What kind of beer am I trying to brew? :)

[EdmontonBoil]

Ok -- not a quiz, I'm actually just trying to figure out how to profile the beer that I'm "likely" going to brew this evening.

5 gal

10 lbs 2-row
3.5 lbs crystal (75)
2.5 lbs wheat

Galaxy hops

S-33 yeast? I've also got SA-04.

How I hop this and what yeast I use will depend on what it "should be," and I'm not 100% sure...

Any recommendations for how to define this?

 

[DBhomebrew]

Cloying, probably.

 

[AlexKay]

Yep, that's too much crystal for it to be anything enjoyable. Use 0.25-0.5 pounds of crystal, and you're looking at the grist for a blonde or APA or AIPA, depending on how bitter and how hop-aromatic you choose to make it.

 

[bracconiere]

Yep, that's too much crystal for it to be anything enjoyable. Use 0.25-0.5 pounds of crystal, and you're looking at the grist for a blonde or APA or AIPA, depending on how bitter and how hop-aromatic you choose to make it.

damn i didn't even catch that first glance, normally i just pass by it in peoples recipe, and think of it like salting 'to taste'!

 

[EdmontonBoil]

Hey -- thanks for that. I'll pull back and make something a little more sane. I just acquired a lot of crystal malt, so I was looking for ways to use a lot -- but there's no point in doing that only to make something undrinkable. I had in mind that it might be going a bit in the direction of an ESB, or potentially a barley wine, but maybe I'll simplify.

 

[bracconiere]

make something undrinkable.

it's subjective, you'll get the hang of it! unless you're trying to be a drug pusher, and get kids hooked or something...you're just a home cook, trying to get something in a keg, or i guess maybe a bottle...

edit: BTW that's salt on a carmel candy..and i bewed a 100% Cara-Vienna batch once for the hell of it!

 

[bellhp]

Cloying, probably.

 

[bracconiere]

@EdmontonBoil don't let the wise cracking get you out of gear! you don't know how many 10 gallon batches it took me to realize a little bit goes a long way, i was trying to make light beer, wasn't till many years i realized like 2oz's in a 10 gallon batch would give the cooked but still light taste...

But that's what homecookin's about!

 

[wepeeler]

Drop the Crystal and make a NEIPA. No need to ever use that much Crystal malt in anything ever, by the way.

 

[Kickass]

I’m a firm believer that not every beer has to be a “style”. My most recent home grown centennial hop, session IPA/blonde ale/lager is a perfect example. Brew what you want to drink. That said, 3.5 lbs of C75 is a lot. But hey, maybe that’s your thing.

If me, I’d probably go 1/2 lb C75 and leave the rest the same. Then hop to taste. How bitter do you want it? How much hop flavor do you want and how much hop aroma do you want? If you know these answers, you’ll be ready to proceed.

Sometimes your recipe finds you, sometimes you just need to make that thing your b.

 

[RM-MN]

The recipe you posted will have about 28% crystal. Conventional wisdom says to never exceed 20%. I just brewed a beer with 22% crystal and a little honey malt. It doesn't fit any style but I like the results for an occasional beer. I would not want it every day but since I bottle instead of kegging and will have several varieties of beer to choose from it fits in well.

 

[AlexKay]

Hey -- thanks for that. I'll pull back and make something a little more sane. I just acquired a lot of crystal malt, so I was looking for ways to use a lot -- but there's no point in doing that only to make something undrinkable. I had in mind that it might be going a bit in the direction of an ESB, or potentially a barley wine, but maybe I'll simplify.

For my English barleywine and ESB I do use ~10% crystal. Those are styles where I'd highly recommend using Maris Otter or the like instead of regular 2-row, as well asEnglish crystal malts, which to me don't taste the same as American crystal, at all. (Though at 75 L ... what kind of crystal do you have?)

To move your recipe towards an ESB, I'd use Maris, biscuit (or Victory) at ~10%, and ~10% of your crystal. Maybe a touch of something (chocolate rye?) for color. To get into barleywine territory, also Maris, but 15-20 pounds of it (for a 5-gallon batch), 10% amber, and 10% crystal. S-33 would be good for either (though when I've used it it's taken forever to finish.) (I'm sure someone will chime in and say these aren't traditional English ale recipes.)

Baltic porter is another style that can use ~10% dark crystal. You can also make a decent dubbel with ~10% dark crystal, though probably not a traditional one.

Oh, and for any of these beers (ESB, barleywine, Baltic porter, or dubbel), Galaxy would be ... very unusual.

 

[bracconiere]

i just had a thought, with that much crystal might be good with a 1/2 or even pound of roast barley.....it'd be like syrup, but depending on if you want one beer, or a twelve pack to savor? could be a good bed time snack?