Recipe with Crystal Hops - comments?

[DblTrbl500]

I have not used Crystal hops before, but a friend gave me 4 ounces of them. I could not find a recipe that would bring out their character, so I did a little reading and came up with one:

8 pounds of American two-row
2 pounds of Crystal 75L (to add caramel roasted flavor)
1 pound of flaked oats (to add smoothness and mouthfeel)

1 ounce of Magnum for 60 minutes
1 ounce of Crystal for 40 minutes
1 ounce of Crystal for 20 minutes
1 ounce of Crystal for 5 minutes
1 ounce of Crystal for dry hopping, 1 week before bottling

This calculates to 1.060 OG, 1.015 FG, 16 SRM, 54.9 IBU, 6% ABV

Magnum hops were included to have a high-alpha (13-15%) hop from the Noble hop family. The oatmeal is the influence of the excellent oatmeal stout that is by my side as I write this.

This would be my first original recipe, so any comments or suggestions are welcome.

Thanks and Cheers!

 

[binkman]

What kind of yeast?

 

[Chamuco]

I just sub'd Crystal hops for Mt Hood in a saison. Here's a handy hop substitution chart:

www.brew365.com/hop_substitution_chart.php

 

[cepster]

I'm wondering if the 40 min Crystal addition is worth it considering it has such low bittering properties (alpha of 3-5%). If it was me, personally, I'd push back the hop schedule and save an ounce for the last minute of the boil. Sounds delicious, though!

 

[DblTrbl500]

I was planning to use a California yeast, either White Labs 001 or Wyeast 1056, to get a clean, crisp taste with a balance between the malt and hop flavors. I also have recovered and washed Wyeast 1338 European ale and Wyeast 1335 British ale sitting in my refrigerator. These both emphasize malt, so I was going to use the California yeast to get more hop flavor.

Chamuco's chart link and Cepster's comments are both helpful. Instead of the 40-20-5 additions, do you think 15-10-1 or 10-5-1 would be better?

Thanks to all and Cheers!

 

[KraphtBier]

I'm gonna brew a pale using 3oz of crystal next tuesday. The plan for my brew is to go with a 10-5-0 addition schedule for the crystal (mine are 3.6%aa), using colombus to bitter.

12lbs Breiss 2-row
1lb Bairds Carastan
12oz Dingemann Aromatic
0.5oz Colombus (12.9%aa) 60 min
0.5oz Colombus 45 min
1oz Crystal 10 min
1oz Crystal 5 min
1oz Crystal 0min or dry hop (haven't decided yet)

This will be my first experience with crystal as well and I really want to taste/smell them so I pushed them as late into the boil as I could.

 

[dcp27]

Instead of the 40-20-5 additions, do you think 15-10-1 or 10-5-1 would be better?

either would be much better. crystal hops are pretty mild, so you'll want as much late as possible. i'd back off on some of the crystal malt, 2lbs is alot, and its gunna compete with the hops. i think something like a bitter would be more suitable

 

[DblTrbl500]

The points about adding the hops later and the crystal malt competing with hops are both helpful. Would you recommend reducing the crystal to 1 pound and adding another pound of something like Carastan or another grain?
Thanks again for everybody's comments.
Cheers!

 

[rhys333]

Rebooting an old 2012 thread, requesting recipe feedback on crystal hop character.

I'm brewing an ale based off Kölsch stats but with more kick to it. I'm still calling it a Kölsch, maybe an American Kölsch, but it's basically a pale ale. Anyway, thinking of doing the following and appreciate your thoughts...

KÖLSCH 5.5 gal @ 1.045 & 25 IBU
63% 2 Row
25% Wheat
12% Vienna
1.25 oz Crystal @ 60
1 oz Crystal @ 10, 1 & dry hop
WY 2565 Kölsch

The wheat is there for two reasons: 1) improved head, and 2) I like how it plays with 2565. I'm doubling the typical Vienna amount to get some malt backbone. I may yet switch it for Munich.

As for the Crystal hops... I understand it has clean flavor and can have pleasant floral/spiciness at higher hopping rates. I want it to be there, but not overpoweringly so. A pleasant easy drinker with a touch of pizzazz would be perfect.

All thoughts/suggestions appreciated!