Grolsch Extract recipe help

[ScottM]

I bought a couple of bottles of Grolsch tonight, for the bottle more than anything, and I'm really enjoying them. The hop flavour is absolutely fantastic and it's a very clean brew. I fancy giving it a go.

The usual resources are coming up quite empty for finding an extract brew. There are a few hits from clone recipe books but apparently most are way off the mark. So, I'm thinking about just winging it a little.

Is doing it as a partial a good option? One of the recipes recommended the following....

.5 lbsGerman Light Crystal
.25 lbsGerman Light Munich
12 lbsDry Extra Light Extract
2 ozNorthern Brewer - 8.0 AA% pellets; boiled 60 min
1 ozCzech Saaz - 5.0 AA% pellets; boiled 10 min
.5 ozHallertau - 4.5 AA% pellets; boiled 30 min
2 tspIrish Moss - (omitted from calculations)
WYeast 2042 Danish Lager™

Everything other than the crystal and munich are fine for what I'm used to. Would I just steep the grain in a muslin bag for the boil process to get the rest of it together?

What are the thoughts on the recipe? Anyone drink Grolsch and have a recipe, or even a kit, to compare it to?

Thanks :)

 

[ScottM]

Just to follow on. When it says "German Light Crystal Malt", is that just the same as any Light Crystal Malt or does it have to be specifically German? If so I'm struggling to find it.

Also, this is for 11.5 gallons so I'll need to adjust.

 

[RobWalker]

Never brewed anything like it, but I think you're on the right track recipe wise, imagining the taste...

 

[ScottM]

Never brewed anything like it, but I think you're on the right track recipe wise, imagining the taste...

Cheers. Won't be for a while yet as I have SOOOOOOO much on at the moment my Wife is beginning to worry about me lol.

I've got a lager lagering, then I'll have my cerveza to lager and then I'll be able to try Grolsching

Probably be at least a month, closer to 2. Gives me time to figure out what I need to do

 

[Duncs]

There's a thread on here about swing top bottles that has a link to an article about Grolsch that states "The hop varieties used by Grolsch include Columbus, Magnum, East Kent Golding and Perle"

 

[ScottM]

There's a thread on here about swing top bottles that has a link to an article about Grolsch that states "The hop varieties used by Grolsch include Columbus, Magnum, East Kent Golding and Perle"

Yeah I posted up a PDF on Grolsch. The hops listed are across the entire Grolsch range though, not just their lager. I believe hallertauer is listed too.

 

[wigwamheed]

I have a recipe somewhere I'll dig it out later and post for you

 

[Duncs]

There's a thread on here about swing top bottles that has a link to an article about Grolsch that states "The hop varieties used by Grolsch include Columbus, Magnum, East Kent Golding and Perle"

Yeah I posted up a PDF on Grolsch. The hops listed are across the entire Grolsch range though, not just their lager. I believe hallertauer is listed too.

Then you already know

 

[ScottM]

I have a recipe somewhere I'll dig it out later and post for you

That would be great, good to know if I'm on the right track or not

Then you already know

Kind of, I just wish these breweries would spell out their recipes for us. Would make life so much easier :lol:

 

[ScottM]

Ok here goes. Got a few queries about all this but here is my plan.

Bring 2.3L of water to 67 degrees C.
Add 140g of Crystal Malt* and 70g of Munich Malt
Steep for 20 minutes.
Strain into large pot**
Sparge 2.3L of 65 degrees C water through the spent grain into large pot.
Bring total volume to 7L.
Bring the lot to the boil, then take of the heat to add DME 3kg and 34g of Northern Brewer hops ***
Bring total volume to 11L
Boil for 45 minutes then add 10g of Hallertau Herbrucker hops and 1tsp of Irish Moss
Boil for a further 5 minutes then add 17g of Czech Saaz hops.
Boil for a further 10 minutes then take off the heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

Pour into FV and bring volume up to 23L.

Yeast of choice is looking like WLP830. I would have went with Wyeast's 2042 but the MaltMiller doesn't stock it and this is the whitelabs equivalent from what I understand.

So... questions..

* The recipe I read states 2.5L German light crystal malt. What is the equivalent to that here?
** For the straining, can I just use a large sieve and sparge over the top of that.. or do I need to be more technical?
*** The recipe states Northern Brewer @ 8%, what does the 8% mean? Does that have any bearing for me?


Thanks :)

 

[wigwamheed]

Hi, just been looking at the recipe i have for this, its an all grain recipe, but essentially is the same as what you're planning. the 8% is the aa content of the hops kinda gauge of how bitter it is.
the only diference really in my recipe is the halertau go in at 15 mins but dont suppose it much difference, also the one i have here says 2042 also for the yeast. I'd sasy go for it, what the worst that can happen?? sure it'll be good beer regardless let us know how you go on

 

[ScottM]

Hi, just been looking at the recipe i have for this, its an all grain recipe, but essentially is the same as what you're planning. the 8% is the aa content of the hops kinda gauge of how bitter it is.
the only diference really in my recipe is the halertau go in at 15 mins but dont suppose it much difference, also the one i have here says 2042 also for the yeast. I'd sasy go for it, what the worst that can happen?? sure it'll be good beer regardless let us know how you go on

Great, thanks for looking. At least I know I'm on the right track.

With regards to the 8% AA is that something that I need to source by comparing different suppliers or is it something that I take with a pinch of salt? Malt miller lists theirs as 6-10%, I'm guessing that would be OK?

I'm guessing the 2.5L German light crystal malt is in the same vain? I don't have much experience buying grains, let alone using them, so I'd like to get the right stuff if it's important. Most suppliers I have checked, such as the malt miller, stock "pale crystal malt" but I'm unsure if this is the same, or if it's even a suitable equivalent. American sites list it as 2.5L carafoam?

Cheers

 

[ScottM]

Carafoam = carapils from searching around. Low and behold the malt miller has carapils...

http://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/index.ph ... ductId=114

That sounds like the right stuff, yeah?

 

[wigwamheed]

Just contact the malt miller and see what % aa they have in stock atm. if you wanna be really anal about it it you could adjust amounts to get the right bitterness exactly, I personally wouldn't bother ythough far too lazy for that!!! as for tthe malt the recipe i was refering too just uses normal 10L crystal woukld've thought that woukld be ok

 

[RobWalker]

also, is it wise to harden up the water for that export lager type taste?

 

[ScottM]

also, is it wise to harden up the water for that export lager type taste?

Scottish water Rob, it's already well 'ard


Probably right though. What hardens up the water?

 

[wigwamheed]

I don't really know about water stuff (I'll leave that a while till i lnow what im doin more) But i thought pilsner was soft water??

 

[ScottM]

I don't really know about water stuff (I'll leave that a while till i lnow what im doin more) But i thought pilsner was soft water??

Hopefully, that'll mean I can drop it straight out the tap. We don't get the same issues with lime scale and all that other stuff that happens further south :)