Mystery APA help, please!

[moldmaker]

This will be my first all-grain batch after 11 years of extract with specialty grains. I built a mash tun and need another pot, but I'm almost ready to go.

Here's the problem: I had picked out a recipe from the database and purchased grain from the LHBS, but since then, I cannot for the life of me find the recipe that I used.

Here's the grain bill:
9lbs 2-row
2lbs 40L
1lb roasted barley
2oz Willamette

It was either a red or an APA I think. Does this sound familiar to anyone? If not, could someone recommend a temperature and gravity for a grain bill like this? Thanks.

 

[Yooper]

This will be my first all-grain batch after 11 years of extract with specialty grains. I built a mash tun and need another pot, but I'm almost ready to go.

Here's the problem: I had picked out a recipe from the database and purchased grain from the LHBS, but since then, I cannot for the life of me find the recipe that I used.

Here's the grain bill:
9lbs 2-row
2lbs 40L
1lb roasted barley
2oz Willamette

It was either a red or an APA I think. Does this sound familiar to anyone? If not, could someone recommend a temperature and gravity for a grain bill like this? Thanks.

That recipe isn't for an APA- not with a pound of roasted barley! It's also way too much 40L for an APA. It looks like a stout, with too much crystal malt, actually.

 

[drainbamage]

That recipe isn't for an APA- not with a pound of roasted barley! It's also way too much 40L for an APA. It looks like a stout, with too much crystal malt, actually.

I was about to say the same thing. Plugging in the ingredients for a 5.5 gal batch yields an OG of about 1.059 at 75% efficiency, but that's no APA.

 

[moldmaker]

Well phooey. I got the stuff sitting right here in the bag so I KNOW it made sense at some point.

 

[Yooper]

Well phooey. I got the stuff sitting right here in the bag so I KNOW it made sense at some point.

It's a stout. That makes sense, if you were looking at stout recipes (except for the two pounds of crystal).

The other thing that makes sense is if it's an American red (amber), and is supposed to have one OUNCE of roasted barley. It's still a lot of crystal, but some people will use 15% of crystal malt in an American red (amber).

 

[ericbw]

Did you get the grains crushed together? If not, then maybe you would use SOME of the crystal and A LITTLE of the roasted barley.

Otherwise, a sweet stout possibly?

What yeast do you have?

 

[chickypad]

The other thing that makes sense is if it's an American red (amber), and is supposed to have one OUNCE of roasted barley. It's still a lot of crystal, but some people will use 15% of crystal malt in an American red (amber).

I was thinking this same thing - I've seen that mistake before and as mentioned you don't usually see that much crystal except maybe in an amber.

 

[SpeedYellow]

Indeed that's really a strange recipe. Way too much crystal. It'll look like a stout but probably not taste like one. Definitely NOT the way to introduce yourself to all-grain brewing!

 

[ericbw]

How do you know what's in the bag of grain?

 

[moldmaker]

I still have the grain in the individual bags that the store had on the shelf. They are not crushed together.

 

[Hello]

I'm with everyone else, it's not an APA and I wonder how malty it'll be. Yikes.

 

[chickypad]

I still have the grain in the individual bags that the store had on the shelf. They are not crushed together.

Great. For an APA you could do something like .75 lb of C-40 with your 2-row, then save the rest and the roasted barley for something else.

 

[charliethebum]

I'm no expert so take this with a grain of salt but for a pale I would use just the2 row and .5-1lb of the crystal. For a red/amber I would sub a few lbs of 2 row for Munich , Use 1 lb of crystal and 1-2 oz of roasted barley. Just my 2¢.

 

[ericbw]

Listen, you don't have a "grain bill" in those bags. You have some grains. You're supposed to use the 2-row, and then a certain amount of the crystal (not all if it - like 10% of the total weight of grain), and some of the roasted barley. A couple ounces. You've got the grain to make a red or amber. You could call it APA if you like, but I would call it a Pacific Northwest style red (which is amber). In that case, hops at 60, 15, 0, and dry hop if you like.

But those grains are not meant to be used all together. Did they make you but in 1 pound increments?

 

[moldmaker]

I have it in the following arrangement:
(1) 5lb bag of 2-row
(4) 1lb bags of 2-row
(2) 1lb bags of the caramel 40L
(1) lb bag roasted barley
(2) 1oz bags Willamette hops

The store was remodeling and for some reason their grain mill was not operational. Didn't make sense to me why, but I figured I would come back at a later date and get them crushed or have made my own mill by then.

I have Wyeast 1056 American Ale liquid yeast in the fridge too. I'm not trying to trick anyone. I walked in there with a shopping list, told them what I needed and they gave it to me. Now I just can't remember what for.

 

[Yooper]

This is probably the recipe you were looking for, then: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=39586&highlight=willamette

 

[moldmaker]

That's it! Thanks!

 

[ericbw]

I would still think about splitting the hops so you have a later addition. Maybe at 60 and 30. Or 60/15.