Summer Ale - mk1 3.7.07

[Frothy]

Mashing at 63-64oc to attempt a relativley fermentable and dry beer, however this would not explain why i've put 450g of Carapils malt in Inspired by the July/Aug edition of BYO which includes 15 summer ale recipes, almost exclusively all lager malt with a dash of carapils fermented at ale temperatures. For a light and refreshing UK style summer beer I'm aiming for something between a pale ale and a lager in colour I've gone for a 1/2 and 1/2 grain bill with a bit of carapils thrown in for body. In future I'd have a go at adding honey to a brew like this. The question I'd like to ask is are there any recommended IBU's? I'm favouring low IBU hops to add plenty of flavour and any advice here would be much welcomed with the schedule, I've got Hallertauer Mittelfrau, Saaz, Fuggles, Goldings, Brambling Cross & Northdown to name but a few.

Summer Ale 23L 1.035 (75% Eff)
2.1kg Lager Malt
2.0kg Pale Malt
250g Carapils (I'm using 450g as the packet kind of slipped)

Hop Schedule 20-30IBU
60min - 11g Target (11%) ~14IBU
15min - 50g Styrian Goldings (5%) ~21IBU

[Gurgeh]

you're not far off the supreme champion beer of britain there: Crouch vale Brewers Gold. though that comes out about 4.2% ABV i think

got any brewers gold hops? I reckon you might be right with the IBU, but they go bonkers with the flavour addition

I'm on the trail of something like this, but don't have the lager malt.

whatever you decide, steer clear of the fuggles IMO.

you mashing right now? late night then!

go on - be a devil and just dump in half a kilo of goldings in the last 10 minutes, see what happens!

[Frothy]

I was hoping to brew between 6 and 10pm but so far my digital thermometer has broken and as I'm heating the sparge water we've had a power cut. Looks like I may have to sparge when it comes back on and keep the wort in a spare fridge till tomorrow

[Gurgeh]

OMG WAPITA

at least you've got some time to sort out your hopping decision!

I've just been looking at summer lightning & TTL recipes they might hold the answer for you!

if you don't get the power back, then you could always pull the overnight mash stunt, dave lines style!

your PC on a UPS then?

[Scooby]

whatever you decide, steer clear of the fuggles IMO.

I've just been looking at summer lightning & TTL recipes they might hold the answer for you!

TTL is out of the frame then

Why steer clear of Fuggles

[Frothy]

As it turns out I managed to blow a fuse by trying to run a burco, kettle and about 6 refrigerators all at once. It's amusing looking back at it how long I spent flicking the circuit breaker switches and scratching my head.
thanks for the tips - I have no brewers gold but I will look into that summer lightning recipe. It seems that this is a predominantly american style.

Frothy

[Gurgeh]

Why steer clear of Fuggles

seems to be a common thread in beers i favour less.

having said that, i do love TTL and old peculiar

[mysterio]

I'm doing a summer ale soon with a similar grain bill only with wheat instead of carapils. I'm also doing it around 1.040 and mash quite high, and a single addition of Cascades at 15 minutes.

IMO if you do a 1.035 mashed low, it's going to taste very watery but I don't know if that's what you're after.

[maxashton]

As it turns out I managed to blow a fuse by trying to run a burco, kettle and about 6 refrigerators all at once. It's amusing looking back at it how long I spent flicking the circuit breaker switches and scratching my head.
thanks for the tips - I have no brewers gold but I will look into that summer lightning recipe. It seems that this is a predominantly american style.

Frothy

Go on, be a hardcore brewer an get a seperate ring main put in for your brew kit.

And some three phase.

Hell, why not a small tokamak?

I'll get me coat.

[Frothy]

Mysterio - I'm not familiar with low gravity brews, until now I've vowed never to brew under 1.050 but for the sake of quick conditioning and easy drinking this one is the exception. I'm still experimenting with these hop schedules after trying for over a year and ~25brews now to get to the bottom of the practical results of extracting flavour/ bitterness. Following the recently sucessful Pilsner Urquell I've gone for a good load of flavour hops and worked back for the bittering hops to hit the target 25IBU. Styrian goldings I've had pleasant experience with in the past making hobgoblin. Let me know how your summer ale comes along.

cheers
Frothy
P.S. Max we do have 3phase just not in my brew shed yet

[Frothy]

23L @ 1.044. I guess this is that much higher due to the extra malt but the efficiency is going up from my typical 65% . The brew has been flash chilled to 19oc, dropped from a height to aerate and the 400ml Safale 14hr starter added. Jobs a good un- fingers crossed this should be drinkable within 3-4 weeks.

Frothy

[SteveD]

Why steer clear of Fuggles

seems to be a common thread in beers i favour less.

having said that, i do love TTL and old peculiar

..... so it's DON'T steer clear of fuggles then? You might not like them - or, er, might like them, but one way or another they end up in many many classic and well loved beers.

I hope my fuggles plant, which is starting to flower now, didn't hear you say that!

[Frothy]

Kegged a couple of days ago (FG1.012) 15psi to mature for a week or so. Initial impressions from the trial jar, light brown almost yellow in colour and a pleasantly typical styrian golding flavour

Frothy

[DRB]