Virgin Ale

[rich-nm]

AG 1 for a new brewer - Virgin Ale (might call it Evening Promise)
After finally getting my AG equipment finished on Sunday morning (Dremel to the Mash Tun manifold, never again) I decided to mix up a random recipe, mostly because I am still learning and also had a limited choice of ingredients. I was looking for a kind of Pale to Amber Ale with a reasonable dose of hops.

Lost half the paper I was writing on but i think this was what i was after:-

Trying for 23 litres @ 1.044, got 21.5 litres @ 1.040 with no dilution. It's good to be learning things as I go...

Maris Otter Pale Malt 4500g
Caramalt 500g

Challenger 7.71 30g 90min
Cascade 5.9 25g 45min
Saaz 3.1 15g 15min
Saaz 3.1 15g 0min
Cascade 5.9 15g 0min

US-05 yeast

I added the extra Cascade at the end because I liked the aroma of the hops. It tasted nice out of the kettle, quite sweet but didn't seem overly bitter, or unbalanced. The yeast went in yesterday evening and after 24 hours is producing a large krausen already. Hopefully this will taste good out of the barrel, then into bottles for a while, or until I can't resist, whichever comes sooner. If the flavour and aroma aren't up to scratch I might try some dry hops.

Next up is probably a stout for Autumn, might try something along the lines of 'March of the Penguins' by Williams Brothers.

[Patterd Ale]

How did it turn out? You must be on to brew 6 or so by now? You'll never forget your first!

[rich-nm]

Hey PA

This Virgin Ale was smelling and tasting promising after 3 days in the FV. Unfortunately a lot of the flavour/body was lost after the 3rd day, possibly due to too much attenuation? Yeast was US-05 and was bottled at 1.008FG. It's drinkable, just not as good as I hoped. Might try a different yeast next time.
Ended up priming and bottling the lot, now in the garage for some maturation time. Hopefully it will gain something from time in the bottle...

My AG2 was a stout (with treacle) and it turned out very nicely, also bottled and maturing. AG3 is in the FV as I type, an amber ale with lots of hops a la 5am Saint. Recipe thread to follow.

I should make AG6 by November, must buy some more bottles though as I'm rapidly running out.

Rich

[Patterd Ale]

Sounds like all is coming along nicely. Regrettably ,I have found that flavour tends to decline with time, hop flavour moreso than malt. Body however will improve, rest assured. Attenuation sounds fairly normal, each subsequent brew will tend to improve. Buying empty bottles is a mugs game! Whereabouts in this sleet filled shire are you? Deeside for me.

[rich-nm]

PA

AG3 ready for keg, will try dry hopping in there as well, but bit tight for getting stuff back out of the keg.
I tend to buy full bottles and empty then as quick as i can... Get a few from my local, mostly Deuchars IPA bottles which are fine for my needs.
I'm just north of Dyce.