Brew #51 - Eight-Grain Amber Ale


3/10/2001      Eight-Grain Amber Ale
 
   Category         :  American Amber Ale       
   Method           :  Full Mash
   Starting Gravity :  1.061
   Ending Gravity   :  1.015
   Alcohol content  :  5.9%
   Recipe Makes     : 14.0 gallons
   Total Grain      : 32.00 lbs.
   Color (srm)      : 13.3
   Efficiency       :  75%
   Hop IBUs         : 32.1

Malts/Sugars:
  9.00	lb.	American Style Malt (M&F)
  6.00	lb.	German Pilsner           
  4.00	lb.	German Rye               
  5.50	lb.	German Wheat             
  1.00	lb.	American Crystal 120L    
  1.00	lb.	Oats (Rolled)            
  1.00	lb.	Rice (Basmati)           
  0.50	lb.	Quinoa                   
  1.00	lb.	Millet (Hulled)          
  1.00	lb.	Corn (Yellow Grits)      
  2.00	lb.	Rice Hulls               

Hops:
 1.50	oz.	L-Northern Brwr	 8.6%	60 min
 1.50	oz.	L-Northern Brwr	 8.6%	30 min
 1.00	oz.	L-Cascade      	 6.0%	15 min

Boil temperature of water: 212F
Grain Starting Temperature: 70F
Desired Grain/Water Ratio: 1 quarts/pound
Strike Water:  8.00 gallons of water at 130F
First Mash Temperature: 120F
Second Mash Temperature: 154F
Boiling Water to add:  5.67 gallons 

Notes:

This was originally going to be one of those "use up the leftovers"
kind of beers, but my imagination soon got the better of me.  I 
decided to try something I'd been thinking about for a while ...
a "multi-grain" brew.  I began with three types of malted barley -
(American-style, Pilsner, and Crystal for Grain #1 of 8); 
malted wheat (Grain #2) and malted rye (Grain #3). I figured that 
these would provide a good base of guaranteed sugars, and just enough 
conversion power. Then I visited the local health food store to see 
what interesting bulk grains were available, and went with these
as grains #4 through #8: rolled oats, yellow corn grits, Basmati rice, 
hulled millet, and  quinoa (all of which will need to be pre-cooked 
before adding to the mash).  This whole mix of "hull-less" grains 
WILL be a sticky  mess, so I'll use rice hulls as a lautering aid.

PROCESS:

PRE-COOK TOGETHER:  Rolled Oats, Yellow Corn Grits, Basmati Rice,
                    Hulled Millet, and Quinoa.  
                    These should be cooked thoroughly (gelatinized),
                    then added to the mash as part of the second
                    infusion to bring the mash to 154F.

MASH: 122F for 30 minutes (malted barley, rye & wheat); then
 
      154F for 1.5 hours  (OK range: 150-155F)
      
      Add RICE HULLS no later than the last half hour of the mash.

SPARGE water - 13 gallons+ @180F (allow for cooling to ~170F)

NOTE:  SPARGE SLOWLY - remember extraction efficiency issues.
       This recipe is based on 75% efficiency.  If slower sparging
       and raking cause better extraction, then the final OG should
       be higher.  Mix the mash periodically.  This will be a
       very sticky mash due to the wheat, rye, rice, and oats.
       Definitely add rice hulls as a lautering aid. Hopefully, 
       mashing-out at 170F+ will thin things out enough to sparge 
       easily.

Sparge - collect ~15 gallons.  Start boiling after ~3 gallons have
been collected.

SCHEDULE:

- Mash for 30 minutes                  @ 122F.
- Add rice hulls
- Continue Mash for 1.5 hours          @ 154F.
- Sparge - mash out                    @ 170F.
- Boil for 90 minutes total.
- 1.5 oz. whole-leaf Northern Brewer   @ 60 min.
- 1.5 oz. whole-leaf Northern Brewer   @ 30 min.
- 1 oz. whole-leaf Cascade             @ 15 min.
- 1.5 tsp. Irish Moss                  @ 15 min.
- Immersion chiller                    @ 10 min.
- Cool & ferment                       @ 62 - 68 F

YEAST: Use Muntona Dry Ale Yeast 

Style Comparison @ 65%, 70%, & 75% extraction efficiency:

              MIN        YOURS      YOURS     YOURS     MAX
                          70%        75%       80%
OG           1.044       1.057      1.061     1.065     1.058
Alc %        4.5         5.5        5.9       6.3       5.5
IBUs         20         32.7       32.1      31.5      40
Color (srm)  11.0       13.4       13.4      13.4      18.0


For the sake of education, here's some information about all the
grains used in this recipe:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-- Malted Barley -- 

Types used in this recipe: 

M&F American-Style Malt (ASM); German Pilsner; Crystal (120L)

Barley is the seed of the barley plant, it is a grain that is 
similar to wheat in appearance. It is harvested mostly in the 
United States and in Europe. Specific types of barley are used 
in the production of different types of beers, each strain imparts 
a unique characteristic taste and body that is suited for different 
beers. Malted barley is barley that has been allowed to germinate 
(sprout) to a degree and is then dried. This is accomplished 
industrially by increasing the water content of the seed to 40-45% 
by soaking it for a period close to 40 hours. The seed is then 
drained and held at a constant temperature (60 F) for close to 5 
days until it starts to sprout. The barley is slowly dried in a 
kiln at temperatures gradually rising to 122 F for lighter malts 
and 220 F for darker malts. This kiln drying takes about 30 hours. 
Finally, the rootlets from the partially germinated seeds are 
removed. 

The germination process converts starch, the seed's stored energy, 
into simpler sugars used in its initial growing stage. The 
conversion of starch to sugar is accomplished by diastase enzymes 
that the seed produces during this process. The germination and 
drying stages capture fermentable sugars, soluble starch, and the 
diastase enzymes for beer brewing. Malted barley is the eventual 
source of the fermentable sugar consumed by the yeast. 

The next step to prepare the malted barley for brewing is termed 
"mashing." It is a process of grinding the malted barley into 
granular sized pieces. This ground malt is mixed with water in 
order to dissolve the starch, sugar and enzymes within the malted 
barley. The temperature of the "mash" is then raised to 150-160 F, 
the temperature at which the diastase enzyme is most active. The 
conversion of starches to sugars is completed and the husks and 
spent grains are filtered from the mixture. The remaining sweet 
liquid is termed "malt extract." And is a suitable ingredient for 
beer. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-- Malted Wheat --

Wheat malt is used in the production of weizenbier and weiss beer. 
Wheat which has been malted is necessary when adhering to the 
Reinheitsgebot German Purity Law. 

Malted wheat gives a modified (malty) flavor that is not obtainable 
with raw wheat. Wheat malt contributes to foam production and 
stability.

Wheat has been used for brewing beer nearly as long as barley 
and has equal diastatic power. Malted wheat is used for 5-70% 
of the mash depending on the style. Wheat has no outer husk and 
therefore has fewer tannins than barley. It is generally smaller 
than barley and contributes more protein to the beer, aiding in 
head retention. But it is much stickier than barley due to the 
higher protein content and may cause lautering problems if not 
given a "Protein Rest" during the mash.  As a lautering aid,
rice hulls may be used.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-- Malted Rye --

Rye Malt - Malted rye is not common but is gaining in 
popularity. It can be used as 5-10% of the grain bill for a rye 
"spicy" note. It is even stickier in the mash than wheat and 
should be handled accordingly. As a lautering aid, rice hulls
may be used.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-- Quinoa -- 

Quinoa, pronounced keen-wah, is not a true cereal grain, but rather 
the botanical fruit of an herb plant. It is treated as a grain in 
cooking. The grains are small yellow flattened spheres, approximately
1.5 to 2 mm in diameter. When cooked, the germ coils into a small 
"tail" that lends a pleasant crunch. The leaves of the quinoa plant 
can also be eaten. 

Quinoa has grown in popularity in the past few years and is carried 
in many well-stocked groceries as well as health food stores. 
There are several varieties of quinoa which range in color from 
dark brown to near white. The larger whiter varieties are most 
common and are considered superior. Quinoa should be stored in the 
refrigerator or freezer if storage beyond a month is desired. 

Basic Cooking Instructions: Because some of the bitter saponin 
covering on the grain can still be present even though most 
quinoa is washed before being sold, you should thoroughly rinse 
the dry grain until the water runs clear. Combine 1/2 cup quinoa 
with 1 cup water and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. 
For a nuttier taste, toast the quinoa in a hot dry pan for about 
5 minutes before cooking. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-- Hulled Millet --

It's a little-known grain in America, but is used in many different 
ways in other parts of the world. In fact, millet is a staple in the
diets of millions of people in Asia and Africa. Although research 
on millet and its food value is in its infancy, results are already
promising, showing the grain to have great aptitude and versatility.
More and more uses for millet are being discovered every year,
including its potential benefits in the American diet.

Millet is somewhat higher in protein than rice, sorghum, corn and 
oats, and higher in fiber than other cereals used for human 
consumption. These advantages of increased nutrition and fiber 
content make millet a valuable addition to various food products 
in today's health-conscious marketplace.

Hulled millet can be eaten as a puffed cereal or a hot breakfast 
cereal. Millet flour can be used as a partial substitute (up to 30%)
in recipes calling for wheat flour. When added to various dishes, 
millet imparts a distinct nutlike flavor and gives the product a 
certain "something extra" that sets it apart from the competition.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-- Corn Grits (Yellow or White) --

Cornmeal and hominy grits are made from mature white or yellow corn 
from which the bran and germ have been removed. 

Cornmeal is ground corn. For hominy, kernels of hulled corn are 
either left whole or broken into particles. Hominy grits are grains 
of hominy broken into small uniform particles. 

White cornmeal and grits are traditional in the South; yellow 
cornmeal and grits are more likely to be found in the North. 
Besides color, there are also differences in flavor in these 
products. 

Most cornmeal and hominy grits on the market are enriched with 
thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, and iron according to U.S. Government 
standards. Calcium and vitamin D also may be added to these corn 
products. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-- Basmati Rice --

Basmati Rice is a variety of rice grown in the Himalayas. Basmati 
is slender long grain rice. The subtle fragrance is what makes this 
rice unique. The "bas" means fragrant and the "mati" means of the 
earth. Aging imparts unique characteristics, which include a "nutty"
flavor along with the subtle fragrance. Aged rice is 1-2 years old, 
and as the moisture evaporates the naturally present oil spreads 
throughout the grain delivering its distinct flavor. 

Cooking Basmati will yield a long grain rice which grows to twice 
its length which has a subtle aroma and delicate taste.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-- Organic Rolled Oats --

Rolled Oats have become very popular in recent years because of 
the health movement. Studies have found that rolled oats, in 
addition to oat bran, reduce cholesterol. Although served most 
commonly as a breakfast dish, rolled oats may be used to add 
heartiness to vegetable soups. Rolled oats also produce crunchy 
and delicious oatmeal cookies. Oats are sweeter and nuttier than 
other grains because of their higher lipid profile. Oats are a 
good source of B vitamins, calcium, protein, unsaturated fat, 
and fiber.

According to a definition in Samuel Johnson's 1755 Dictionary of 
the English Language, oats were "a grain which in England is 
generally given to horses, but which in Scotland supports the 
people." Since oats are by far the most nutritious of the cereal 
grasses, it would appear that the Scots were ahead of the rest 
of us. Today, whole oats are still used as animal fodder. Humans 
don't usually consume them until after the oats have been cleaned, 
toasted, hulled and cleaned again, after which time they become 
oat groats (which still contain most of the original nutrients). 
Oat groats can be cooked and served as cereal, or prepared in the 
same manner as rice and used as a side dish or in a dish such as 
a salad or stuffing. When steamed and flattened with huge rollers, 
oat groats become regular rolled oats (also called old-fashioned 
oats). They take about 15 minutes to cook. Quick-cooking rolled 
oats are groats that have been cut into several pieces before being 
steamed and rolled into thinner flakes. Though they cook in about 
5 minutes, many think the flavor and texture are never quite as 
satisfying as with regular rolled oats. Old-fashioned oats and 
quick-cooking oats can usually be interchanged in recipes. Instant 
oats, however, are not interchangeable because they're made with 
cut groats that have been precooked and dried before being rolled. 
This precooking process so softens the oat pieces that, after being 
combined with a liquid, the mixture can turn baked goods such as 
muffins or cookies into gooey lumps. Most instant oatmeal is 
packaged with salt, sugar and other flavorings. Scotch oats or 
steel-cut oats or Irish oatmeal are all names for groats that 
have been cut into 2 to 3 pieces and not rolled. They take 
considerably longer to cook than rolled oats and have a decidedly 
chewy texture. Oat flour is made from groats that have been ground 
into powder. It contains no gluten, however, so-for baked goods 
that need to rise, like yeast breads-must be combined with a flour 
that does. Oat bran is the outer casing of the oat and is particular
ly high in soluble fiber, thought to be a leading contender in the 
fight against high cholesterol. Oat bran, groats, flour and Scotch 
oats are more likely to be found in health-food stores than 
supermarkets. Oats are high in vitamin B-1 and contain a good 
amount of vitamins B-2 and E.   

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-- Rice Hulls --

Extract: no contribution  
Color: no contribution 
Flavor:  no contribution 

ADVANTAGES: Rice hulls improve the speed of vorlauf and lautering 
in high gravity brews and brews made with high percentages of 
specialty malts, wheat malt, and adjuncts. As an inert processing 
aid, rice hulls impart no characteristics to the finished beer. 
 
APPLICATIONS: Use 2 - 5 % rice hulls to increase the speed of 
runoff. Rice hulls may be introduced directly into the mash at 
any time or just before lautering. 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~