First try and building my own recipe

Brewing Processes
1

So, here goes, what do you guys think?

10lbs of Xtra Pale Malt
1lb of Wheat Malt
10oz Crystal 40l
10oz Crystal 20l

Hops I am still not sure of.  But here is what I am thinking:

.5 oz Chinook at 60 mins
1oz Cascade at 15
1oz Columbus at 15
1oz Cascade at 0
1oz Columbus at 0
2oz Cascade Dry hop after fermentation has slowed for about 5 days

Yeast is going to be BRY 97 (cause that is what I have on hand).  I might try the starter idea again, but since this is dry yeast I don’t think I have to, right?

Mash at 152 for 60 mins then sparge at 170 with remainder to make up about 6.25 or so gallons
60 mins boil and I might add the hops at 0 and up the temp a bit and do a steep with them for 15 to 20 mins.

This batch will be bottled, so my plan is to bottle say in about a week or so and then let sit in the closet for another week or two to get carbed and maybe age a bit.

Any thoughts on this?  Any suggestions?  Am I way off base on this one?  I have a few more extra ingredients including Melaniod (sp?)  LOL  and Carapils, but I think this is a pretty good start based on what I have read.  I am thinking this is more of an Ale than an IPA.

Numbers in Brewfather are as follows:

OG. 1.058
FG. 1.011
ABV 6.2
IBU 60
Mash water 5.33 gallons
Sparge Water 2.11 gallons
Pre Boil Volume 6.28 gallons

2

I like it.  I think it will make a great beer.

Just make sure fermentation is complete before you bottle.

Good luck!

3

Recipe looks OK to me. Now explain to me why you used each ingredient.

4

Looks great! Kind of old school IPA. Wheat isn’t necessary but won’t hurt anything at the same time. I’ve seen a ton of commercial WC IPAs that list wheat as an ingredient.

5

Partially because I have it and thought I would give it a try.  Other part is, I did some looking at hop characteristics and was looking for something a bit more on the citrus end.  And from what I read the Cascade foots that bill.  Also, I have Cascade growing in my backyard, so I wanted to try and get a go to recipe that would use them, Chinook and Columbus.

Really, the bottom line is I have the ingredients listed, so I thought I would give it a go using what I have and doing a less bitter beer then an IPA

6

I was more interested in an explanation of the grist than the hops

7

Oh, OK.  Again, mostly because I have it and want to try and use it.  From the recipes I have used, the 40l and 20l seem to be pretty popular in smaller amounts.  So, I thought, OK, let’s try it.  So I plugged it into Brewfather and tried to get a lower ABV while still keeping a more amber or mid range color.  In a past post, most have warned me against using Melanoid (SP?) so I kept that out.  I have read the wheat aspect is good for the head retention, and again, I have it so what the heck.  I am trying to get a more Pale Ale type brew as most all I have done have been IPA, or at least attempts at them.  So, my thought was, this grain bill seems to be more common in the Pale Ale so why not give it a shot.  I have the Melanoid and some Carapils left over as well, and was toying with using the Cara, but opted out because I felt I had enough using the 20 and 40l.

Any suggestions are welcomed and if my logic is flawed please say so.  But, I thought why not give it a go.

8

Don’t overthink it.  Your recipe in the original post will make a great beer.

No need for the melanoidin or carapils.

9

Thanks, gonna give it a try and see what happens.  LOL.

10

I was wondering about the intent between both crystal malts.

11

+1 Brew it!!!

12

Is it a bad thing to have them both?  Asking in all seriousness.  My idea was that I saw enough of the recipes to think this would give it the color and a bit of flavor that would cross from the IPA to the Pale ale, but I am just reaching for what might be good.  Am I off base?

13

Denny has a saying… and I’m paraphrasing… use as many ingredients as you want as long as each of them has a purpose. That’s what he’s getting out. Do you have a purpose for each of those grains or are you just throwing stuff at the wall and hoping it sticks.

14

Oh, got it.  LOL.  Partly both.  I have read and seen that some recipes use both, and since I have them I figure I would try.  In all honesty I have a recipe with both in the amounts listed but not the wheat or the Xtra pale malt, so I figured I would just kinda go with it.  Today is the day I brew it, so we will see.

15

Best way to learn is to brew!

Your beer will turn out great.

16

And we begin!!!

17

Ok.  Not sure what I did wrong.  Beer is inthe fermenter and has been for about 12 hours.  No activity out of the airlock.  No bubbling.  I used Bry97 and cooled the wort to about 80 degrees.  One packet and stirred it up a bit after I pitched it.  The closet the bucket is in is at about 70 degrees.  What did I do wrong?

I have another packet of yeast I might throw in there to see what happens.  My numbers were good

Any suggestions would be appreciated

18

You didn’t do anything wrong.  You’re just impatient. I wouldn’t have pitched at that temp, but it didn’t interfere with fermentation.  Sit down and wait. Also, no need to stir after pitching the yeast.

19

Thanks Denny, you are absolutely right, patience is not one of my strong points.  This is my first time using this yeast, and the others started bubbling within 5 to 6 hours.  Your yeast took off like a rocket and was really going within just a few hours, so I guess I am just overthinking it.  I got nowhere to go, so in the closet it sits  That closet usually keeps a pretty nice consistent temp in the low 70’s high 60’s.  Thanks again for the inut, I a still learning and patience is one of my weak spots.  LOL.  RR

20

I don’t even start getting concerned til 48 hours and don’t take corrective action til 72.