1st all grain today...Bursting Blonde

[gwapogorilla]

Well, gonna do my 1st AG today. I have done some partial before, so the jump isn't that big. Was planning to do a wheat recipe I came up with, but the grains didn't come in...so I had to make due with what I had available.
The hops I ordered from Yakima....and there isn't a lot of information on the varieties. So, it really is going to be an experiment. As you can see, they are all high in AA, so I pulled them back in to a late boil position and added more of them to get my 20 IBU...otherwise called "hop bursting". Hence the name "Bursting Blonde".
I'm also going to add a little orange peel to the 2nd ferm tank. I am hoping to get a nice fruity flavor out of this one. Flavors other than grapefruit...I've drank enough grapefruit beers in the last few months to last a life time!
Anyways...here is my recipe for Bursting Blonde


Batch Size 5.50000 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency 80.2 %


Ingredients
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
6 lbs 12.0 oz 2-row (Rahr) (1.8 SRM) Grain 1 70.5 %
1 lbs Oats, Golden Naked (Simpsons) (10.0 SRM) Grain 2 10.4 %
12.0 oz Carapils (Briess) (1.5 SRM) Grain 3 7.8 %
12.0 oz Vienna Malt (Briess) (3.5 SRM) Grain 4 7.8 %
5.3 oz Munich Malt (Briess) (10.0 SRM) Grain 5 3.4 %
0.2 oz Calypso [13.00 %] - Boil 25.0 min Hop 6 5.7 IBUs
0.2 oz Mosaic [12.00 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 7 4.0 IBUs
1.00 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 8 -
0.2 oz Caliente [15.60 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 9 4.3 IBUs
0.2 oz Mosaic [12.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 10 2.4 IBUs
0.2 oz Caliente [15.60 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 11 1.7 IBUs
0.5 oz Caliente [15.60 %] - Boil 2.0 min Hop 12 2.3 IBUs
0.5 oz Mosaic [12.00 %] - Boil 2.0 min Hop 13 1.7 IBUs
1.0 pkg American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056) [4.2 oz] Yeast 14 -
1.50 oz Orange Peel, Sweet (Secondary 7.0 days) Spice 15 -

Beer Profile...
Est Original Gravity: 1.045
Est Final Gravity: 1.009
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.7 %
Bitterness: 22.1 IBUs
Est Color: 4.4 SRM

Mash Profile...
Mash Name: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge Total Grain Weight: 9 lbs 9.3 oz
Sparge Water: 4.84335 gal Grain Temperature: 72 F
Sparge Temperature: 168 F Tun Temperature: 72 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE Mash PH: 5.20
Mash Steps
Name Description Step Temperature Step Time
Mash In Add 14.4 qt of water at 164 F 150 F 60 min
Sparge Step: Batch sparge with 2 steps (Drain mash tun, , 4.84335gal) of 168 F water
Mash Notes: Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time).

Carbonation and Storage...
Carbonation Type: Bottle Volumes of CO2: 2.8
Pressure/Weight: 5.24 oz Carbonation Used: Bottle with 5.24 oz Corn Sugar
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 70 F Age for: 21.00 days
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage Storage Temperature: 67 F
Notes

Used 1st generation 1056 from frozen specimen. Was slow to start and takes a long time to finish. Recommend doing starters from frozen samples 8 days in advance next time.

 

[gwapogorilla]

Brew day went really well. Sparge got stuck right at the end of the running. I had collected just enough wort...a perfect amount really. The runnings measured at 1.015...so I called it good. I ended up with a 86% mash efficiency, pretty good for a first time.
The OG came out to be 1.047...very close to target.
The wort from AG compared to extract is so much lighter in color! For the first time, I may actually get the color I strived for. And the smell was awesome!
I used some yeast that I has frozen from a prior batch...bubbling away like crazy 12 hours after pitching my starter.
All in all, an excellent first AG experience. I am looking forward to trying a sample of this brew.

I would like to say thank you to all of the other brewers on this site. You input, weather direct or indirect, helped me a great deal. And I am sure I will continue to improve from your further input.
CHEERS!

 

[gwapogorilla]

It's fully carbed now....and the flavor is absolutely amazing! I can't stop drinking this stuff!