Help needed - First attempt using kveik (extract)

[Llamaman]

I've got a pouch of Omega Hornidal kveik sitting in the fridge crying to be let out in this weather.

I thought a pale ale/IPA would be a good place to start, but given the excrutiating heat I'm minded to go for a 15-minute boil extract recipe to avoid standing in a hot kitchen too long.

The recipe I came up with is pretty simple;
200g Crystal 30L (steeped).
Made up to 4l for a 15 minute boil;
10g Falconers Flight (12.6%) for 15 minutes
25g Falconers Flight (12.6%) for 5 minutes
Late addition: 1.5kg extra-light DME
Make up to 11L with Ashbeck water.
Dry hop 15g FF for 3 days.

Brewers Friends calculates this at 1.050->1.012 (75% att.) = 4.9% ABV. IBU 43, SRM 5.89.

Questions:
1. is the malt a bit too bland? Should I replace extra-light with something else? (I have 600g Breiss sparkling amber DME I could use, plus some light, wheat and dark DMEs). I've not got many other steeping grains - just darker crystal (150L), chococate and roasted barley. [I also have amber, aromatic and carapils malts, but I'd like to avoid having to mash and do a full boil.]

2. Should I add some golden syrup or dextrose to dry it out a little?

I've gone with a 'single'-hop of FF, but also have EKG, Fuggles, Northdown, Target and a small amount of Saaz.

Any suggestions gratefully received! Thanks.

 

[Zephyr259]

I had the same issues with a boil for my last brew so did a no boil wheat beer with Voss. Wasn't fully carbed at last check but tasting dangerous at an accidental 6.2%. Aimed for 4.8% but got high efficiency and Voss attenuated much more this time.

On topic I don't have as much helpful advice, Hornindal has been temperamental for me and it was a sample of the Omega strain I've been using. I managed to stress it out in a 1.040 pale ale at 25c and it threw a heap of banana esters. It loved my 1.064 maibock, and is cleaner but still took a week to ferment in both batches.

I like EKG and Saaz as a combo in a pale ale but that's a different beer from the one you're brewing. What else do you have you could steep?

 

[Llamaman]

Thanks - it’s currently brewing so no changes to malt bill now!
OG 1.052 @ 30C and it’s chugging along nicely.
I might go for EKG and Saaz next time - how do you use them/ what ratio?

 

[Zephyr259]

Ah good, hope it turns out well.

For a 15l batch I use 15g EKG at 15 min and the 10g EKG and 20g Saaz at flameout. I first used this in a saison and it was nice so tried a pale ale with West Yorkshire yeast, nice but I will double the hops next time as they were too mild.

 

[Llamaman]

Ah good, hope it turns out well.

For a 15l batch I use 15g EKG at 15 min and the 10g EKG and 20g Saaz at flameout. I first used this in a saison and it was nice so tried a pale ale with West Yorkshire yeast, nice but I will double the hops next time as they were too mild.

Thanks. I’ve used both of them in a single hopped saison, but not paired them together. Will give that a go as I have some MJ saison yeast kicking about.
For a British ale, my natural inclination would be to pair EKG with another British hop (fuggles, challenger, target) so I’m intrigued to see what a a continental noble brings to the party. Good suggestions!

Too many ideas, not enough brewing time!

 

[Zephyr259]

Yeah, time is always the issue, and
cupboard space.

That hop schedule is based on a saison recipe from Farmhouse Ales. The malt bill is pale malt, 15% munch and 7.5% wheat (I used malted). I've also brewed it with 30% Vienna in place of the munch and it was very similar. Base malt has been GEB Irish pale and golden promise. The saison was 1.056 from memory, wyeast 3726. Hope you get a nice saison.