First AG brew recipe ideas...

[bigdave]

With my first AG brew appearing over the horizon Im starting to think about what recipe I should try first. Ive had a long read through alot of the recipes on here and whilst some look quite simple, others seem amazingly complex. Unfortunately, its the complex ones that seem to appeal to my pallet!? I'd quite like to brew a nice IPA (see what i mean about complex) or something summery. Any help or even links to a possible brew for a first time All Grainer would be much appreciated!

Thanks in advance.

[dave-o]

IPA's not especially complex. It just uses a lot of hops.

That said, i'd go for something summery first. What ingredients have you got?

[RichardG]

I'd probably add that, regardless of how 'complex' the recipe is, the brewing process itself will remain the same (allowing for exceptions to every rule of course!). You will still mash, probably for 90mins, you'll still sparge, then transfer to the copper and boil. You'll still add early hops and late hops, then cool and transfer to the FV. Nothing different. If you fancy a complicated recipe, go ahead and do it!

[196osh]

I made this a wee while ago.

Hop monster IPA

Lager Malt 2.5 EBC 4 lbs. 13.5 oz 2200 grams 36%
Pale Malt 5 EBC 4 lbs. 8.3 oz 2050 grams 33.6%
Munich Malt 20 EBC 1 lbs. 11.8 oz 790 grams 12.9%
Pinhead Oats 2.5 EBC 1 lbs. 1.6 oz 500 grams 8.2%
Sugar, Household White 0 EBC 0 lbs. 10.5 oz 300 grams 4.9%
Belgian Biscuit Malt 60 EBC 0 lbs. 5.6 oz 160 grams 2.6%
Amber Malt 60 EBC 0 lbs. 3.9 oz 110 grams 1.8%

Hop Variety
Bravo Whole 13.5 % 90 mins 0 lbs. 0.5 oz 15 grams 7%
Cascade Whole 7.6 % 15 mins 0 lbs. 1.2 oz 35 grams 16.3%
Columbus (Tomahawk) Whole 16 % 15 mins 0 lbs. 1.2 oz 35 grams 16.3%
Cascade Whole 7 % 0 mins 0 lbs. 1.2 oz 35 grams 16.3%
Columbus (Tomahawk) Whole 16 % 0 mins 0 lbs. 1.2 oz 35 grams 16.3%
Cascade Whole 7 % Dry Hop 0 lbs. 1.1 oz 30 grams 14%
Columbus (Tomahawk) Whole 16 % Dry Hop 0 lbs. 1.1 oz 30 grams 14%

Final Volume: 22 Litres
Original Gravity: 1.064
Final Gravity: 1.012
Alcohol Content: 6.8% ABV
Total Liquor: 33 Litres
Mash Liquor: 14.5 Litres
Mash Efficiency: 75 %
Bitterness: 58.2356671260913 EBU
Colour: 17 EBC

Yeast: WLP001 or US-05

You could probably drop the Belgian Biscuit with not any issues.

[196osh]

The quanitities of the lager and Pale malts are just ball park. You could make it with either just lager malt or just pale malt.

[bigdave]

What ingredients have you got?

At the moment I have 50g Saaz left from dry hopping a lager and nothing else! The Saaz can stay in the freezer till winter when I'll do another lager. lol

[Spud395]

Me and you both Dave, see my post further down where I'm trying to get my first 3 recipe's sorted.
It's frustrating and exciting all at the same time, ehh?

I think my first will be Big switch bitter, which is more or less what I understand Fullers ESB to be.

[dave-o]

What ingredients have you got?

At the moment I have 50g Saaz left from dry hopping a lager and nothing else! The Saaz can stay in the freezer till winter when I'll do another lager. lol

And do you want a recipe that just uses this, or are you planning to buy some more ingredients?

[bigdave]

What ingredients have you got?

At the moment I have 50g Saaz left from dry hopping a lager and nothing else! The Saaz can stay in the freezer till winter when I'll do another lager. lol

And do you want a recipe that just uses this, or are you planning to buy some more ingredients?

Ive got water, saaz and i guess i could buy some yeast!?!.......

I am intending buying which ever ingredients are needed but for a first brew I would rather keep this to a minimum as firstly mrs bigdave will be on my back having just spunked a fortune on the equipment, and secondly fewer ingredients mean fewer opportunities for me to f*ck things up!

[dave-o]

I don't honestly think you'll be able to make a very convincing (anything other than basic lager) with only saaz.

If you want to get some more hops i can suggest a lovely summer ale that got great reviews from test pilots at the BBQ over the weekend.

Thrifty Shopper are good for hops, and if you spend £25 it's free delivery. You could probably get yourself a veritable sweetshop of hops for £25 - enough to keep you brewing all sorts of ales for a year or so. You don't have to order in 100g sizes so you could get 50g vac pacs and a large selection.

[borischarlton]

This was my first all grain and it was a cracker!!

4500g Maris Otter
250g Crystal
250 Torrefied Wheat

50g cascade 90 mins
30g Cascade 5 mins
20g Cascade Flame out

Ferment with Notts.

I kept the grain bill the same and experimented with different hops for my next brews, I think its a good way of learning the different flavours.

Cheers

Rob

[trucker5774]

This was my first all grain and it was a cracker!!

4500g Maris Otter
250g Crystal
250 Torrefied Wheat

50g cascade 90 mins
30g Cascade 5 mins
20g Cascade Flame out

Ferment with Notts.

I kept the grain bill the same and experimented with different hops for my next brews, I think its a good way of learning the different flavours.

Cheers


Rob

That's about as easy as it gets...........I will be doing this brew (or very close) in the next 2 days

[bigdave]

This was my first all grain and it was a cracker!!

4500g Maris Otter
250g Crystal
250 Torrefied Wheat

50g cascade 90 mins
30g Cascade 5 mins
20g Cascade Flame out

Ferment with Notts.

I kept the grain bill the same and experimented with different hops for my next brews, I think its a good way of learning the different flavours.

Cheers

Rob

This seems like a very good idea, thank you! As you've already said, It will give me an opportunity to learn a bit more about the different hops and their flavors.

[Brotherton Lad]

Morning, Dave,
Thanks for your pm. Glad you enjoyed the brewday. As Rob says, go for a simple bitter first with classic hops. The bitter we made last week was the Dent Ramsbottom recipe on Norm's recipe thread (though using Maris Otter pale malt and Nottingham yeast slurry).
The beer started at 1052 OG and stopped fairly high at 1018, maybe the mash was a tad too warm. I wanted the FV for another brew yesterday, so I've kegged two thirds of it and bottled one third without priming, as I expect it to slowly ferment down to about 1015 to give about 4.5% abv. I've put a couple of bottles by for you to collect whenever you're this way.
Roy

[bigdave]

Thanks Roy, Think I'll have to find an excuse to be driving past Harrogate in the near future!