Extract and grain recipe assistance

[Aussie Claret]

Hi Guys,
I need some help putting together a recipe using some unhopped LME and speciality gain. This will be my first attempt.

I'd like to make a German style lager or pilsner, (pale yellow, hoppy; something like Beck, or Bittburger) without using a kit and kilo.
This is what I've been thinking, but neeed some help with the quantities.

Light Pale Malt 3kgs
LDME 1kgs? (does this need to be more)
Cracked lager malt 500g
Cracked crystal 150g
I've got 200g of Hersbrucker and Saaz pellets, no idea how much to add.
Does 30g at start of boil, 10g for 20mins and 10g for 5mins sound about right?
Yeast Saflager S23 or W34/70

Was going to steep the grains at 70c for an hour, and rinse and bring to boil the liquid with the LDME and hops.
The Light Pale malt is already pasturised so I'm not going to boil it, because I don't want to darken the beer too much.

Thanks in advance for the help.
AC

[yardglass]

AC,
i don't know if you have it or not, db put me onto this.

http://www.beersmith.com/

they have a 21 day free trial, everything you need to convert from imperial to metric, All Grain to Extract etc.

stick your recipe in and it'll give you colour, bitterness, ABV etc, and the information needed to adjust it to what you want.
really easy to operate ( even i can master it ).

i could try and give you some tips, but with only one Partial under my belt...

hope this helps
yard.

got my 2nd Partial mashing as i type.

[Aussie Claret]

Thanks Yardie,
This is what I came up with, but it doesn't seem alot of malt.
Any thoughts? Dodger any ideas if this will be ok.

1.5kgs extra pale lquid malt
1.25Kgs LDME
1.0 Kgs Lager Malt (cracked to be steeped)
0.15Kgs Crystal Malt cracked to be steeped
90g Saaz hops 60 min boil
30g Saaz hops 20 min boil
20g Hersbrucker Hops 10 min boil
Saflager S23

Est.OG 1051 Est FG1013, Bitterness 25.3 IBU. Est colour 6.9SRM
Cheers
AC

[yardglass]

seems ok, no expert though.
was that with Beersmith's help ?

i mashed up my 2nd Partial today, it ended up at 1072

i ran it through Beersmith as well, must've fricked up somewhere...

cheers
yard

[MHD]

Wine???

Wow... that'll knock your head off!!!

[db]

Thanks Yardie,
This is what I came up with, but it doesn't seem alot of malt.
Any thoughts? Dodger any ideas if this will be ok.

1.5kgs extra pale lquid malt
1.25Kgs LDME
1.0 Kgs Lager Malt (cracked to be steeped)
0.15Kgs Crystal Malt cracked to be steeped
90g Saaz hops 60 min boil
30g Saaz hops 20 min boil
20g Hersbrucker Hops 10 min boil
Saflager S23

Est.OG 1051 Est FG1013, Bitterness 25.3 IBU. Est colour 6.9SRM
Cheers
AC

AC looks ok to me. whats your efficiency set at? looks as tho its at 70-80%? could maybe drop that down to about 60% & see how it comes out

also your 1st hop addition looks quiet high.. whats the alpha acid % of the saaz? one thing to watch with beersmith etc. is the boil gravity. you'll have to set your boil volume & make sure if your adding anything after the boil you check the box 'add after boil' (it's in the dialog box where you enter the quantity & colour of the malt) this will affect your IBU's..

do you know the ebc of the crystal? a darker crystal might not be the go for what your aiming to achieve.. i'd go for a lighter type - caramunich or carapils maybe?

I'll get myself a coffee & plug what you have into beersmith & see what i come up with & get back to you

[Aussie Claret]

db,
thanks mate,
It's my first attempt so please bare with me, The Saaz hops are AA4.0% I think same as the Hersbrucker. No idea about efficiency (the default was at 75%), was just going to boil about 5 - 8 litres of water the LDME or part of, at the start when boiling the hops, then perhaps add more of the LDME nearer then end plus the steeped grain liquid, as i don't want to darken the wort too much.
The LME liquid is extra pale malt and has been pasturised and kettled so I've no intention of boiling it.
As this is the first attempt I don't have any real equipment was doing the make shift job, with whats available in the kitchen. Oh yes I was also going to put about 15litres of water in the fridge to chill, to add to the wort bring the temp, down before pitching the yeast (this shouldn't be a problem, should it?)

Regarding the grain i ordered but haven't picked up yet, 1kg cracked lager malt, and 1kg crystal cracked (I think the light crystal) if there's such a thing.

Cheers for the help, look forward to hearing from you.
AC

[db]

no worries. sorry i've got a little side tracked (it's been awhile since i've logged on & i'm just reading thru all the posts) & i have to duck out now. i'll get onto it today tho

[db]

AC,

this is how i'd do it:

Type: Partial Mash
Batch Size: 23.00 L
Boil Size: 6.00 L
Boil Time: 60 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 60.0

Ingredients
Amount Item Type % or IBU
750.00 gm Light Dry Extract (15.8 EBC) - add after boil - Dry Extract 19.2 %
500.00 gm Light Dry Extract (15.8 EBC) - add start of boil - Dry Extract 12.8 %
1500.00 gm Ex Pale Liquid Extract - add after boil - (6.9 EBC) Extract 38.5 %
1000.00 gm Lager Malt (3.9 EBC) - add start of boil - Grain 25.6 %
150.00 gm Caramalt (Joe White) - add start of boil - (49.3 EBC) Grain 3.8 %
60.00 gm Saaz [4.00%] (60 min) Hops 20.7 IBU
20.00 gm Hallertauer Hersbrucker [4.00%] (10 min) Hops 2.5 IBU
30.00 gm Saaz [4.00%] (5 min) Hops 2.1 IBU
1 Pkgs SafLager West European Lager (DCL Yeast #S-23) Yeast-Lager

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.049 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.012 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.7 %
Bitterness: 25.2 IBU
Est Color: 11.8 EBC

mash the grain at 65-66deg (70deg is too hot imo) for 1hr in 4-5litres, sparge with 2-3litres (to bring volume up of run off upto 6L), add the 500g of DME bring to the boil for 10min.. the start the hop additions.
i'd add the remainder of malt at the end of the boil & top up to 23L with cold water.

anyways thats just my 2c i'll email you the beersmith recipe file so you can open it up & play around with it if you like

EDIT - AC the Caramalt (Joe White) i'm pretty sure is sometimes refered to as light crystal or caramunich

[JaCk_SpArRoW]

i'll email you the beersmith recipe file so you can open it up & play around with it if you like

I'd love a copy if you dont mind db???

[db]

sure JS. you'll need to download a copy of beersmith (http://www.beersmith.com) if you dont already have it.. & email me your email address as i cannot send attachments thru the forum email

[JaCk_SpArRoW]

sure JS. you'll need to download a copy of beersmith (http://www.beersmith.com) if you dont already have it.. & email me your email address as i cannot send attachments thru the forum email

Thanks db...email is on its way!

[Aussie Claret]

db,
Thank you very much!
I've email you.
Cheers
AC

[yardglass]

Aussie,
let us know how you get on.
it get's easier, take notes of everything you do.

good luck
yard

[Aussie Claret]

Will do,
thanks everyone.
AC