First Recipe Help

[Groo]

Ok I've got a new baby coming in a couple weeks and I'm trying to sneak a brew in without spending too much cash.

Here's what I have on hand.
2 oz of Saaz, 1 oz Sterling, .5 Oz Cascade and 1 Oz Northern Brewer.
About 2.5 lbs of Light DME
About .5 lb of Amber DME

I have some bottles of my Pale Ale made with Cascade and NB left so I was leaning towards the Saaz/Sterling. I don't really know how they taste and someone just gave them to me.

Here's my recipe:

1.045 OG
38 IBU

2.5 Gallon Recipe
2.5lb Light DME
.5 Lb Crystal 40 (have to pick it up from the store)
.5 Oz Sterling - 60 Minutes
.5 Oz Saaz - 20 Minutes
1 Oz Saaz - 0 Minutes
.5 Oz Saaz - Dry Hop

How does that sound? I'm especially worried about the hops.

Also would another steeping grain go better with this? I need to pick up a yeast so I can get any steeping grain they have.

Thanks

 

[robbyg]

Sounds to me like it'd make a light, floral pale ale. Beersmith has this to say:

Estimated OG: 1.045 SG
Estimated FG: 1.012
Estimated Color: 10.0 SRM
Estimated IBU: 37.7 IBU
Estimated ABV: 4.30%

FYI, If you tossed in the half pound of amber extract you have laying around, you'd up the OG to 1.053, the ABV to 5.16%, and the color to 11.

All that having been said, I've not yet used Saaz. The BJCP has this to say:
Use for: Pilsners and Bohemian style lagers
Aroma: Delicate, mild, clean, somewhat floral -- Noble hops
Substitute: Tettnanger, Lublin
Examples: Pulsner Urquell

 

[frazier]

The BJCP has this to say: (about Saaz)
Examples: Pulsner Urquell

I'm a fan of PU, and someday probably this spring I intend to make a pale ale using a bunch of Saaz.

Your recipe sounds fine, let us know how it turns out!

 

[dcp27]

what are you thinking for yeast? you could go belgian and make a belgian IPA or belgian blond out of those ingredients if you can't lager.

 

[lumpher]

i'd use a a yeast like s04, muntons, nottingham. that could be a light pale ale or an english pale ale

 

[Groo]

I was thinking of going with s-o4 or S-05 but the belgian idea is good too. I'm going to have to think about it. I'm probably going to hit this on the weekend.

My stout is boiling away right now. Its my first PM so we will see how this one goes!

 

[Groo]

Alright I brewed this tonight and had some minor issues but it was fun handling them. Since I had whole hops I had to adjust the amount of water to end up with 2.5 gallons. It ended up being too much water for my stove to handle so the batch got split into two pots. I tried to split the hop additions and extract additions equally. Also using whole leaf hops was a pain in the ass and I think I prefer pellets!

The recipe changed quite a bit from reading, talking to some people, and actually measuring my ingredients on hand. Here's the final:

Type: Extract
Date: 11/20/2010
Batch Size: 2.50 gal
Brewer: Groo
Boil Size: 3.68 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min

Est Original Gravity: 1.058 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.061 SG
Bitterness: 48.1 IBU Calories: 0 cal/pint
Est Color: 7.7 SRM

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
2.75 lb DME Golden Light (.75lb Late Addition)
0.50 lb Amber DME (Late Addition)
0.25 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L
0.50 oz Sterling [7.50%] (60 min)
0.50 oz Sterling [7.50%] (20 min)
0.50 oz Saaz [3.00%] (20 min)
0.50 oz Saaz [3.00%] (10 min)
0.25 oz Saaz [3.00%] (0 min)
0.25 oz Sterling [7.50%] (0 min)
0.25 oz Sterling [7.50%] (Dry Hop)
0.75 oz Saaz [3.00%] (Dry Hop)
1 Pkgs Safale 05

I think the gravity came out a little high because my evaporation rate and/or hop absorption was higher than expected (maybe due to two pots). I guess this would increase my IBU's too.