Guest Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Hi guys. I'm planning on doing a light beer brew (God forbid!) for my father. That's all SWMBO (my mother) will let him drink these days! Only kidding! The truth be told my father is just pretty set on sticking to low ABV beer, & rarely strays outside that into heavier beers. He homebrews like myself, & usually only uses the basic kits & a small amount of dextrose &/or corn syrup powder to keep his alcohol levels down. I've given him a few samples of what I've been brewing over the last few months, that he quite enjoyed, & inevitably asked, "Can you brew a light version of that?" As we know, reducing ABV comes at a price in terms of the amount of fermentables you can add into the brew, that in turn impacts on body & overall flavour. All that said, I spotted the Nelson's Light Recipe here on the Coopers website. A very nice looking recipe on the surface that certainly won't lack flavour with the hop additions listed in the brew. (Note to one's self: Stop rambling on & get to the point!) Q1: The recipe itself claims to end up with a final ABV @ approx. 2.9% for the 21 litre brew. When I punch those numbers into Brewcraft's online brew calculator, it gives me a final ABV of 3.4%. Even brewing to 23 litres with that recipe, final ABV still ends up at approx 3.1%. Can someone (with the means) please verify final ABV for me? Q2: I've not yet used pure grain in a recipe before. What can I expect from the 300gms of Crystal malt in this recipe? The reason I ask is I was thinking of substituting 1/3 of the LDM for some liquid amber malt extract to beef up the flavour a little bit. The Beersmith software is now on the "to buy list" for me, once I have removed a couple of other things infront of it on that list. Any help would be appreciated. P.S. I can see the "I told you so" guys smirking right now. [lol] Beer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamH1525226084 Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 I plugged the numbers into IanH's spreadsheet and got 3.3% in the bottle (not bulk primed). Maybe PB2 can clarify for ya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 12, 2012 Author Share Posted October 12, 2012 P.S. I can see the "I told you so" guys smirking right now. [lol] Id be going Brewmate (or the above mentioned Spreadsheet) before Beersmith, much simpler to use IMO. Sorry, cant help with light beers, they are an unknown quantum for me [roll] *ed: Tell a lie, I have made a light beer, but was a Partigyle brew for SWMBO... so still not applicable. [ninja] Yob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 12, 2012 Author Share Posted October 12, 2012 +1 to Brewmate or Ianh's spreadsheet, that's all I use. I have had a dabble with Beeersmith but have always gone back to the aforementioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Q2: I've not yet used pure grain in a recipe before. What can I expect from the 300gms of Crystal malt in this recipe? The reason I ask is I was thinking of substituting 1/3 of the LDM for some liquid amber malt extract to beef up the flavour a little bit. Now is the time to give grains a go. It's as good a time as any and it isn't hard. The crystal malt will give a slight caramel flavour to the beer but also add some body and freshen the kit up a little. You can sub the grains and some LDM for amber malt if you want but you may as well run with PB2's tried and tested recipe first and tinker with it from there. And once you start using grains you won't go back. There is plenty of info on this forum regarding steeping grains but if you have any questions just ask them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 12, 2012 Author Share Posted October 12, 2012 Brewmate it is then. [wink] Thanks Hairy for the info on the grain additive. Do you back up AdamH's & my statement that the base recipe ABV seems to be 3.3 to 3.4% from your estimates? [unsure] Beer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Do you back up AdamH's & my statement that the base recipe ABV seems to be 3.3 to 3.4% from your estimates? Yes. Around 3.4% if naurally priming in the bottle or 2.9% if force carbing a keg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 12, 2012 Author Share Posted October 12, 2012 Ahhh.....so that's how the difference occurs! [ninja] Thanks guys. Time to go shopping. . . [biggrin] Beer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 I've got all 3 programs on my computer, and Beersmith is definitely the most complicated of all of them. It's probably more geared towards all grain, there's a crapload of stuff in it. It's not a bad program, but probably would be good to get used to some simpler ones first, and then go on to it later if you want. IanH's spreadsheet is excellent for kits/extracts I must say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DylanI Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Hear, hear to the spreadsheet! It's great. You enter the kit that you're using, plus the grains and hops. The sheet shows you the colour, and gives you estimates of bitterness and alcohol content. So good. Make sure you set the "Hop Concentration Factor" to "Yes". It's not worth thinking too hard about it at first, but I don't like that the calculated IBU depends on what style of beer you set it to. Aside from that, it's the bees knees. So easy to use. I've adapted mine to calculate the cost of the brew, and added the Coopers kit yeasts to the yeast options. I love it. There aren't nearly enough links to it on here. So here's another one. Enjoy PS I've never made a light beer, but the Nelson recipe looks nice. It has also been mentioned, that priming sugar in the bottling process adds 0.5% alcohol. Also, Beerlust, a great shop in Adelaide is Beerbelly. It's a fair hike for me to get out there, but worth it. Check them out (if you haven't already) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Ruddager Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 I've made the trek out to Beerbelly from Mitcham a couple of times now - definitely worth popping in there! I was thinking of getting them to deliver next time though because apparently they can do same-day in Adelaide for only $6 or $7!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB2 Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Thanks Lusty! Looks like I didn't allow for priming. [roll] Will get that amended. Been a long while since I've made this brew and I can't recall whether I submitted a sample to the lab for measuring alcohol?? It may still scrape in as a Light Brew at 3.2%ABV. [innocent] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 12, 2012 Author Share Posted October 12, 2012 Thanks for all the input guys. Your collective advice really has been helpful (As it always is). Funny you mention Beerbelly, I went & bought some gear from their Blair Athol store earlier today, & you guys are right, they are very good for range & price. Even though it is a little bit of a hastle for them, they are also going to get some Rakau(NZ) hops in for me too. [happy] As far as following the recipe goes, I got everything I needed, except the Centennial hops as it is currently out of season. [pinched] I've got some P.O.R handy, will that suffice as a replacement for the bittering hop? If anyone has a direct download link to Ian's Excel Spreadsheet, without me having to join the aussie home brewer forum, I'm more than interested in taking a look. I'd love to stay & chat, but have to finish the second half of bottling my current brew. [tongue] Cheers, Beer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 You can use POR if you want to and it will do the job. Personally I would use something else. You will still get flavour fom a 30 minute boil and POR & Centennal are very different. What other hops do you have? Any cascade or Amarillo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 12, 2012 Author Share Posted October 12, 2012 What other hops do you have? Any cascade or Amarillo? Both actually. [biggrin] I've got a small 12gm bag of each that I'm planning to use in another brew for some dry hopping purposes. I'd already visited 2 of the 3 brew shops I frequent today, & struck out on both with the Centennial. I just phoned the third, & he had 2 packets left. Guess who owns them now? [biggrin] If "2 outta 3 ain't bad", then I guess "1 outta 3" must be just enough. [tongue] Beer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 12, 2012 Author Share Posted October 12, 2012 I've got all 3 programs on my computer' date=' and Beersmith is definitely the most complicated of all of them. It's probably more geared towards all grain, there's a crapload of stuff in it. It's not a bad program, but probably would be good to get used to some simpler ones first, and then go on to it later if you want. IanH's spreadsheet is excellent for kits/extracts I must say. [/quote'] Hey Kelsey, if you didn't know already, Ianh has a BIAB spreadsheet as well as the k&k. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Yeah, I downloaded that one a couple of months ago I think. It's a good one too. I use that and the other ones and put the same recipe in all of them, more out of curiosity than anything else. It's interesting to see the differences between them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
***** Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Sorry, cant help with light beers, they are an unknown quantum for me [roll] I try to do mid strengths for my kegs, and full strengths and extra strongs for the bottles,although I found that 3.6% was a bit boring, they tasted alright but then so does (some) cordial. I have moved to the upper end of the middy scale at around 4.2%. Then two weeks ago I unexpectedly blew a keg. I had two brews ready in the FV and decided to keg my Cascadian, which weighed in at 5.5%. Now I will need to really careful when I tap that one otherwise late night posting to the forum will be incoherent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 12, 2012 Author Share Posted October 12, 2012 Hahaha Nelson. [lol] By the way, 4.2%ABV is not classed as midstrength. [roll] Once it hits 4.0% it is classed as full strength. 2.9% & under = light. 3.0% - 3.9% = mid. 4.0%+ = full strength. Beer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
***** Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 By the way' date=' 4.2%ABV is not classed as midstrength. [roll'] Fair Call But I am using this as my guide. It gives me comfort [lol] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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