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Diving into first AG experience!  Am I crazy?

F

fatad

I am planning my first AG experience and decided to dive all the way in with my own recipe. I am considering it an American Pale Ale. It will be 12 gallons after boil, and I want to split it into 3 fermentors with 4 gallons in each. I want to see the effects of different yeasts. In #1 I want to use WLP East Coast Ale, in #2 I want to use WLP California Ale, and #3 I want to include equal parts of the two strains above.
Grain Bill:
21 lb. American 2-row Pale
1 lb. 8 oz. American Caramel 40L
1 lb. 8 oz. Dextrine malt (Cara-Pils)
Hops:
2 oz. Northern Brewer (8.5% AA, 60 min.)
1 oz. Mt. Hood (4.5% AA, 30 min.)
1 oz. Mt. Hood (4.5% AA, 15 min.)
0.5 oz. Mt. Hood (aroma)

I am not dead set on the ingredients, so feel free to make suggestions and bash me if necessary. I am shooting for a 1.055 OG and 1.012 FG.
I know I must be nuts to try this on my first AG, but I am a glutten for punishment. Thanks and I can handle it if you want to call me names.
 
Looks good to me!  BTW - I don't think you are crazy at all -- this is just the natural evolution of the obsession.

I did not run the numbers - but what is your bitterness prediction?

Cheers!
Brad
 
Looks good. This is just me, but in the third fermenter, instead of the blend of two yeasts, I'd use WL810 San Francisco lager yeast--it's the California Common/"steam" beer yeast. This recipe is basically a steam beer, especially with the NB hops (yummy!), and Mt Hood are good too.

IMHO, the blending of the first two yeasts isn't going to give you much of anything different from either the first two. Generally, one of the yeasts will take dominance over another, unless they are specially formulated to work together--I think WL actually sells some pre-made yeast blends.

Oh, another thing: if it were me, I'd change the grain bill just a tad. Between the crystal 40 and the dextrine malt, you've got a good amount of body there. You might want to drop the dextrine to about 1/2#, and then throw in a pound of aromatic malt. Another option might be to throw in a couple pounds of Munich malt. Just my thoughts, of course... do with them as you wish  :)

Good luck!
 
Bitterness is 38IBU and color is 11
Thanks for the info.  I think I will change the #3 to a different yeast all together.  Good point.
 
Again, looks pretty good to me!

You might want to take a look at my Sierra Ale - I had a pint of it tonight and it was quite yummy...

http://www.beersmith.com/Recipes/Sept03/Sept%2003/Sierra%20Ale.htm

Cheers!
Brad
 
I just completed my FIRST all grain yesterday...It was quite exciting and am now "hooked".  I truly find the labor intensity as refreshing as the brew. ::)
 
That's great!

There is something satisfying in starting with a pile of whole grains and making a great brew, even if it does take several hours longer to complete.

Cheers!
Brad
 
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