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[Fido97]

Hi, I have not posted on here for a few years but find myself with a bit of time on my hands (can't think why). Anyway I have a load of leftover malts and was trying to think of what I could brew. Any suggestions welcome. By the way is Seymour still on here - he was main man back in 2014 ish when I regularly used this forum?

Base malts - Pale 800g, Wheat2.5kg. plus Bohemian Pilsner, Munich,Pilsner,Vienna v small amounts of each.

Speciality -

all in grams
Black 200
Carapils 240
Special B 300
Pale rye 150
Caramunch 260
Acid 270
Aromatic 250
Carafa 3 420
Chocolate 40
Crystal wheat 290
Crystal rye 500
Crystal 500
Amber 500

Adjuncts -

Flaked Barley 400
Flaked maize 100
Torrefied wheat 175

Any thoughts? Would be 23 litre standard batch.

Cheers,

[Northern Brewer]

Your limiting factor is going to be diastatic (enzyme) power - how much base malt (pale, pilsner) do you have in total?

Depending on yeast, could be looking at something like a dunkel wheat beer?

[Fido97]

1.6kg but another 800g or so in vienna/munich.

[Northern Brewer]

Ah, I'd missed the Vienna, that will work but I wouldn't rely on Munich to convert anything more than itself (depends a bit on how dark it is). It would help if you've got some simple sugar or syrup in the kitchen, just to get the ABV up a bit (or just go for mild...)? What yeast do you have, the high attenuation of something like a saison yeast would help make the most of what fermentables you have?

But I'd tend to either a wheat beer if you want something pale, or something in the dunkel/porter/mild kind of thing if you want to go dark and use up more of those odd bits.

[Fuggled Mind]

Hi Fido97

I agree with Northern Brewer. You're looking at a wheaty mild ale or porter (using up all the base malts to balance the wheat) or of course, a wheat beer.
Graham Wheeler has a recipe for Schneider Weiss in his Brew Classic European Beers at Home which uses what you have. It could certainly be used as a starting point - but do you have the yeast or a bottle of wheat beer with the original strain.

For 23L
SG 1.054
FG 1.012
3470g Wheat malt
980g Lager Malt
980g Vienna malt
330g Caramunich

20g Hallertauer @90mins
10g Hallertauer @10 mins

Surprised that he also mentions adding Irish moss. The mash schedule is slightly complex but an infusion mash should work though I'm happy to be corrected. It starts at 50°c for 20 mins raising the temp to 65°C for 60 mins with an optional 76°C for 10 mins to finish.

I guess you could use a neutral yeast if you have one. The Dusseldorf brewery Zum Uerige does a wheat beer using their house yeast for those who don't like alt bier. Alt bier yeast is like Koelsch, relatively neutral with a hint of fruitiness. You could try Nottingham or US-05 for dried and there are far more options for liquid.

Regarding Seymour - I have no idea when he was last on here but he went on to brew for https://www.thecivillife.com/ if memory serves me correctly. Like a lot of breweries at the moment. Things are quite difficult and challenging.

Cheers

Jason

[Fido97]

Thanks guys. That's useful. I do like an Altbier but did one very recently so prefer something different. I quite like the suggestion of Schneider Weisse. Yeast wise I have 2 packs of Notty though both are a year out of date (reckon they should still work ok). And a pack of Bulldog European ale yeast. My other thought was a Liquid Mistress clone - uses quite a few of the speciality malts that I have.

Shame about Seymour, he was/is the font of all knowledge!

[seymour]

Cheers all, I'm back! Temporarily but indefinitely laid-off from my brewery job, so I've got some extra time on my hands. So, Fido97, what'd you end up brewing? You've got a lot of fun ingredients there, and a lot of good suggestions here.

[Fido97]

Hi Seymour, sorry to hear this. Me also furloughed for a while. But think positive....can focus on home brewing!
I am going for a mild as per recommendations on this forum. Ive figured I have enough wheat malt to do a basic wheat beer as well. Have to use a little sugar to get me to where I need to be but was considering the use of black treacle instead. However I've never done this before so any views welcomed. Cheers

[thepatchworkdoll]

Hi Seymour
Great to see you back but through unfortunate circumstances. Keep well be safe and pop in as and when you can.
Regards
Patch

[seymour]

Hi Seymour, sorry to hear this. Me also furloughed for a while. But think positive....can focus on home brewing!
I am going for a mild as per recommendations on this forum. Ive figured I have enough wheat malt to do a basic wheat beer as well. Have to use a little sugar to get me to where I need to be but was considering the use of black treacle instead. However I've never done this before so any views welcomed. Cheers

Thanks, yes, focusing on the positive! Good idea about the black tracle, it's essentally the same as dark invert syrup used by British brewers for ages, but it has a powerful flavour that will become somewhat harsh if you use too much. I'd keep it to a low percentage of the whole grainbill, maybe blend it with simple white sugar to make up the desired ABV...

Hi Seymour
Great to see you back but through unfortunate circumstances. Keep well be safe and pop in as and when you can.
Regards
Patch

Thanks Patch, will do. Cheers!