Help with steeping grains

I'm going to put in an order soon for my next brew (BrewDog Libertine Black clone) and wanted some advice on my steeping grains. Here is the recipe I've gone for:

HOME BREW RECIPE:
Title: Libertine Clone
Author: BrewDD2

Brew Method: Extract
Style Name: Specialty Beer
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 20 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 5 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.063
Efficiency: 35% (steeping grains only)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.068
Final Gravity: 1.013
ABV (standard): 7.27%
IBU (tinseth): 63.07
SRM (morey): 36.55

FERMENTABLES:
0.5 kg - Dry Malt Extract - Amber - (late addition) (9.2%)
3 kg - Liquid Malt Extract - Light - (late addition) (55%)
0.5 kg - Dry Malt Extract - Amber (9.2%)

STEEPING GRAINS:
0.2 kg - American - Caramel / Crystal 150L (3.7%)
0.35 kg - German - De-Husked Caraf III (6.4%)
0.5 kg - German - CaraHell (9.2%)
0.4 kg - United Kingdom - Dark Crystal 80L (7.3%)

HOPS:
25 g - Simcoe, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 15.5, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 39.74
35 g - Simcoe, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 15.5, Use: Aroma for 10 min, IBU: 20.17
10 g - Simcoe, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 15.5, Use: Aroma for 5 min, IBU: 3.17
30 g - Simcoe, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 15.5, Use: Dry Hop for 7 days

YEAST:
Fermentis / Safale - American Ale Yeast US-05
Starter: No
Form: Dry
Attenuation (avg): 81%
Flocculation: Medium
Optimum Temp: 12.22 - 25 C
Fermentation Temp: 18 C
Pitch Rate: 0.75 (M cells / ml / deg P)


My gut tells me this is too heavy on the crystal malts but I am really struggling to get the colour I want without going overboard on roasted flavours. Brewersfriend.com recipe builder has been very accurate for me on my first two brews but when inputting others' recipes for this beer it seems to show them as too light.

Any advice?

Is this the exact recipe you copied, or adjusted? Carahell seems high. I bet Brewdog uses british caramalt. And is it dark crystal or standard crystal? I'd cut both the crystal additions. And not worry about colour too much, the calculators are not that accurate, the darker you get, I suspect.

Thanks for the response!

This is the recipe I came up with as others I input into brewers' friend were coming up too light.

Would recommend reducing carahell and upping one of the others?

Having looked around, Libertine used to also contain Munich, so I'd go something like this:

23litres:

Maris Otter 5.3kg
Caramalt 670g
Carafa III 350g
Dark Crystal 280g

I've upped the Caramalt to compensate for the Munich, and suspect that's what Brewdog has done. I'm fairly confident those will be the 4 grains they use. If you have Carahell it will be fine instead of caramalt I think.

Thanks for that, really helpful post. I'd gone with amber extract in attempt to replicate the Munich malt.

I'll convert that recipe you posted into an extract recipe.

Will feed back how it goes!


If anyone else has any further on this one it'll be greatly appreciated.

Brewdog seems to have dropped the Munich:

BREW SHEET
ABV: 7.2%
OG: 1069
IBU's: 65
Malts: Extra Pale, Cara, Crystal, Carafa
Hops: Simcoe

It used to be this:
ABV:7.2%
OG:1069
IBU's:65
Malts:Maris Otter, Caramalt, Munich Malt, Dark Crystal Malt, Carafa
Hops:Simcoe

Wow! Never tried this brewdog beer but i am a massive fan of their dead pony and punk ipa beers. This seems a fantastic starter beer for someone who wants to progress to extract. (Starts searching for large brewpots) please update on what you find/how it goes i would love to do this!

Coups this beer is fantastic. I thought it should be quite a simple one to replicate as well.

I have done two extract brews prior to this but this will be my first utilising specialty grains.

I'll post some updates once I have brewed it along with a final recipe.

Great stuff, ill definately be trying it.

I think the main doubt for me I'd the amount of caramalt. Could be anywhere between about 350g and 700g so perhaps go half way for a first attempt. Around 500-550g

So I'm thinking I should maybe dial up the dehusked carafa III and dial down the crystal malts?

If I was doing it I'd do something like this:

23litres:

Maris Otter 5.3kg
Caramalt 500g
Carafa III 350g
Dark Crystal 280g

It might not be perfect but shouldn't be too far away. These are the right 4 malts. We don't know the percentages but these won't be a million miles away. You can see how it goes and adjust next time if you decide to brew again. This will make a really good beer whatever happens, and it shouldn't be far off, all other things being equal.