Hops and % Utilisation...

[Bradley33]

A plan it brewing (no need to forgive the sorry pun ha ha.)

What I'm going to do for my first brew is to use the basic guidline for a Brown Ale from my Joy of Homebrewing book but I'm running into a few issues due to ignorance. The basic recipe is:
6 lbs Amber Malt Extract (I'll be using 3kg)
1/2 lb Crystal Malt (226g)
1/4 lb Chocolate Malt (113g)
2 oz Bittering Hops w/ a few choices (56g)
1/2 oz Finishing Hops w/ a few choices (14g)
And of course Ale yeast.
OG 1.040-43

I'm using this because it gives me the most options for tweaking it to what sounds like something I'll enjoy and provides the some level of reliability (I'm hoping) so I don't end up with something better suited to top a fried rice. ha ha. And now for the question...

My book lists it as 8 to 12 HBU. That works out to 6% AA and as I haven't found a conversion for HBU to IBU I attempted to work it out on the calculator here. Now I think I remember reading somewhere that when you brew with malt extract your % utilisation runs at about 50%. Is this correct? If thats the case with a brew length of 5 Gallons (19L) at 6% AA and an assumed utilisation of 50% that will leave me 88 IBU. I must be cocking something up since thats about double the OG!

Also when good old Charlie talks about using the crystal and chocolate malt he recommends dropping it in the water as you're bringing it up to boil and removing it before you dump the extract... Any thoughts on this? I know most of you are AG brewers but some of you must have dabbled in grains a bit before you went to AG?

As always thank you :drink:

 

[tubby_shaw]

A plan it brewing (no need to forgive the sorry pun ha ha.)

What I'm going to do for my first brew is to use the basic guidline for a Brown Ale from my Joy of Homebrewing book but I'm running into a few issues due to ignorance. The basic recipe is:
6 lbs Amber Malt Extract (I'll be using 3kg)
1/2 lb Crystal Malt (226g)
1/4 lb Chocolate Malt (113g)
2 oz Bittering Hops w/ a few choices (56g)
1/2 oz Finishing Hops w/ a few choices (14g)
And of course Ale yeast.
OG 1.040-43

I'm using this because it gives me the most options for tweaking it to what sounds like something I'll enjoy and provides the some level of reliability (I'm hoping) so I don't end up with something better suited to top a fried rice. ha ha. And now for the question...

My book lists it as 8 to 12 HBU. That works out to 6% AA and as I haven't found a conversion for HBU to IBU I attempted to work it out on the calculator here. Now I think I remember reading somewhere that when you brew with malt extract your % utilisation runs at about 50%. Is this correct? If thats the case with a brew length of 5 Gallons (19L) at 6% AA and an assumed utilisation of 50% that will leave me 88 IBU. I must be cocking something up since thats about double the OG!
I have never read Papazian so can't comment on HBU's but a brown ale should have about 20 IBU (for my taste) So I would advise you to use the calculaters on this forum to calculate your hop requirement.
I don't know where the 50% hop utilisation figure comes from it is usually less than half that. As hop utilisation is less the higher the gravity of the wort, if you are not boiling the full volume you will need to add more hops to get the same level of bitterness.

Also when good old Charlie talks about using the crystal and chocolate malt he recommends dropping it in the water as you're bringing it up to boil and removing it before you dump the extract... Any thoughts on this? I know most of you are AG brewers but some of you must have dabbled in grains a bit before you went to AG?
When I have brewed with extract I have put my grains in a bag in the liquor whilst it was heating and removed them before the temp got above 70 C

As always thank you :drink:

 

[Bradley33]

Thanks. That would explain the high hop rate. To be honest this HBU stuff is getting on my nerves. I need to get some books that use IBU I think. His method in the book is to boil the extract with 1 1/2 gallons water and reserving 3 gallons cold in the carboy (to cool the wort etc.) The problem is he only boils for fifteen minutes and everything else I've read says at least an hour. I think there's a problem with the math. Five gallons of beer to be made. Four and half gallons water plus the extract. Should come close but that doesn't allow for evaporation after an hours worth of boil does it? I was always crap at maths as a kid though...

As far as grain I think I'll run off your experiance and pull it at 70 as oppossed to waiting for the boil. Any thoughts on the length of boil when it comes to extract? I've got a sum total of two books and the Palmer website so any recommendations for a decent mid range brewing book would be appreciated.

Hope everyones well.
Bradley

 

[Bradley33]

Oh and forgot to mention... :whistle: that 50% util. was a figment of my imagination. ha ha. Found it again today and it said that 25% to 35% was the best I can hope for.

 

[Aleman]

Papazian talks absolute ***** in TNCJOHB, I rate him along with CJJ Berry and Ken Shales as some of the worst authors on beer brewing there have been. Charlie is trying to get people brewing very simply (too simply) with minimal (too little) equipment . . . If you want to get a book with decent instructions can I point you in the direction of Graham Wheelers Brew British Real Ale at Home Although aimed at the AG Brewer with over 105 recipes many have Extract versions . . . and in the first 80 Pages Graham provides more than enough details for a newbie to brew beer without getting caught up in the complexities

 

[Bradley33]

Thanks Aleman. I bought it about fourteen years ago and at the time it was the best I could find. I saw Wheeler's book on line and all most bought it but didn't since the blurb said it was geared towards an AG brewer. I'll probably pick it up then. Besides it better to be ready for any eventuality isn't it? Just had an epiphany today...got a birthday coming up...may have to consult you guys for the necessary equipment to get started with AG eh? Fingers crossed my girlfriend will ask for a list ha ha.

 

[BrewStew]

no need for a list... Hop and Grape do a very reasonable complete kit for you to refer her too

unless your a DIY dab hand, then a list of things to contact Nordic Optical on ebay with is another option

 

[Bradley33]

Think I'll opt for the hop and grape one for starters. Then build from there. If I wait for the time and money to build it it may end up like the 1959 Vespa I've got in my garage.

 

[Bradley33]

On that note stew I'm thinking the nordic optical is the way to go. Think I'll look into getting the elements at work (perk of playing with electricity every day.) Not to mention I was thinking I could use it for extract brewing as I slowly put an AG brewery together. Any thoughts on that?

 

[Parva]

We all aspire to building our own SS brewery but if I were you I'd invest £150 or so in a plastic brewery for now. I've been using mine for going on for a year now and it's going to be a long time before it becomes redundant. If the choice you have is build an SS brewery over a long period of time before going AG or getting a plastic brewery now (or within a short period of time) then I'd get the plastic ASAP! The brews are no different to what you will get with an SS setup, it's just aesthetically pleasing and obviously less prone to scratches and stuff but this isn't an issue with boilers and whatnot.