1st Beersmith Design Help

[antony]

Hey gang,

So, I finally grabbed a copy of Beersmith a couple of weeks ago & I'm thinking I want to try my hand and making something that isn't a recipe that I've found. I came up with this:

All Grain
5.5g, BIAB

7 lb Marris Otter
2.75 lb German Pilsner
1.25 Crystal 20L
12oz Flaked Oats

Mash at 152 for 90 minutes.

90' Boil
45' 1 oz Cascade
20' 2 oz Cascade
15' 1 oz Cascade

WLP001 (1.5L Starter)

Ferment at 64F
3oz Cascade Dryhop for 7 Days

Estimated:

6.4 SRM
5.5% ABV (65% Efficiency)
55 IBUs

I've got a bunch of Cascade, so that's why the abundance. I was looking for a light, aromatic pale ale with medium bitterness. I've got the pilsner in b/c I thought it'd be lighter (golden rather than amber) than going all Marris Otter. The Crystal 20L is for head retention/body (right?). & the oats are purely because I had a Ranger Creek OPA last week that I loved.

Thoughts? Will this be gross?

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

Oats are kind of an odd addition to a pale ale. They can give a slick mouthfeel that takes away from the crisp feel of a PA. But unless you're entering it in a competition, go with what you like. The 55 IBUs puts it more in IPA territory. If you want more of a PA with some good hop aroma and flavor (but not the bitterness), try an early cascade addition for bittering and the one late addition (10-15 min) before flameout to get around 45 IBUs. Then do a 2 oz hopstand at 170F and then your 2 oz dry hop. Something like Widmer's Alchemy Ale is what I'm thinking of - a pale ale that thinks it's an IPA.

 

[Kent88]

It looks like it will make a beer. You ought to be just fine.

 

[oach]

I really like marris otter malt in beers but I don't think it belongs in an APA. Too nutty for the style. Pale malt is my preference for APA to help give a bit more than 2-row, while not adding too much complexity.

Just my opinion and I know what you have on hand is probably a big factor into what you choose to brew w/

 

[Oginme]

IMHO, if you are looking for a medium bitterness with a lot of hop aroma, I would start bittering hop addition at 30 minutes, then load the rest of the hops in at 10 minutes or less, whirlpool or steep following the boil for 20 minutes or so with an oz and then dry hop with 2 oz. Aim for about 40 to 45 IBU.

I do this for my SMaSH recipes (minus the dry hopping) and end up with a lot of hop character and tremendous aroma from the steeping. I find that the dry hop aromas are more fleeting, but the background aromas from steeping keep coming at you throughout the drinking.

 

[antony]

Ok. Thanks gang. After taking the above into account, I'm thinking this:

7.5 lbs Pale (US 2 Row) (2.0SRM) (63.8%)
3.0 lbs Pilsner (Ger 2 Row) (2.oSRM) (25.5%)
1.25 lbs Crystal 20L (10.6%)
90 min mash at 151, mash out at 168 for 10'

90 min boil
1.5 oz Cascade 30'
1.0 oz Cascade 15'
1.5 oz Cascade Whirlpool for 20'
3.0 oz Cascade dryhop for 7 days
WLP001 (1.5L starter)

65% efficiency
45. IBUs
5.9 SRM
5.4% ABV

I pulled the Marris Otter, replaced with 2-Row, upped the Pilsner by a bit, kept the Crystal 20L the same. Changed the hop additions to the recommended 30', 15', & whirlpool/hop stand. Left the dryhop the same. Shoots right about 45 IBUs, 5.9 SRM (light the way I was hoping), and right around 5.4%. I've had crappy effiiciency the last two brews (65%) so I may be overestimating the grain bill in the end.

Any more ideas? I'm picking up grain/yeast in the morning...

I appreciate it!

 

[chickypad]

Well just to add another opinion I like MO in APA's. I don't find it particularly nutty though many describe it that way, to me it's more bready. When I use it I go easy on the specialty malts though, not usually that much crystal. I like the idea of pushing more of the hops late, how you do that we could debate for days.

 

[Subdivisions]

Just a thought, maybe ditch the pilsner and use 3lb vienna. That will give it a little more interesting malt character. You can also do a 60 minute boil since the pilsner is gone.