homebrewandbeer.com

Hey peoples,

Looking for opinions/guidence as I've only really done kits with a bit of malt aroma hops.

I found an online calculator here (click the spreadsheet) and I've made up a recipe that I wouldn't mind taking a stab at - bit of a quaffer with only midstrength alcohol content...

1kg ldme
1kg amber dme
50gm each of fuggles & goldings
Safale S04
made up to 22l

Only got a small pot so I could do a 5l boil - how much of the malt extract should I put in initially with the hops?

Was thinking of using both hops in the following pattern.
30gm @ 60min (both)
10gm @ 30min (both)
10gm @ 15min (fuggles)
10gm flameout (goldings)

Then stir in the remaining dme (if any, guys?). make up to 22l with chilled filtered water.

As it stands that makes an OG of 1.034 and a bitterness of 21 IBU.

I've read Palmer's eBook about doing this, so if I can get some grain what would you suggest & how much of it should I use?

Any other suggestions?

Cheers
Ash

Alternatively I could use Cascade & Cluster hops & use US56 yeast, I keep making pommy ales so I think I'll switch & do a yank one.

Exact same pattern but switch Cascade for Goldings & Cluster for Fuggles

If your going to use specialty grain you could try 300g of crystal steeped in a stocking before you bring the 5L water to the boil (see Palmers procedure: http://howtobrew.com/section2/chapter13-3.html)

Personally I'd go for boiling about 750g of light DME for the full 60min & adding the remainder for the last 15-10mins of the boil. It will help with hop utilisation, & also help reduce kettle caramelisation.

As for your hop schedule it will depend on the AA% of your hops?

ahh yeah, a bit more reading & I see how the boil gravity affects the hop utilisation.

The HBS locally stocks Brewcraft hops of which the average AA% of the Cascade hops is 5.7% - with a lower gravity boil I'll probably only need one lot of hops (the huge amount before was due to a 1.150+ boil)

If you want to add spec grain I'd try steeping some Crystal. 200gm as a first go. If you go this way you may want to swap the amber dme for light dme as the crystal will add the amber colour and flavour.

Generally the suggestion ( can't recall where I heard it) is to use light extract for teh fermentables and spec grain for colour and flavour highlights.

Cheers,
Greg

Cheers Greg, that makes perfect sense.