single hop and malt

[neil smith]

hi all, i am looking to brew a blonde beer quite citrousy but simple useing only one malt either lager or pale and one hop for all additions, anyone got a simple recipie for me to do a 40 litre brew length, its my first proper brew so idiot proof please.
Cheers Neil

[seymour]

SEYMOUR FIRST GOLD ALE (Single Malt and Single Hop)

Aiming for a nice, light, golden ale with an English but otherwise neutral maltbill and yeast in order to showcase First Gold hops, which produce delicious orange marmalade flavors. Crisp and refreshing, fermented cool it comes out like a hoppy lager. Stella Artois-ish, except tastier. As we head toward spring, start looking to buy a First Gold/Prima Donna dwarf hop rhizome, then you can grow your own for future batches.

6 US gallons = 5 Imperial gallons = 22.7 Litres

GRAINBILL:
100% = 9.3 lbs = 4.22 kg, English Lager Malt
(I won't tell if you cheat a few handfuls of porridge oats into the mash tun. )

MASH at 150°F/65.5°C for 60 minutes

SPARGE slowly at 170°F/76.7°C, to collect 6.5 US gal/5.4 Imperial gal/24.6 L pre-boil

BOIL for 60-90 minutes

HOPS:
.5 oz = 14.2 g, First Gold, 60 minutes remaining
.5 oz = 14.2, First Gold, 30 minutes remaining
.88 oz = 25 g, First Gold, at flameout, then steep until chilled.

RACK to fermentor leaving hops and trub behind, or easier still, pour through a large metal strainer, which helps with aeration as well.

YEAST: Nottingham

STATS (assuming 73% mash efficiency and 75% yeast attenuation):
OG: 1041
FG: 1010
ABV: 4%
IBU: 25
COLOUR: 3°SRM/6°EBC

[neil smith]

thanks that sounds my kind of beer, what do the oats give it and when you steep at the end do you let it cool down naturally or run it through the plate chiller and return to the boiler.
cheers Neil

[boingy]

Simple beers are the best imho and I've made a few excellent beers that meet your spec.
100% Maris Otter plus a hop of your choice. Citra, EKG, Prima Donna and Cascade were all good (the latter two were home grown which added to the pleasure). All brewed to 4.0 to 4.5% ABV and 30-ish IBU. Yeast was either Notty, S04 or fresh yeast from a local micro (stated to be a Hook Norton strain). Grab some brewing software and play with the numbers.

Lager malt will give you a lighter colour but it's something I rarely brew with so I can't really comment on it.

[seymour]

thanks that sounds my kind of beer, what do the oats give it and when you steep at the end do you let it cool down naturally or run it through the plate chiller and return to the boiler.
cheers Neil

Oats in the mash improve the appearance through exquite head retention and lace, plus a silky/creamy mouthfeel. Delicious.

As far as steeping, you'd kill the heat, toss in the last hop addition, replace the lid, then let it steep like tea, while the temperature drops ambiently. The length of time is up to you. When I use my copper immersible chiller, the full wort is exposed to the hops for maybe a half hour or so. Your plate chiller/pump combo will probably give similar results, but this step is a very effective way to add hops aroma in lieu of dry hopping, so don't rush it. A brewer who has no chiller could leave 'em in for several hours.

Good luck!

[neil smith]

hi, my plate chiller cools 160 litres from boil to 22-24c in about 15 mins so 40 litres for my first try will only take about 5 mins, and is transfering to fv all the time so not sure how to let it steep unless i cool back into the boiler, does that make any sense.
cheers Neil

[seymour]

In that case, I'd recommend you count-down your boil as usual, chuck-in the last hops at the end, cover it, kill the heat, then pause everything for 30 minutes while it steeps and naturally drops a few degrees. Then resume your usual process: chill, transfer, etc. I promise the increased aromas will be worth the half hour delay.

[crafty john]

In that case, I'd recommend you count-down your boil as usual, chuck-in the last hops at the end, cover it, kill the heat, then pause everything for 30 minutes while it steeps and naturally drops a few degrees. Then resume your usual process: chill, transfer, etc. I promise the increased aromas will be worth the half hour delay.

I always cool to 80c then add hops and steep for 40 mins, I do this so the high temp after flame-out doesn't extract any further bitterness from the hops ( this is Graham Wheelers advice ) I always stir half way through too. I suppose everyone has their own methods but this works for me, different horses for different courses

[seymour]

I always cool to 80c then add hops and steep for 40 mins, I do this so the high temp after flame-out doesn't extract any further bitterness from the hops ( this is Graham Wheelers advice ) I always stir half way through too.

There you go, Neil, sound advice for your own particular setup. Cheers!

[timbo41]

Having some of this for first baby burco/ immersion chiller bash! Might change hop schedule for glacier hops or mosaic..been hearing good things about these

[neil smith]

thanks john that makes sense so will give it a go.
cheers Neil