Recipe to introduce a friend to brewing

[ajclarkson]

A nice recipe construction challenge for you. So, I wasn't really planning on brewing this weekend, was going to wait until next week and get a few more bits together to do a TTL clone or something similar (with decent yeast) BUT, I've got a mate coming round who is interested in brewing and has been nagging me to show him how it works, so thought I may as well this weekend.

He's into pales / blondes but is coming around to some more Old English Ale styles, so quite broad in possibility as to what we could cook up. My malt stores look like this:

Marris Otter
Amber
Biscuit
Chocolate
Roast Barley
Flaked Barley
Carafa Type 3
I could roast some Marris into crystal if needs be

Hops

Target
Styrian Goldings
Fuggles
Cascades

The only yeast I've got is dried Notty at the minute, so that'll have to do.

Initially I was thinking of just doing a Cascade IPA, single malt, single hop, but thought I'd come and ask if anyone has any genius ideas for something a little more experimental!

[dedken]

You could make something lightly porterish with those. Obviously I'm going to have to assume an average hop AA for this....

How about:

Brewlength 23l, OG40, EBC 58, IBU 38.
MOP 4000
Amber 250
Chocolate 110
Roasted Barley 30

Mash at 65

Fuggles 19g @ 90 (first wort)
Styrians 20g @90 (first wort)
Target 10g @ 90 (first wort)
Styrians 30 @ 5

??

PS It's a bit of a task trying to create crystal malt from kiln dried pale malt from what I've read. Although you can certainly roast it to brown without too much complication.

[ajclarkson]

Thanks for that suggestion,

I've not done a porter yet so that could be a good one to have a go at Fuggles and Styrian are a great combination after all!

[dedken]

This will be a bit lighter coloured and a bit lower on the OG than a standard brown porter. It's roughly based on Caledonian Porter in Wheeler's book, which I made once and was delicious.

EDIT: I don't use fuggles normally, but since styrians (celeia/bobek/savinjski) are descended from fuggles anyway..... I used Willamette (another fuggle derivation) and Aurora (super styrian) in mine.

[dedken]

Stream of consciousness...

Looking at this again, I'd say you should try and get some crystal in there for a bit of sweetness to balance the toast you're going to get. Or mash higher to achieve a wort with more body. I fear that all those toasty malt characteristics may leave it a little on the dry side. Omit a bit of the amber maybe?

Just throwing it out there! If it was me I'd definitely be looking to get hold some crystal somehow.

[ajclarkson]

Interesting point, I might have a chance to get hold of some crystal now actually as it looks like this may be postponed a week. I'll be doing an order as I want some yeast and black malt for a TTL clone

[danbrew]

Initially I was thinking of just doing a Cascade IPA, single malt, single hop, but thought I'd come and ask if anyone has any genius ideas for something a little more experimental!

That'd be the one for me, keep it nice and simple for the newbies! It's the basic technique that I'd be demonstrating and if that's the beer he likes he's likely to be keen to make something himself when he sees how easy it is...

[dedken]

Fair enough, but if you're going to do a single-hop Cascade IPA don't ferment it with Nottingham. Use a yeast which will show off the hop eg - US05.

[Normski]

Another idea from looking at your stocks.
Its really simple, It works brilliantly, Its smells gorgeous. Ferments incredibly quickly and can be drunk young.

Guiness 70/20/10.
3.5Kg Pale malt
1kg Flaked Barley
500g Roast Barley

40g Target 90 mins

Nottingham will work well with this.

Norm

[ajclarkson]

That sounds really nice! Unfortunately I'm a bit light on flaked barley for that, but will certainly be making it soon.

The cascade IPA might be the way to go, I might be able to get some safale s04 in time, but will notty really kill it if I can't?

[Normski]

Pm sent

[dedken]

Jesus, don't use S04 if you actually want to have some hop aroma!!!!

[ajclarkson]

Still have lots to learn about yeast strains obviously!!

[dedken]

Still have lots to learn about yeast strains obviously!!

LOL - you'll get there.

Talking dried yeast - my advice is US05 for any American Pale Ales /IPA'S or anything in which you want the hops to shine; also American porters and stouts. You could probably use it for doing lagers if you don't have temp-controlled fermentation. I have used it for a 'Kolsch' and an 'Alt' - the Alt won a bronze at this year's national. Generally US05 is a good clean yeast which does not leave behind many detectable esters. If I'm having a proper go at a lager I'll use W34/70.

I use Nottingham for most UK styles as it will allow some hops through and impart the sort of yeast-derived esters you find in UK beers. S04 is good for darker beers and to have as a backup, but generally I try to avoid it - it's not very subtle.

But hey there's plenty of yeast out there. I would recommend splitting your next batch into two buckets and ferment each half with a different yeast, then you'll get two different beers. You'll be amazed how completely different two yeast strains can behave. Have a go with some White Labs or Wyeast liquid yeasts too - they are more expensive but when treated correctly are far, far, far better than any dried yeast money can buy.

Best of luck.

[ajclarkson]

Cheers for the advice!

I'm in the process of moving over to white labs at the minute, and just brewed a Belgian using WLP575 which seemed to work out really well. Looking into washing and such things at the minute to offset some of the cost while I experiment! I'll be sure to get hold of US05 in the meantime to keep on hand for when I want to knock up a quick batch as I am with this one.

I'll probably work up some simple english style rather than using the cascades and just go with the nottingham for this batch as it's all I have on hand.