First DIY brew recipe (pull it apart!)

[Heagney]

Hey chaps and chapettes!

So I’ve been messing around trying to create a SMaSH recipe so I have a god base to start tinkering with. With this being my first, give it a glance and let me know if I’ve made any glaring errors please. I have thick skin haha

HOME BREW RECIPE:
Title: Tam SMaSH (Citra)
Author: Me!

Brew Method: BIAB
Style Name: American IPA
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 3.8 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 4.75 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.056
Efficiency: 70% (brew house)


STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.070
Final Gravity: 1.014
ABV (standard): 7.39%
IBU (tinseth): 61.57
SRM (morey): 5.44
Mash pH: 5.74

FERMENTABLES:
1.2 kg - United Kingdom - Pale 2-Row (100%)

HOPS:
3 g - Citra, Type: Pellet, AA: 11, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 20.86
5 g - Citra, Type: Pellet, AA: 11, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 17.26
6 g - Citra, Type: Pellet, AA: 11, Use: Boil for 10 min, IBU: 15.13
6 g - Citra, Type: Pellet, AA: 11, Use: Boil for 5 min, IBU: 8.32
8 g - Citra, Type: Pellet, AA: 11, Use: Aroma for 0 min

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Infusion, Temp: 65 C, Time: 60 min, Amount: 2.4 L, Mash
2) Sparge, Temp: 77 C, Time: 5 min, Amount: 4.25 L, Sparge water

YEAST:
Muntons Premium Gold
Starter: No
Form: Dry
Attenuation (avg): 78%
Flocculation: High
Optimum Temp: 13.89 - 25 C
Fermentation Temp: 20 C
Pitch Rate: 0.35 (M cells / ml / deg P)

TARGET WATER PROFILE:
Profile Name: 18944
Ca2: 60
Mg2: 7
Na: 141
Cl: 8
SO4: 28
HCO3: 7
Water Notes:
Need to boil a total 4.75 lites
Check target for water conditions

This recipe has been published online at:
https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/771563/tam-smash-citra-

 

[Brew Dad]

I'm too new to the hobby to be providing recipe advice, but I can say I did a Maris Otter Citra SMASH recently that is the best beer I have made. For a 20L batch, staggered 60 grams in the boil (most of it late additions, similar to your schedule) and 90 grams dry hop. But I think what you have above should work out well.

 

[Heagney]

I'm too new to the hobby to be providing recipe advice, but I can say I did a Maris Otter Citra SMASH recently that is the best beer I have made. For a 20L batch, staggered 60 grams in the boil (most of it late additions, similar to your schedule) and 90 grams dry hop. But I think what you have above should work out well.

Just aiming for something drinkable that I can start messing around with, different yeast, trying water corrections, different temp and boil times etc etc etc

 

[dan125]

I don't think there's any glaring errors - I'm sure it will make a tasty beer
A few things stand out though;

I don't think there's much to be gained from doing separate 15, 10 & 5 min additions, and would do a single 10 or 5 min addition instead, as well as a dry hop. And bear in mind that your 0 min addition will add some IBUs (especially if you don't chill to <75C before adding them and leave them steeping very hot)

For a big beer like this it could be worth fermenting cooler than 20C if you have some temp control - maybe start at 16-17C and ramp up to 20C when its calmed down a bit if you can.

Your water profile seems very sodium heavy with very low sulphate & chloride. Is that your tap water profile?

 

[Brew Dad]

Just aiming for something drinkable that I can start messing around with, different yeast, trying water corrections, different temp and boil times etc etc etc

I don't brew "big beers", tend to keep them under 6% ABV. Hopefully someone with more experience can chime in with some guidance on appropriately hopping them, and if a single malt comes across as too warm. Or, you could go ahead and brew it and let us know!

 

[matt76]

Looks good, best of luck with your brew

Two comments I'd make:

1. I'm with dan125, I'd just do a single hop addition at 15 or 10 mins. (Actually, what I'd do is late hop - forget the bittering addition at the start, and add more hops later on in the boil to get the same IBU's.)

2. If you can, I would rethink your yeast. I used that one with my one and only kit and or came out sickly sweet. Others have reported the same problems with the same kit and similar muntins yeast. That doesn't prove its the yeast that's at fault - personally I'd go with Wyeast 1056 American Ale which hasn't let me down yet. (Others may be able to recommend a similar dry yeast)

Keep us posted on how it goes, I'll be interested to know how it turns out.

Cheers,

Matt

 

[The Baron]

I'me with Dan and Matt I very rarely do bittering early in the boil to allow me to add more hops with out getting too high IBU's. This also adds more flavour to beer, I would also do a dry hop with it too.

 

[Drunkula]

Another one siding with Dan - put all those later hop additions in at 10 minutes and save the zero and maybe even the 5 for a dry hop. To help have a look at the BU:GU calculation for your beer and see if it's close to a style you're expecting and shift the time or amount based on that.

 

[Heagney]

Thanks for the advice folks! I’ve already bought the yeast so I’ll try with Muntons and a different one next and see the difference. Thanks guys I’ll probably do that with the hop additions. Dry hop would be a nightmare in my small 1 gallon but I might try that next and again compare. The ABV is higher than I want so I’m going to mess around a little to bring it down.
Thanks again much appreciated

 

[Madhouse]

I'd drop your efficiency to something like 60% as it's unlikely you'll get that working on a stovetop - unless that's what you usually get of course.
I recently did a similar sized brew with 1.6kg of malt and it looks to be coming out at about 7%, so 7.4% with 1.2kg seems like an ambitious target.

Keep an eye on your water volumes and factor in what you'll lose to trub in the pan so you transfer as little to the FV as possible and therefore reduce the impact on your bottling volume. Also, a high OG will give you a pretty active fermentation so make sure you have the headspace in the FV or a blow-off tube - I learnt this the hard way when the krausen came through the air lock

Happy brewing!

 

[marshbrewer]

The only thing I'll chime in with is to agree with everyone else and simplify your hop additions a bit.:thumba:

 

[Ben034]

Thanks for the advice folks! I’ve already bought the yeast so I’ll try with Muntons and a different one next and see the difference. Thanks guys I’ll probably do that with the hop additions. Dry hop would be a nightmare in my small 1 gallon but I might try that next and again compare. The ABV is higher than I want so I’m going to mess around a little to bring it down.
Thanks again much appreciated

A "hop tea" may be a good alternative to dry hopping next time.

 

[Heagney]

So when should I take readings to try and work this out? Pretty much take water level readings at each stage, OG and FG readings?

 

[Heagney]

So I’m gonna brew this weekend. Citra SMaSH or Simple Citra (citra and cascade) decisions decisions!

 

[Madhouse]

So when should I take readings to try and work this out? Pretty much take water level readings at each stage, OG and FG readings?

As long as your efficiency is ok in the recipe you should be alright, you'll have got the right amount of sugars from the grains via the mash for your FV volume. This means any boil or FV top-ups will just get you back to where you want to be.
I find if I want say 4L in the FV, I brew to finish the boil with 5L so that I'm covered for loss to trub and calculation errors. First time I brewed AG I forgot this, had to top up the FV and missed my gravity target because of it. I'm learning from every brew.

 

[Heagney]

Found a new unused 7L pot with volume markings! Result, it was at the back of our cupboard.
I’ve got a problem though. My Punk IPA has a wee left in the bottle but opened one last night to see how it’s doing. Carbonated, decent colour and smell. Taste is good...initially...the after a few seconds the after taste isn’t great. Kinda bitter. I think my water was maybe too alkaline or I boiled at too high a temp?
I was planning on brewing again tomorrow but think I need CRS or Lactid acid. My local brew store is miles away. Do any major retailers sell these? I have looked online but I’d rather pop out tomorrow if possible

 

[Heagney]

45ppm in the water report but that’s obv a mean(?) reading

 

[An Ankoù]

You've probably done it by now, but I'd keep the mash temperature down to 64C and let it run on for a full 90 minutes if what others say about Munton's Premium Gold is true. That should make more single sugars available to the yeast and provide a fuller attenuation, so less sweet. Rehydrate your yeast in water at 20-25C 30 mins before pitching.
Interesting comments about hop additions: I would have made an addition at -20 mins with the copper finings; another at -5mins and a final addition and rest around 75C. Never thought about it, that's just what I do. I wonder why others think its a waste of time.
The highest IBU contribution after the boiling hops will come from the -20 minute addition, of course.

 

[Heagney]

You've probably done it by now, but I'd keep the mash temperature down to 64C and let it run on for a full 90 minutes if what others say about Munton's Premium Gold is true. That should make more single sugars available to the yeast and provide a fuller attenuation, so less sweet. Rehydrate your yeast in water at 20-25C 30 mins before pitching.
Interesting comments about hop additions: I would have made an addition at -20 mins with the copper finings; another at -5mins and a final addition and rest around 75C. Never thought about it, that's just what I do. I wonder why others think its a waste of time.
The highest IBU contribution after the boiling hops will come from the -20 minute addition, of course.

No I’m holding off until I get some CSR and do a side by side one with one without and see how that helps.

 

[Heagney]

So folks I got to taste my first brew! This was the kit bought for me that got me started on this hopefully enjoyable journey!
Well over carbonated, the head tastes rank. The smell is nice, but cloudy. Don’t mind that but too much **** in it from symphoning the sludge up me thinks. Decent taste to start but a few seconds later it tastes really metallic and not too appealing. I’m gonna try messing with my water parameters. Just bought most of the stuff I need. Next brew this weekend!