Critique my recipe. pls.

[Phil_L]

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (L): 55.00 Wort Size (L): 55.00
Total Grain (kg): 23.20
Anticipated OG: 1.098 Plato: 23.23
Anticipated SRM: 29.3
Anticipated IBU: 37.0
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75 %
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
66.7 15.47 kg. Pilsener Belgium 1.037 2
14.8 3.44 kg. Munich Malt Belgium 1.038 8
4.4 1.03 kg. CaraMunich 60 France 1.034 60
4.4 1.03 kg. Special B Belgium 1.031 147
2.2 0.52 kg. Aromatic Malt Belgium 1.036 25
2.2 0.52 kg. Biscuit Malt Belgium 1.035 24
2.2 0.52 kg. Wheat Malt Belgium 1.038 2
1.5 0.34 kg. Candi Sugar (dark) Generic 1.046 275
1.5 0.34 kg. Chocolate Malt Belgium 1.030 340

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
68.75 g. Northern Brewer Whole 9.00 29.9 90 min.
68.75 g. Styrian Goldings Whole 5.25 4.2 15 min.
51.56 g. Hallertau Hersbrucker Whole 4.75 2.9 15 min.
51.56 g. Styrian Goldings Whole 5.25 0.0 0 min.
51.56 g. Hallertauer Whole 4.00 0.0 0 min.


Yeast
- WLP 500, If I can get it.


Hops are up for debate, but does the grist look ok?

[Nate Diggler]

Belgian Dark Strong I take it?

Looks good... lots of different specialty grains and enough base malt to convert them.

This is just my personal preference, but I don't fuck around with Pilsner Malt unless I'm making a beer lighter than Pale Ale, so I'd use Pale Malt instead of Pils with your Munich (still Belgian sourced, like Dingemans). You can avoid the necessary 90 min boil and lessen your DMS issues.

[Phil_L]

Will change that, as per suggestion. going Low Colour Pale Malt.
Completely changed hops anyhoo.

I have this mess to sort out:

Recipe Specifics
----------------

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
43.5 11.00 kg. Pale Malt(2-row) USA 1.037 2
13.0 3.30 kg. Chocolate Pale Malt UK 1.030 225
8.7 2.20 kg. CaraRed Germany 1.035 20
7.9 2.00 kg. Amber Malt UK 1.032 35
7.9 2.00 kg. Crystal 55L UK 1.034 55
4.3 1.10 kg. Crystal Rye UK 1.030 75
4.3 1.10 kg. Brown Sugar (dark) Generic 1.046 60
4.3 1.10 kg. Chocolate Malt UK 1.034 475
4.0 1.00 kg. Honey Generic 1.042 0
2.0 0.50 kg. Roasted Barley UK 1.029 575

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
110.00 g. Fuggle Whole 5.00 23.4 60 min.
110.00 g. Challenger Whole 7.00 32.8 60 min.
55.00 g. Amarillo Gold Whole 10.00 21.0 45 min.
55.00 g. Amarillo Gold Whole 10.00 12.0 30 min.
55.00 g. Amarillo Gold Whole 10.00 4.7 10 min.
110.00 g. Liberty Whole 4.00 0.0 0 min.


Yeast
-----

DCL Yeast S-05 SafAle American Ale

[Nate Diggler]

Looks like too much specialty grain compared to base malt... it could convert, but it would be way too rich. I'd reduce the amount of each specialty grain by half, and replace it with base malt to get the same gravity, but it will still be a horrendously big ale (Imperial American Brown Ale???).

Will change that, as per suggestion. going Low Colour Pale Malt.
Completely changed hops anyhoo.

I have this mess to sort out:

Recipe Specifics
----------------

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
43.5 11.00 kg. Pale Malt(2-row) USA 1.037 2
13.0 3.30 kg. Chocolate Pale Malt UK 1.030 225
8.7 2.20 kg. CaraRed Germany 1.035 20
7.9 2.00 kg. Amber Malt UK 1.032 35
7.9 2.00 kg. Crystal 55L UK 1.034 55
4.3 1.10 kg. Crystal Rye UK 1.030 75
4.3 1.10 kg. Brown Sugar (dark) Generic 1.046 60
4.3 1.10 kg. Chocolate Malt UK 1.034 475
4.0 1.00 kg. Honey Generic 1.042 0
2.0 0.50 kg. Roasted Barley UK 1.029 575

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
110.00 g. Fuggle Whole 5.00 23.4 60 min.
110.00 g. Challenger Whole 7.00 32.8 60 min.
55.00 g. Amarillo Gold Whole 10.00 21.0 45 min.
55.00 g. Amarillo Gold Whole 10.00 12.0 30 min.
55.00 g. Amarillo Gold Whole 10.00 4.7 10 min.
110.00 g. Liberty Whole 4.00 0.0 0 min.


Yeast
-----

DCL Yeast S-05 SafAle American Ale

[muddy67]

I liked your original recipe better. Using Belgian pilsner is completely acceptable for a variety of Belgian styles, including a dark strong ale. The Munich malt is to give malt flavor and the other specialty malts are for all of the other fun Belgian flavors and color. All I would have changed about it would have been to tone down the percentages of everything below Munich just slightly and make the difference up with extra pils and maybe fix the color with extra candi sugar. Hops bill looks like a good mix of the nobles and Goldings as long as you are hitting your target IBU.