2-row only recipes?

[bwarbiany]

So, I have beer in the fermenter and want to brew again soon. The wife and I might be buying a house very soon, so we'll be VERY cash-poor. I have multiple sacks of 2-row on hand and a bit of belgian Pils, as well as Magnum/EKG/Saaz/Cascade/Columbus hops.

I need to buy yeast, so have any strain I'd like available, but I'm trying to avoid any other expense for this batch (especially as it'll be a 10gal batch so any expense is probably double what most people do).

I'm wondering what I can make with this? I've never done a recipe of any type w/o specialty grain. I could see going with a simple blonde ale, or do a hoppy pilsner-style ale (i.e. US-05 fermented cold to keep it clean since I don't have time for lagering). I'm a bit tired of belgian, so a triple is out.

Any ideas?

[JonW]

Below is a recipe I just did and it turned out awesome.
Do this with Columbus/Cascade instead of Centennial/Cascade.
Maybe swap in your Belgian Pils for the Vienna, but I'd still add some Cara-Pils and Crystal.
US-05 should be fine.


****10-Gallon Batch****
Batch Size: 11.00 gal
Boil Size: 13.69 gal
Estimated OG: 1.039 SG
Estimated Color: 3.9 SRM
Estimated IBU: 21.6 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
14.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)
1.25 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM)
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM)
1.00 lb Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM)
0.50 oz Centennial [9.50%] (55 min)
0.50 oz Centennial [9.50%] (35 min)
0.50 oz Cascade [7.80%] (20 min)
0.50 oz Cascade [7.80%] (5 min)
1 Pkgs Nottingham (Danstar #-) (Hydrated)

[brahn]

I'd go with a blond/pale ale. Just the 2-Row to maybe 1.048, 30 IBU from Magnum and late/dry hop with Cascade and Columbus. I've never brewed this, but it sounds like it would be tasty to me.

I bought 25# of C-40 quite a while ago as part of a group grain buy, it still tastes fine and I use it in my brews. I'd be happy to donate a few pounds if that helps. I made a nice IPA once with just 2-row, a bit of C-40 and a bunch of Centennial. Columbus/Cascade would be good in that too.

Edit: IPA recipe: http://www.brewcommune.com/recipedb/recipe.php?r=145

[backyard brewer]

Try toasting the 2-row and/or carmelizing it yourself. I've used toasted 2-row several times and you can notice the flavor. Palmer (I think) has a section on toasting, wet and dry, temps and times to make several different malts.

Just spread it on a cookie sheet and bake it.

[bwarbiany]

Thanks for the ideas, guys... I think I'm working it up a bit in my head, and sometime between now and then I'll post whatever recipe I come up with.

Brent -- appreciate the offer on the C-40. Despite my hyperbole, I won't be so cash-poor that I can't buy 2 pounds of grain. I just view this as a potentially fun experiment.

Derrin -- now *there's* an idea! Satisfy my geekery impulses while maintaining my monetary savings. I may take 1.5 pounds or so and try to get a bit of toasting...

[bwarbiany]

Here's my first working thought... What do you think?

Plan will be wet-toasted malt for 1 hr per: http://www.howtobrew.com/section4/chapter20-4.html

Amount Item Type % or IBU
17.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 91.89 %
1.50 lb Toasted Malt (27.0 SRM) Grain 8.11 %
1.25 oz Magnum [14.00 %] (60 min) Hops 31.9 IBU
2.00 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (5 min) Hops 3.6 IBU
2 Pkgs SafAle American Ale (DCL Yeast #US-05) Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.050 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.012 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.95 %
Bitterness: 35.5 IBU
Est Color: 5.9 SRM

[bwarbiany]

Grain is toasting in the oven right now...

I wish I could attach a smell to my post

[backyard brewer]

Grain is toasting in the oven right now...

I wish I could attach a smell to my post

Forgot to mention that added bonus. The house smells wonderful, especially as the grain actually starts to toast.

[bwarbiany]

So how do I classify this recipe? I don't think it fits APA, due to the hop schedule. Too light for American Amber. Not really an Bitter or ESB, as it's a bit light on the malt and uses US-05.

Not that I care much about style guidelines, but I'm trying to figure out where this fits.

[bwarbiany]

Okay, so I'm tasting this for the first time.

Technically, I think it came out well. Relatively neutral fermentation, very clean flavor, and while I'm no BJCP judge, I can't really pick up any major flaws. Process is fine.

Taste-wise, though, it's a bit weak. I'd definitely put it in the bland -- I mean blonde, category. There's almost no toast/caramel coming through. Bitterness is good, but the hop flavor/aroma is nonexistent. This is one of those beers that when we do a housewarming party might drain a keg, but which doesn't exactly get my motor running personally.

Overall, I think it's a solid beer, but no particular aspects are memorable to me. I wouldn't be offended to be served this in a brewpub, but I'd be looking to progress to something with more flavor in their lineup.

[Marotte Brewery]

I guess that answers the question of using only 2-row for brewing. It makes beer, but not with any style or character.

I tried one of these bottle a few weeks back http://www.rogue.com/beers/single-malt-ale.php and was very disappointed. It was very flat (flavor not CO2) and just didn't taste good.

[bwarbiany]

I guess that answers the question of using only 2-row for brewing. It makes beer, but not with any style or character.

I should point out that I have a palette that doesn't take well to subtlety. Most of my favorite beers have a flavor profile of bludgeoning instruments, not scalpels.

This is a beer that I'd probably want to get some outside thoughts on, particularly from guys like Brad Nixon who brew a lot of classic lagers and blonde ales, which tend to have more clean and delicate flavor profiles.