Comments on this recipe

[MaryB]

Need to make 10 gallons of something so I was digging in the supply buckets... came up with this. Style I am not sure on, going to use Danstar Notty to ferment with so some form of an English ale?


Method: All Grain
Style: American Amber Ale
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 11 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 13 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.042 (recipe based estimate)
Efficiency: 75% (brew house)

Original Gravity:
1.050
Final Gravity:
1.012
ABV (standard):
4.87%
IBU (tinseth):
33.44
SRM (morey):
15.21
Fermentables
Amount Fermentable PPG °L Bill %
16 lb American - Pale 2-Row 37 1.8 80%
2 lb American - Victory 34 28 10%
2 lb United Kingdom - Extra Dark Crystal 120L 33 120 10%
20 lb Total
Hops
Amount Variety Type AA Use Time IBU
2 oz Perle Pellet 8.2 Boil 60 min 30.48
2 oz Hallertau Hersbrucker Pellet 4 Boil 5 min 2.96
Hops Summary
Amount Variety Type AA
2 oz Hallertau Hersbrucker Pellet 4
2 oz Perle Pellet 8.2

 

[rhys333]

I've never gone as high as 10% victory malt but I've read you can go up to 25%. Maybe it's an amber or brown ale? It looks like it would have deep, nutty caramel flavors though too. If you were shooting for a certain style of beer, what do you think you would like? Amber, brown, porter, stout?

EDIT: 2 lb dark crystal in 11 gallons is probably twice maximum amount you'd want to use. From the Beersmith site:

Very Dark Caramel/Crystal Malts (100-220 L): These include not only dark Caramel malts such as Caramel 120, but also custom specialty malts like Carafa I, Carafa II, and Special B (which is very dark at 220 L). These malts add not only significant color and caramel flavors, but also often include a bitter, nutty somewhat roasted flavor. They should be used sparingly (1/8-1/2 pound max per 5 gal/19L), as the bitterness can easily overwhelm a beer. Large amounts can lead to a bitter, plum like flavor. Some variations such as Weyermann’s Carafa are dehusked to reduce the bitter off flavor.

 

[MaryB]

I can drop the Extra dark back and up the Victory...

I am a fan of ambers that are low end of the hop scale, brown ales too... Now that I think about it I just did a 10 gallon batch with 1 pound of Extra dark crystal and the flavor profile was dead on where I like it.

While I like an IPA now and then they are not my go to for drinking. If I am buying beer Fat Tire is a go to for example... Trying to hit something in the line of of a house ale but with more of a malt background.

 

[MaryB]

Okay down to 1 pound of the crystal, 3 of the Victory... falls into a strong English bitter category with the Notty yeast I plan on using. Normally would like to use Golden Promise instead of 2 row but out of it.

 

[JosephN]

Jamil suggests using a bit of pale chocolate and a lighter caramel/crystal. Here is a screen shot of his brain bill for 6 gallons. Also this is truly an American amber ale, it hits the BJCP guidelines perfectly.


View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1470974510.138913.jpg

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1470974526.063175.jpg

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1470974538.213135.jpg

 

[MaryB]

I am working off what I have in inventory... I don't have that! Only other malt option is Munich...

 

[MaryB]

Brewed today, great bready/biscuit aroma from the victory malt, deep copper color... OG sample tasted pretty dang good for a raw un-fermented wort! Hit 80% efficiency (seems to be my normal unless I screw up)and and OG of 1.054. Will give it a week fermenting with a big starter then check FG! Been pushing some beer to drinkable in 2 weeks!

 

[MaryB]

Drinking this for the last week. Pours a deep hazy copper color, lots of malt background from the victory, just right on bitter from the extra dark crystal. This one is a keeper! Came in at 5.5% ABV so a bit over a lawnmower beer but it is pretty dang tasty on a hot day!

 

[Desertbrewer]

What do you feel was the flavor contribution from all that victory? And did it boost up the body of the beer?

 

[MaryB]

Victory added a nice sweet/malty background and a lot of body over the recipe I modified this from that would have had 4 pounds of dextrose instead. Not as dry, very drinkable, the extra dark crystal adds a nice bitter background... FG was 1.011 so not as dry as the original that had a FG of 1.006. While I like the Innkeeper Ale (NB) I based this from using what I had on hand for ingredients this is a lot more satisfying of a beer.

Have a 10 gallon batch ready to make when I get up later today(I am a night owl!) but I am subbing Golden Promise for the 2 row to see what difference I see. I don't expect a lot of changes since they are basically the same.

This is a keeper and will be in my rotation with either 2 row or Golden Promise depending on how today's batch turns out.