BeerBorg

I have some Mr Beer leftovers that I'm itching use. Here's what I put together. Any thoughts from the experienced frankenbrewers?

Mr. Beer HCD Leftovers
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Brewer: Root
Style: American Pale Ale
Batch: 2.50 gal Extract

Characteristics
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Recipe Gravity: 1.056 OG
Recipe Bitterness: 32 IBU
Recipe Color: 4° SRM
Estimated FG: 1.014
Alcohol by Volume: 5.4%
Alcohol by Weight: 4.2%

Ingredients
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Briess DME - Pilsen Light 0.50 lb
CaraPils - [Body, Head] 0.25 lb
Corn Sugar 0.30 lb
Mr. Beer Booster 0.81 lb
Mr. Beer BrewMax Smooth - LME 0.50 lb
Mr. Beer High Country Canadian Draft 1.21 lb

Perle - 0.5 oz, 30 minutes
Fuggles (U.K.) - 0.25 oz, 10 minutes
Mr. Beer High Country Canadian Draft 1.00 oz, 5 minutes


Danstar Nottingham Dry Ale Yeast 0.50 unit

Don't mean to nitpick here but the Brewmax soft packs are .55# not .50#

Fuggles and Perle aren't really the kind of hops for a APA. You would want a C hop or something similiar two for flavor and aroma.

I am still somewhat new, but it seems like with the notty yeast and hops you have this would be more english.

Is the corn syrup just to boost ABV? I have never brewed with it?

These comments and questions aside, I like the hops and yeast you are using and think this recipe will turn out quite tasty!

You are using a lot of sugar adjuncts (I don't like to throw out "excessive" usually because I'm not opposed to brewing with sugar - I do it often - but in this case I think it is an excessive amount). That will lighten the body tremendously if that's what your going for, but it's going to potentially take a long time for the acetaldehyde to condition out. Nottingham yeast is going to make it even drier. I would suggest keeping your sugar to more like 10% of the bill in a beer like this. I personally think it would be a better beer with a lower OG and less sugar, then just using the sugar to get your OG into the 1.05s.

Your hop choice is going to give you a minty/earthy/spicy tasting beer, not much like an American pale. I'd not really call it English either because it's going to be too dry and isn't going to have the malt character that an English ale should have.

So yeah, it's a frankenbrew.

Yeah if you brew as is you will need to wait 8 weeks before it starts to taste good. Trade out the booster for LME and you can have good beer much quicker.

If you want to use up booster, save it for big beers you plan to age considerably.

Still think it will taste good, just wont fit a category.

Great stuff so far!

@josherman - I selected APA style more for the OG and IBU ranges, not because I'm trying to hit that target flavor with these ingredients. The corn sugar was just to boost the alcohol a little bit. I'm tired of looking at this bag of booster in my brew supply box.

@mashani - I removed the corn sugar,Pilsen DME and Fuggles hops. I lowered the boil time on the Perle hops to 10 minutes. The OG is now 1.042 with IBU of 22.

Make a 1.07 IIPA, and use the booster in that. That will help keep it drier and let the hops sing. Booster isn't evil, its just using it for the right reasons.

mashani wrote:Make a 1.07 IIPA, and use the booster in that. That will help keep it drier and let the hops sing. Booster isn't evil, its just using it for the right reasons.

Yeah I've made some good beers with booster, just have to remember to wait longer to enjoy.

Ok. Brew day is Sunday.