8 replies to this topic

[KSUwildcatFAN]

I'm looking for something along the lines of a stout or maybe a saison. I like Boulevard's Saison, but I've read that they like to be fermented at high temps. My basement is probably mid to lower 70's fairly consistently, so I don't if that will work. I'm not particularly fond of Hefes unless you consider American Wheat beers to be a hefe.If a stout, I'd like for it to be thick and chewy, but more importantly, reasonably simple since this is my first time doing all grain (kind of a requirement for any recipe).Preferably, I'd like it to ferment reasonably fast and have ABV 4.5% or higher.I think I got all my "wants" in there, any suggestions that fit the criteria?

[ChefLamont]

As for stouts, Quiet Storm Stout is very hard to beat. I need to brew another batch of that myself. I will say that it does well with 3-4 weeks of aging. So I am not sure if that meets your reasonably fast requirement. My (very limited) experience is that good saisons take some time too.To me "something along the lines of a stout or maybe a saison" is an odd spectrum. What are you more generally looking for? Light, dark, big, funky, extra drinkable, etc.btw American wheat is not a hefe. No way no how.

[Sidney Porter]

for a first AG I would not do a stout unless you have a good understanding of you water and are willing to adj pH if needed.(The dark grains are going to lower the pH you want this to occur but depending on the water you could lower it to much) Personally I would recommend an ale in the amber color range with around a 1.050 starting gravity and 25-30 ibu. Most water can hanfdle amber beers w/o adj, if you miss you og either high or low you will still be in a resonalbe range (1.040 - 1.060)that will still work with the ibu. I would probably mash at 152 once again if you are high or low 148-156 the beer is still going to be in the ballpark and drinkable.I would view your first AG as getting you process down and targeting a middle of the road beer with a lot of room for errors.

[KSUwildcatFAN]

for a first AG I would not do a stout unless you have a good understanding of you water and are willing to adj pH if needed.(The dark grains are going to lower the pH you want this to occur but depending on the water you could lower it to much) Personally I would recommend an ale in the amber color range with around a 1.050 starting gravity and 25-30 ibu. Most water can hanfdle amber beers w/o adj, if you miss you og either high or low you will still be in a resonalbe range (1.040 - 1.060)that will still work with the ibu. I would probably mash at 152 once again if you are high or low 148-156 the beer is still going to be in the ballpark and drinkable. I would view your first AG as getting you process down and targeting a middle of the road beer with a lot of room for errors.

OK, I'm listening. I've just really been craving a thick beer, but I'll start easier. I didn't know stouts were difficult, so I'm definitely open to suggestions. I normally find myself wanting something on the hoppy end of the "spectrum" or a stout. I admit that there are plenty of good beers in between, but I just don't want a boring beer. I also would prefer NOT to have a beer super hoppy as that can be an "in the mood" type of beer. For an "average, middle of the road" type of beer. I like Sam Adams reasonably well if that would be a good starting point to ask for advice. I also like Brown Ales. It's been a while since I've had them, but I always used to like Newcastle's Brown Ale.

[KSUwildcatFAN]

What should the pH be for a stout? I didn't think to mention that I typically use spring water from a grocery store for 1/2 to all of my water. I dunno what that water pH is, but I would assume fairly neutral.

[Sidney Porter]

What should the pH be for a stout? I didn't think to mention that I typically use spring water from a grocery store for 1/2 to all of my water. I dunno what that water pH is, but I would assume fairly neutral.

You want you mash pH around 5.2-5.5, for all beers, but dark grains will lower you pH more everything else being equal. With a stout it is possible to have the pH drop too much, you can counter act this by adding additional bicarbonates normally in the form of Calcium Carbonate or Sodium Bicarbonate. But you are also adding Calcium or sodium with those additions so you want to make sure you don't add too much (the calcium will also cause the pH to lower so there is a balacing act). If you don't know your water, you could have problems with either really light colored or really dark beers. The best example of this affect is why a dry stout came out of Dubln while a pilsner came out of Pilsen, it was mostly a water decision (probably based on trail and error). My advice was to take this possibility out, by recommending something in the middle color sprectrum which usually works with all/most water. I would recommend 93% base malt (English, American 2-row, or European - your choice) 7% crystal 60 aim for an OG of 1.050 and a mash temp of 152 60min hop addition 25-30 ibu(once again pick what you like either British, American or German) If you want some hop aroma add some at 0 min Depending on what you choose as far as the the base malt and hops, you would end up with something like an EPA, APA, or with the european malt and german hops would sort of be like Sam Adams (in the big picture). If you hear is set on going darker 90% base malt (American or British) 6% crystal 60 4% chocolate same 152 and 1.050 60 min addition of a british hop 25-30 IBU This is going to give you something in the English Brown family. This will also work most water (would not be concerned with bottled water) An Irish Red would also be easy to do 90% base malt (American or British) 6% crystal 30 4% roasted barley 60 min addition of a british hop 25-30 IBU You mentioned a Saison if you want to go Belgian Could do a Belegian Pale Ale 90% Europena base malt 5% Munich 5% Cara Vienna or CarraMunich 25-30ibu at 60 min (German or would maybe use a British EKG) Belgian yeast These "recipes" are just ball park recipes from the top of my head. To allow you to create a beer w/o worry about the water, and ready in a relativeley short period of time. Avoiding a lot of ingredients so that you can taste the variosu flavors of what you added. Going to be close enough to the styles that you can call it the style and no one is going to call you out.

[Sidney Porter]

My recmmendation are really focused on the 1st time AG aspect. They also give you a pretty big margin of error with hitting you mash temp and target gravity

[KSUwildcatFAN]

Outstanding Sidney, I appreciate it. I'll have to figure out a way to enter all that in to Strangebrew software (opensource version). I'm hoping it will give me all the temps I need, like water temp before addition to grain (strike water temp?) and stuff like that.

[Sidney Porter]

Outstanding Sidney, I appreciate it. I'll have to figure out a way to enter all that in to Strangebrew software (opensource version). I'm hoping it will give me all the temps I need, like water temp before addition to grain (strike water temp?) and stuff like that.

there is a tab called mash (might be the water tab) on the right hand side a location for you grain temp, water to grain ration, and thermal mass. In the main section you can select the type of mash (pick infusion)type in the desired mash temp it will calc the strike temp (based upon lbs of grain, ratio, grain temp, thermal mass, and target mash temp). Add another mash (pick mash out)and it will calc how much sparge water you need. This screen seems buggy that if you make a change it doesn't automatically refresh the strike temp. If you tab through the fields it will.