What do you think of this?

[Loco_ola]

I'm trying to put together a recipe using up some of the hops I have while waiting for the next batch to arrive.

Wondering what you think about what I've come up with as a starting point. I was then planning to split the batch into 4 demijohns for secondary and dry hopping with different combinations.

Is the grain bill too complex? How about the hops?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Recipe: C4 Pale Ale
Style: American Pale Ale
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 25.24 L
Post Boil Volume: 20.24 L
Batch Size (fermenter): 18.93 L
Bottling Volume: 18.43 L
Estimated OG: 1.052 SG
Estimated Color: 13.9 EBC
Estimated IBU: 38.3 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 77.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name
1.80 kg Pale Malt, Maris Otter (5.9 EBC)
1.50 kg Pilsner (Weyermann) (3.3 EBC)
0.44 kg SwaenVienna (10.0 EBC)
0.29 kg Wheat Malt, Pale (Weyermann) (3.9 EBC)
0.14 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (157.6 EBC)
9.86 g Centennial [10.70 %] - Boil 55.0 min
9.86 g Centennial [10.70 %] - Boil 33.0 min
9.86 g Cascade [4.00 %] - Boil 20.0 min
14.79 g Cascade [4.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min
14.79 g Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min
20.00 g Chinook [13.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 15.0 min, 7
20.00 g Citra [12.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 15.0 min, 75.
19.73 g Cascade [5.50 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 15.0 min, 75
19.73 g Centennial [10.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 15.0 min

1.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05)

 

[The Baron]

Go for it looks ok to me as a user up recipe. The hops schedule is ok and the grainbill has not got too much crystal so as to let the hops come through

 

[Clint]

Malt bill looks ok. Hop wise I'd be tempted to get most of your IBU in at start of boil with your highest AAU hop...the rest at around 15,cut your whirlpool down then do some big dry hopping..but I'm no expert...

 

[The Baron]

Yeah I would prob do as Clints says and drop most of the whirlpool and use it as a dry hop too. Don't forget its what suits you and do want suits your palate

 

[Clint]

...while your in the mood...could you pop a few £20's in the post for me?

 

[Loco_ola]

Malt bill looks ok. Hop wise I'd be tempted to get most of your IBU in at start of boil with your highest AAU hop...the rest at around 15,cut your whirlpool down then do some big dry hopping..but I'm no expert...

I was going to dry hop on top of this. Off the back of your suggestion I read this which totally backs up your thinking. I'll cut them in half and move some chinook to the 60 mins I think. I'm still new to this game, so I really appreciate your help.

 

[Loco_ola]

How about this?

 

[Clint]

I'd drop the 33 and 20 minute additions and get the IBU at 60.. you'll use less hops earlier and save more for later...

 

[Loco_ola]

I'd drop the 33 and 20 minute additions and get the IBU at 60.. you'll use less hops earlier and save more for later...

I was under the impression that early additions added bitterness, mid ones flavour, and end additions aroma? Is this not the case?

 

[Clint]

They probably do...though it seems fashion to be adding more towards the end.
You're not wrong. ..I'd try it it'll be great!
Keep notes!

 

[The Baron]

From a personal point of view I would bring the IBU's down as it could end up very bitter but again that is only a personal view.

 

[Loco_ola]

Thanks for your input guys I took it on board.

Then in a moment of either clarity or madness I decided it was going to end up tasting too much like washing up liquid so went mental, moved all additions to the end as you suggest (other than bittering) and totally changed the hops.

Here's what I brewed. Also tried to keep the IBU's down so that the 0 min ones didn't make it super bitter as you suggested baron.

It smelled and tasted fantastic going into the fermenter, so we will see....

Recipe: Kermit's ****
Style: American Pale Ale

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 26.35 L
Post Boil Volume: 21.35 L
Batch Size (fermenter): 20.00 L
Bottling Volume: 19.50 L
Estimated OG: 1.055 SG
Estimated Color: 13.6 EBC
Estimated IBU: 33.5 IBUs (this does not include 0 min boil hops which I'm sure will add some more)
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 76.9 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name
29.74 L Water
3.37 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash)
2.50 ml Phosphoric Acid 85% (Mash)
1.02 g Epsom Salt (MgSO4) (Mash)
0.85 g Salt (Mash)
0.48 g Calcium Chloride (Mash)

1.95 kg Pale Malt, Maris Otter (5.9 EBC)
1.40 kg Pilsner (Weyermann) (3.3 EBC)
0.44 kg Oats, Flaked (2.0 EBC)
0.44 kg SwaenVienna (10.0 EBC)
0.29 kg Wheat Malt, Pale (Weyermann) (3.9 EBC)
0.14 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (157.6 EBC)

1.65 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Sparge)
1.20 ml Phosphoric Acid 85% (Sparge)
0.50 g Epsom Salt (MgSO4) (Sparge)
0.41 g Salt (Sparge)
0.23 g Calcium Chloride (Sparge)

18.00 g Chinook [13.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min
0.33 Items Whirlfloc (Boil 15.0 mins)

14.79 g Amarillo [9.20 %] - Boil 0.0 min
14.79 g Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 0.0 min
10.00 g Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 0.0 min
10.00 g Citra [12.00 %] - Boil 0.0 min
10.00 g Nelson Sauvin [12.00 %] - Boil 0.0 min

10.00 g Ahtanum [6.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 15.0 min, 75 deg
10.00 g Amarillo [9.20 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 15.0 min, 75 deg
10.00 g Cascade [5.50 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 15.0 min, 75 deg
10.00 g Centennial [10.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 15.0 min, 75 deg
10.00 g Citra [12.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 15.0 min, 75 deg
10.00 g Galaxy [14.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 15.0 min, 75 deg
10.00 g Nelson Sauvin [12.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 15.0 min, 75 deg
10.00 g Simcoe [13.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 15.0 min, 75 deg

1.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05)
23.00 g Citra [12.00 %] - Dry Hop 4.0 Days
20.00 g Amarillo [9.20 %] - Dry Hop 4.0 Days
20.00 g Galaxy [14.00 %] - Dry Hop 4.0 Days
20.00 g Nelson Sauvin [12.00 %] - Dry Hop 4.0 Days
18.00 g Simcoe [13.00 %] - Dry Hop 4.0 Days
12.00 g Chinook [13.00 %] - Dry Hop 4.0 Days
10.00 g Ahtanum [6.00 %] - Dry Hop 4.0 Days
10.00 g Cascade [5.50 %] - Dry Hop 4.0 Days


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Full Body
Total Grain Weight: 4.67 kg
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperature Step Time
Mash In Add 21.18 L of water at 72.8 C 68.9 C 45 min
Mash Out Add 0.00 L of water at 75.6 C 75.6 C 10 min

Sparge: Fly sparge with 10.35 L water at 75.6 C

Fermenting at 19.5°C.

--------

I let it stand for an hour and a half after cooling (for the first time) to try to get less trub into the fermenter. Seemed to work, hopefully should make for a smoother beer. I also ran it through a fine strainer to try to catch any other particles.

Hit 74% efficiency - so happy enough with that. Could have crushed the grains a bit finer but I was worried about the wheat and oats sticking without any rice hulls (which i didn't have).

It's sitting in the fermentor water bath now at 19.5°C. Probably add the dry about day 5 for 4 days. ... Will report back!

 

[The Baron]

We await the resulting taste test good luck

 

[Clint]

Looks great! I usually add my dry hop after around 10 days when the main fermentation is over...

 

[Loco_ola]

Looks great! I usually add my dry hop after around 10 days when the main fermentation is over...

I read - but have not yet the experience to say - that a small quantity of aromas can be lost if the dry hop is added at the tail of fermentation but it gives the yeast a chance to eat some of the O2 that's always added with the dry hops. Maybe even get a bit of biotransformation to add some extra je ne sais quoi.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[Loco_ola]

On reflection I'm going to up some of those dry hop additions... will post final decided recipe. Final weights will be determined by how much I have left :-)

 

[The Baron]

Upping the dry hop will certainly give it a lift if you want, the dry hop amounts are moderate so go ahead. I know that everybody has different ways and systems and it is for you to find what suits you I usually dry hop after 4 or 5 days once the majority of fermentation over but everybody is different and neither method is wrong some even dry hop during fermentation

 

[Loco_ola]

Upping the dry hop will certainly give it a lift if you want, the dry hop amounts are moderate so go ahead. I know that everybody has different ways and systems and it is for you to find what suits you I usually dry hop after 4 or 5 days once the majority of fermentation over but everybody is different and neither method is wrong some even dry hop during fermentation

I've noticed that a lot in brewing and brewing chats. There's so many variables and at the end of the day; there's more than one way to skin a cat. I guess just keep brewing and learn what I can and see what works.

I just double hopped a NE IPA with galaxy, mosaic & citra, once after 2.5 days and then again a few days later after fermentation had finished. It was really good. That's why it's gone already! Was it a waste of hops adding the early addition? Maybe. Did it improve the flavour? There's no way to know for sure, but it was tasting really good after the first round of dry hops. I could have definitely got away without the second round and it would still have been fantastic.

How long do you normally dry hop for? Obviously I've read that if you do it for too long you get grassy notes. I'm pretty sure I also read something at some point saying that it's pretty much done after 24hrs.

I was planning 4 days for this.

 

[The Baron]

I usually dry hop on day 4 or 5 for 5 days. I have never had grassy notes from dry hopping even for longer but again I am not saying it doesn't happen it maybe that some people are more sensitive to it but as I say I have never had it and some hops do have a grassy taste anyway