-MN]

Yeah I have seen that yet others say it's mostly citrus so I guess it'll be trial and error

As far as the crystal it's basically just 2 row so it's good for head retention as well so for a 5 gallon batch 1 pound is kinda standard for any beer I make

Crystal malts are basically 2 row but it has been processed in a way that makes the sugars in it unfermentable. That allows it to contribute the caramelly sweetness to your beer but it leads to a higher Final Gravity. With 1# of 2 row and half a pound of Pilsner malt your beer will not attenuate and will result in beer that is nearly undrinkable. The normal amount of Crystal would be under 10%.

 

[BigStew84]

Crystal malts are basically 2 row but it has been processed in a way that makes the sugars in it unfermentable. That allows it to contribute the caramelly sweetness to your beer but it leads to a higher Final Gravity. With 1# of 2 row and half a pound of Pilsner malt your beer will not attenuate and will result in beer that is nearly undrinkable. The normal amount of Crystal would be under 10%.

So would I be better off steeping .5 of crystal and 1# of Pilsner? The grain bill is one I found as I clone of Brooklyn summer Ale I just changed the hop type and schedule

 

[ericbw]

Hang on, is this a 5 gallon? The grain amounts would get you an OG of about 1.012 in 5 gallons. I was thinking it was a smaller batch. Maybe there is a typo somewhere here. I think a pound of crystal is pretty common for 5 gallons, but then you'd need more base malt and/or pils.

Could it be 5 pounds of pils?

 

[ericbw]

I'm reading and re-reading this. Is this an extract recipe, and those are steeping grains you're using in addition to extract?

 

[BigStew84]

Hang on, is this a 5 gallon? The grain amounts would get you an OG of about 1.012 in 5 gallons. I was thinking it was a smaller batch. Maybe there is a typo somewhere here. I think a pound of crystal is pretty common for 5 gallons, but then you'd need more base malt and/or pils.

Could it be 5 pounds of pils?

Yes it's a 5 gallon...sorry for any confusion haha this is what BrewLog has me at...

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1495208276.872853.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1495208296.314329.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1495208311.136511.jpg

 

[ericbw]

Ahhhh it's extract plus steeping grains.

 

[BigStew84]

Ahhhh it's extract plus steeping grains.

Yes...partial mash recipe that I tweaked

 

[ericbw]

Then the grain seems good!

 

[Weezy]

welcome aboard!