Simple recipes

[mattmacleod]

Do you think there's any value in trying to simplify our recipes? I read about the simplicity of commercial recipes and many of the beers I absolutely adore from Germany or Britain or wherever have stunningly straightforward grain bills.

I think I'm going to start brewing a series of simple beers. Here are my recipes/grain bills:

British Bitter:

90% Maris Otter
9% Crystal
1% Chocolate (for colour more than anything)

Pilsener:

100% Pilsener

O'fest

100% Munich


etc...

What do you think?

[awalker]

I am not stalking you honest.
We are just in the same time zone!

It sounds like a good idea to me.
I am doing something similar at the moment, trying to get a better idea of my processes and equipment.
No point doing anything fancy till I can do all the basics.

My first lager (and first all grain) was just using pale malt and hops.
No fancy lager malt and no stepped mash, but now I feel brave enough to do it!

[macgruffus]

I agree Matt. How better to understand what flavors a malt provides then by making a single grain beer. Then you can start building on them with specialties.

My local brewpub does a 100% Munich malt fall beer each year. It's my favorite (well, his new ABC IPA ... Amarillo, Brewers Gold, Cascade ... is excellent too).

I'm planning a batch of Summer Bitter to have ready this summer...all Maris Otter and Amarillo.

David

[mattmacleod]

I am not stalking you honest.

So that rustling outside in the garden isn't you?

[awalker]

I am not stalking you honest.

So that rustling outside in the garden isn't you?

Not now maybe later after i have finished work.

[mattmacleod]

I'm planning a batch of Summer Bitter to have ready this summer...all Maris Otter and Amarillo.

Sounds lovely. I made an all-Amarillo hopped pale ale last Summer but if I recall some crystal, carapils and wheat found it's way in.


To take this discussion a step further, I am fascinated by how we can alter some of the characteristics of the finished beer in the mash and the boil. For example, in his show on Scottish ales Jamil mentioned achieving a caramel flavour though kettle caramelisation, and also discussed altering the body of the beer by raising the mash temperature.

I brewed his 60/- recipe but I next time I think I will try the following:

Grain bill of pale malt with a little crystal and a little (couple ounces) roast barley for flavour mashed at high temp (70C).

Draw off the first gallon or so of runnings into a separate kettle and boil hard for 15 minutes to get some caramelisation then return these runnings to the boil kettle and proceed with the brew day as normal.

[Jims]

It's all about the beer

I make a bitter with nothing but Marris Otter and Crystal 60 with Wyeast ESB yeast (I love that stuff) The beer is wonderful.

I also do an APA that is 2row and crystal 10 - thats it.

I have a few recipes in pro mash just called "Quick ..... " Stuff I can do real fast.

Since I generally have the supplies on hand I plan on using these beers as a starters in the future.

[Cuda]

Do you think there's any value in trying to simplify our recipes? I read about the simplicity of commercial recipes and many of the beers I absolutely adore from Germany or Britain or wherever have stunningly straightforward grain bills.


What do you think?

Some styles work very good with only one or two malts but not all.

I just got done brewing a Golden strong ale with 100% Pilsener malt. The yeast is what makes it work.