Birthday brew

[grainbrew]

Well it's my birthday this weekend, so what better way to celebrate than a new batch of beer. This will be my first recipe (followed others for the first batches).

Going for a simple pale ale (ale and crystal) and after reading the post on session brews, I think I want to aim for 4% to 5%.

I might try a different variety of hops. Mostly used noble english hops for the first two batches. I might also wear a birthday hat.

Any tips for good pale ales? My water is fairly hard, and I can get a really good boil now (new burner).

J

[BrewDog]

Here are some rough guidelines that might point you in the direction of a nice American Pale Ale:

Start with around 6-7 lbs of malt extract (liquid or dry or a combo).
Steep about 3/4 to a lb of Crystal 60L Malt at 150*F in 2 or 3 gallons of water (that you've already added a teaspoon of Gypsum).


I'd go with Chinook for bittering (8-10 HBU's give or take)
Cascade for Flavor/Aroma - a half oz or so at around 20 mins and then again at 5 to 0 mins. (Then dry hop it in the secondary with another half or full oz of Cascade.)

Drop in a teaspoon of Irish moss at 15, too.

top it up to 5 1/4 gals.

Ferment with Wyeast 1056 or White Labs WLP001 at 68F for a week, then transfer to secondary for another 2 - 3 weeks. Prime with 3/4 cups corn sugar and bottle.

HTH & Happy Birthday!

[Bruno_78]

I laughed out loud when I read about the birthday hat. It just seemed to come out of nowhere!

[axis714]

me 2, I was pictureing the check list...
hydrometer....check
racking cane......check
hops, irish moss....check ,check
birthday hat....LOL

[ray m]

Originally posted by Bruno_78:

I laughed out loud when I read about the birthday hat. It just seemed to come out of nowhere!
________________________________________

I did the same thing thing, Bruno! Just the instant visual was enough!:)

[grainbrew]

come on guys, it's an important ingredient for a successful birthday brew! I'm hitting the big 25!

I have formulated the recipe using promash.

I originally wanted to include 5% biscuit malt, but the store doesn't have any. They do however carry Munich and Vienna, but I am not familiar with either. I want to experiment with Biscuit being that I found Fuller's London Pride very enjoyable.

Brewing time: Saturday, January 15th, 2005

All I have to do now is find a hat.

J

[grainbrew]

On the subject of London Pride, anyone have an idea of what hops they're using and malts? I'm not looking to clone it. I want it to be my recipe.

J

[Bruno_78]

Originally posted by grainbrew
come on guys, it's an important ingredient for a successful birthday brew! I'm hitting the big 25!


Kids....!

[denver brewhoo]

grainbrew, you're doing all grain now, right? I'm guessing so because you're on this forum, so here goes:

I would do something like this, for 5 gallons:

6 lbs Maris Otter---or some two-row pale if no Maris Otter
1 lb flaked maize--yeah, these English lads don't follow the German Beer purity law, either.....
1/2 lb flaked barley
1/2 lb Victory--I know you can't get biscuit; do they have Victory?
1/4 lb Special Roast (british 50L crystal malt from I believe Briess)

and about a cup of Lyle's Golden Syrup, which is an English invert sugar...you don't mash this, you add it at the beginning of the boil. if your homebrew store doesn't have Lyle's ask them for a substitute "invert sugar".

I would use Progress or Challenger or Target for bittering hops, and East Kent Goldings for flavor and aroma. This is not a hugely bitter or hoppy beer; I'd probably do an ounce of the bittering hop for 60 and a half ounce of the EKG at 20 and again at knockout.

[grainbrew]

thanks.

Hmm...that's a different type of recipe. I'm thinking of just going with Plae malt (Maris Otter, they do have some...but what does that mean?) and crystal, with a tad of victory or biscuit.

Hops sound great. I will go with that. I already have leaf form EK goldings in my freezer, just need to get some challenger.

J

[stronk]

I second going for East Kent Goldings, as that seems the best flavour fit to me (and they're authentically British).

[BrewDog]

Sorry, I took it from your opening post that you wanted to AVOID british hops and wanted an extract recipe.

[BluesHarp]

Originally posted by Bruno_78
I laughed out loud when I read about the birthday hat. It just seemed to come out of nowhere!

oh, HAT...whew! for a minute I thought he said birthday suit!:eek:

[grainbrew]

Brewdog,

I was a bit confusing I suppose. I'm formulating my own recipe, but not sure yet as to which hops I will be using. Also, I would like to add some biscuit (5%) to the pale malt and crystal (40 or 60).

I guess when I'm asking for tips, I really mean what "makes" a good "pale ale" in terms of procedures, percentages, hop combinations and levels, etc...

This is my first pale ale, so I'll be experiencing quite a bit over the next year with the recipe. There's no better style to experiment with and learn from, so I've been told.

Birthday suite, yes, I have one of those.

J

[Grog]

Originally posted by grainbrew
[BBirthday suite, yes, I have one of those.../B]

Just don't brew in it (or if you do don't tell anyone!!!)

-G-

My 2¢ - What makes a good PA is very much up to personal taste, so here is mine (English PA) - 90% Marris Otter (or Pale Ale Malt oyc), 5% English Crystal (I can only get 55°L), 5% Cara-Pils (or wheat malt). I like Fuggles/EKG mix (50/50) for flavor. I like the neighborhood of .70 BU to GU (i.e. 1.050 OG = 35 IBU). If you want lots of hop character try tossing 1.5 to 2 oz of flavor hops into the boil. Hoppy Birthday.

(Please keep the birthday suit thing to yourself, PLEASE!!!)

[grainbrew]

Thanks. Sounds great. I'll post pictures.

J

[Bruno_78]

pictures of the birthday suit?

No Thanks!! This isnt' that kind of forum!!!!!!!

[grainbrew]

I'll think hard about it...

What are the effects of Munich Malt in a pale ale? Anyone have any experience with this? I heard it gives a nutty flavour, but was mostly used for german brews.

How different is an english hopped beer vs. an american hopped beer?

J

[grainbrew]

Grain Bill is complete:

Pale Malt 80%
Cara Pils 7.5%
Crystal 80L 7.5%
Munich 5%
Birthday Hat

Not sure about the hops yet. I want it to be a "malty" beer but not too overpowering. Thinking somewhere around 25-30 IBUs to balance the malts.

Batch Size : 5 Gallon
OG: 1.050
SRM: 10

Still not sure how to determine how long to boil a wort. I'm guessing 75 minutes would be good? I'm using promash so my water levels will be determined by this also.

J

[chazwicke]

HAppy B-day! I too laughed at the hat remark. :p

[fretlessman71]

Why didn't you include the specific type of hat in the grain bill? There are so many to choose from, and all with a different effect on the outcome (for instance, I wouldn't wear one with glitter on it, unless you're making a sparkling ale!)... :)

Happy Birthday!

[chazwicke]

The only true birthday hat is a Fez. I have about 10 of them and when we celebrate a birthday in our family it means a fine meal out somewhere. I always bring them along. I'm not certain what the other patrons of Ruth Crist, Mortons or McCormick and Schmicks think when they see a table of folks each wearing a fez.

[grainbrew]

Hmm...will this hat improve my beer?

I have decided on Hops. Going english style for this one, 30 IBUs

J

[chazwicke]

Originally posted by grainbrew
Hmm...will this hat improve my beer?



Of course it will. A hat makes the man.

I was thinking of adding fezzes to my company uniform. I think they will go well with the capes.

[Bruno_78]

Originally posted by chazwicke
Of course it will. A hat makes the man.

I was thinking of adding fezzes to my company uniform. I think they will go well with the capes.

You're kidding, right?

[danno]

Chaz, did the Shriners turn you down for membership? sounds a bit like a cry for help...

[Bruno_78]

I'm willing to bet that he's already a member. Or at least has a spot ready for him.

[chazwicke]

I'd only join if I could ride one of those tiny cars.

[grainbrew]

All is set to go. All ingredients are now in my possession.

Brewtime is January 16, 10:00 am

I call it Port City Pale. I live in a port city (Halifax Nova Scotia) and it's a pale ale.

J

[Bruno_78]

So what hops did you decide to go with?

[grainbrew]

English hops

H. Northern Brewer 8.2% alpha (bittering)
Fuggles 5% alpha (aroma/flavour)
E.K. Goldings 5% alpha (aroma)

[ray m]

And the hat?.............

[grainbrew]

yes, the hat...it's a conical birthday hat with the elastic. It's got lots of stars and balloons on it, which makes for a better brew.

[chazwicke]

I still say a fez is better.

[Bruno_78]

What exactly is a fez?

[toneyc]

It looks like a little clay flower pot with a tassle. I think it is usually made of felt.

Ah! Here's one: http://www.hatsinthebelfry.com/page/H/PROD/fez/162

:)
Toney.

[Jeff]

Originally posted by Bruno_78
What exactly is a fez?

He's the foreign kid who eats things of the floor in That 70's Show. Duh!:D

[chazwicke]

Originally posted by toneyc
It looks like a little clay flower pot with a tassle. I think it is usually made of felt.

Ah! Here's one: http://www.hatsinthebelfry.com/page/H/PROD/fez/162


Toney.

That is a beaut! I'd buy it but as I said I already have about 10 of them.:D