I'm planning a strong old ale for this Christmas (bltn) & I need some advice please.
I'm looking at 4 gallons(English) (18l) at an OG of around 1075, but not too sweet.
Pale colour, well hopped with a hint of orange & spice.
I'm using the DL recipe for Celebration Ale as a basis (p242 TheBBoB), adjusted for 80% efficiency.
Here's what I've got so far:-
10lb (4540gm) MO pale malt
1lb 6oz (600gm) flaked rice
6oz (170gm) crystal malt
Barley-wine type water
90 min mash
6oz (170gm) wheat malt (got some spraymalt that's hanging around)
8oz (227gm) demerara sugar
8oz (227gm) white sugar
3 1/2oz (100gm) Bobek (5.2AA) at start of boil
1/2oz (15gm) Amarillo (9.1AA) after 75 mins
1tsp (3gm) Irish Moss after 75 mins
1/2oz (15gm) Amarillo (9.1AA) at end of boil
Pared rind of 1 large orange at end of boil
90 min boil
Nottingham yeast 2x11gm
DL suggested a mash at 148F (64.4C) & to stop sparging when the wort hits a certain SG,
but I want to mash with the complete brew length + a bit extra (say 5 galls 23l),
use just the runnings for the wort, & all the spargings to make a shandy (say 3 1/2galls, 16l).
Is this feasible?
I know there are better options :-
(eg a full 5 gall old ale & a separate 5 gall light bitter for the shandy,
or better still forget about the shandy & brew a full-bodied 5 gall bitter or lager)
but I'd like to try it this way.
1. Pale malt is 76% of fermentables - is 10lb enough?
2. This will be a very thin mash, should I adjust the mash temp (148F 64.4C) either way?
3. Will using Amarillo as the only hop (say 2 1/2oz to replace 3 1/2oz Bobek)
give an overpowering orange flavour?
4. Not sure about the Bobek anyway - suggestions for the copper hop?
5. How much water will remain in the grains after draining ie how much extra water
do I need for the mash, to be able to drain off the brew length (+ a bit for evaporation)?
6. This will be only my 2nd or 3rd AG, so any comments gratefully received.
Thanks. When I brew this I'll try & post some pics on Brewday.
Update: Weds 22/4
I put the recipe thru Beer Engine at 70% efficiency (the appln itself doesn't display correctly for me, but the results are ok in the browser window) and it came up with this (had to make a few assumptions) :-
hope I can hit that EBU figure.
At 80% efficiency the OG was 1.083, FG 1.015, Alcohol 9.1% ABV
Christmas Ale advice
Christmas Ale advice
'.....And yeast is for losers. True brewers just dip one end of their dog into the wort to get things going.' - Drew Avis
Re: Christmas Ale advice
I must admit that I was hoping for a few replies to my query
Wanted to brew it this weekend, looks like I'll have to go it alone with what I've got.
Anyone out there please?

Wanted to brew it this weekend, looks like I'll have to go it alone with what I've got.
Anyone out there please?

'.....And yeast is for losers. True brewers just dip one end of their dog into the wort to get things going.' - Drew Avis
Re: Christmas Ale advice
I'd be concerned that this recipe will yield a very thin, dry beer. If I was brewing this beer, I'd ditch the rice and 1 pound of sugar. You're setting yourself up for a beer that's going to be dry as the Sierra Desert. Mash higher and ditch the sugar and rice. Just my 2 pence.
Re: Christmas Ale advice
Thanks for your reply Whorst, all comments are gratefully received.
You're right to suggest upping the mash temp.
I thought (incorrectlly) that a thin mash would produce more dextrins & a thick mash more maltose, but its the other way round. I think a mash temp of 67C (152-153F) is about right.
However if I ditch the rice & sugar, I'm going to end up with a strong bitter - SG 1057, FG 1013, Alcohol 5.7% ABV, colour 18 EBC (according to Beer Engine).
I was after a strong Christmas ale, pale colour, not too sweet, with an hint of orange.
The rice & sugar is to counteract the malt sweetness of a high gravity wort.
Maybe I could reduce the rice to 1lb (450 gm) and add 6oz (170 gm) of a low colour malt such as (???).
Please keep the replies coming, I can always brew something else this weekend.

You're right to suggest upping the mash temp.
I thought (incorrectlly) that a thin mash would produce more dextrins & a thick mash more maltose, but its the other way round. I think a mash temp of 67C (152-153F) is about right.
However if I ditch the rice & sugar, I'm going to end up with a strong bitter - SG 1057, FG 1013, Alcohol 5.7% ABV, colour 18 EBC (according to Beer Engine).
I was after a strong Christmas ale, pale colour, not too sweet, with an hint of orange.
The rice & sugar is to counteract the malt sweetness of a high gravity wort.
Maybe I could reduce the rice to 1lb (450 gm) and add 6oz (170 gm) of a low colour malt such as (???).
Please keep the replies coming, I can always brew something else this weekend.
'.....And yeast is for losers. True brewers just dip one end of their dog into the wort to get things going.' - Drew Avis