I’d like to brew my third extract (w. steeped grains) batch this week. Can you share what you think would be the easiest ale recipe or style of beer to brew would be? That is, has the best chance to taste good!
I’d also like a style that isn’t too high in ABV, below 7.5, and one that will last a few months in the bottle without a lot of the hops fading.
I love to do a really simple APA.
6lbs (ish, adjust for desired gravity) Extra Light DME
.5lb C60 steeped
Steep the crystal, add the DME and bring to a boil.
Add hops you like, 15 minute boil, I usually add about 1oz at 15, 10, 5, and flameout.
Hop Stand for 20-30 minutes.
Chill to fermentation temp
Ferment with a clean ale yeast (1056, 1968, 1098 or their WLP variants are my favorites; Dry I would use US-05 or S-04).
Profit.
This question depends on a number of variables. Your water, your ability to control fermentor temp, if no control what temp would it be, etc.
Pick a recipe that uses a yeast that is happy at the temps you can ferment at. And one that is fairly low in producing odd flavors.
I think you are brewing with extract. If you don’t know what’s in your tap water you can boil your extract with distilled or reverse osmosis water. You can steep with it too, it’s only while mashing and sparging that you need to worry about pH. I’ll bet there will be debate on that, but according to Mr Palmer this is generally true. So long as you are steeping grains that are meant to be steeped (ie crystal)
Next is to pick a somewhat flavorful recipe that naturally masks any slight errors. For example a porter or stout or APA or IPA… if you go with a really lightly flavored beer like a pils or light lager there isn’t much there to mask off flavors.
I would go with a dry hopped APA, around 5-6%, 40-50 ibu, around 6-10 srm. Wyeast 1056, WL001, US05, and try to keep it between 62-65°.
Not to much too add but a +1 to jim’s suggestion of a porter or stout. No worries about hops fading. lots of character. Also think about doing smaller batches if you are finding it difficult too finish a batch before it loses that fresh beer punch.
The easiest ale recipe for me was just Maris Otter extract (6lbs), and a bunch of Mosaic Hops. US-05 for the yeast fermented at 60F. Quite Delicious.
How much Mosiac? Any specifics on addition timing.
All of this. If you are just working on kits right now you may have a hard time finding kits for smaller batches so a porter or stout will give you enough flavor to cover some brewing flaws and you won’t have to worry as much about faded hops.
The easiest ale recipe I know is probably James Spencer’s 15-minute pale ale recipe, which only requires a 15-minute boil:
http://beerandwinejournal.com/15-minute-pale-ale/
It makes a great beer, and it’s quick and easy. When I’m testing new hops I generally brew about 5-8 one-gallon batches of this in a row.
Those recipe suggestions are all solid and quick,using the short boil. I did that pretty routinely before switching to AG. It’s a good way to do split batches and experiment with hop varieties and blends, since it only boils for a short time.
What’s different about this recipe that only requires a 15 min boil? Isn’t that an issue with boiling out any DME?
Correct. You can formulate most extract recipes for a 15-minute boil if you want.
I think you mean DMS, not DME. And with extract, it’s not much of an issue. DMS precursors are pretty much removed when the extract is made.
Got it thanks!
Another added benefit of the short boil for extract brews is that you don’t get the excessive darkening that’s common to using all extract boiled 60+ minutes . Wouldn’t matter obviously for a stout, but it’s nice to be able to make a nice pale colored beer when you want to.
+1 Yup
Not just a color change, its a flavor change too. This message brought to you by Maillard Reactions. Thanks Maillard Reactions!
Thank you everyone!