Spare Ingredients - help us build a beer!

http://brulosophy.com/2015/06/01/safale-us-05-vs-danstar-bry-97-exbeeriment-results/ for your reading pleasure

 

Just doing Pilsen DME is a little bland - think playing a note vs. a chord. Crystal gives it color, body and residual sweetness/flavor (dependent on the variety).

 

I agree with the concept of adding complexity, but I don't think crystal malts have a place in an IPA. I also prefer my pale ales without any crystal, but I think you have a little more leeway there, since pales should be "balanced," whereas IPAs really shouldn't be. I second @scottakelly on the Munich suggestion. It will get you color and flavor without too much sweetness.

Of course, some people like IPAs with lots of crystal. Different strokes...

 

Crystal malts are kilned to a point that they contain very little in terms of fermentables. That means they don't get eaten by the yeast, leaving you with a sweeter, fuller-bodied beer. That means a higher FG. Of course, that's in addition to whatever flavors and colors they contribute.

Munich, on the other hand, is a base malt, so it ferments out, for the most part. That leaves you with a dryer beer than you would have had, had you used crystal. It's kilned darker than pilsner, so has a more "malty" taste and imparts a darker color. It will leave you with about the same FG you would have had had you used an equal amount of pilsner malt in its place.

 

Personally a bit of c60 is fine in an ipa.

Just remember any significant bit of Munich (the grain) should be mashed instead of steeped. Crystal can be steeped because it has few fermentation. Since you've been doing extracts, you might want to start with steeping. They are very similar but mashing is more precise in technique.

Dryness is greatly affected by yeast selection. US-05 can be a monster

 

I won't lie, here. I'm pretty uneducated on extracts. I had assumed OP would be able to buy a Munich extract syrup. If that's not the case, and he would have to use actual grains, maybe doing a mini-mash would be a good intro to all-grain, if he ever wishes to go that direction.

Also, as I've said in other threads, I'm not a big fan of US-05 if I'm bottle conditioning because of the poor flocculation and compaction. I've never used BRY-97, but have heard bad things. I had a really good experience with Mangrove Jack m44. Of course, I'm in the minority here, as most people seem to love 05. My 2¢.

 

Read this: http://byo.com/hops/item/1414-steeping-vs-partial-mashing

I assume you've steeped grains before. This time, just do the "partial mash," then add your extract, and proceed as usual. This link details it in a pretty foolproof way: http://www.northernbrewer.com/learn/partial-mash-walkthrough/

 

The BYO is a good overview of steeping vs mashing. Of course if OP just buys LME it doesn't matter.

OP - if you never have steeped before, now is a good time to start. Little effort, no risk, good reward.

 

Color, flavor, body

 

No, crystal malts would be a steeping grain. Steeping grains do bring a small amount of fermentables to the wort. Mashing would bring a bit more sugar out of steeping grains, but generally there isn't much to be had. The advantage of Mashing/Mini-Mashing/BIAB etc is that you can mash any grain. Only certain ones can be steeped.

If you want Munich you'll have to mash or use extract. I don't like LME because it burns and it can go bad in storage.

As to why extract plus grain is better than just extract, I'll quote Palmer

"Just about every beer style may be made by using Pale malt extract and steeping the specialty grains listed below. Brown Ales, Bitters, India Pale Ales, Stouts, Bocks, Oktoberfests; all can be made using this method. And the resulting beer flavor will be superior than what can be made using extracts alone. Award winning beers can be made solely from extract, but freshness of the extract is often an issue and using grain can make up the difference between a good beer and an outstanding one."

 

I wanted to like, but alas, it threw diacetyl at me. I had to use US-05 to clean it up. I'm pretty sure this and Mangrove Jack Liberty Bell are derived from the same strain. Recently had a similar experience with MJLB, although it did clean itself up after an extended time. I have not had this experience with the purported liquid versions.

Therefore, @Hop-Droppen-Roll , I would consider US-05. Simcoe wants to be a pale ale/ipa. I might steep a small amount of a light colored crystal malt, like 4-8 oz of caravienne, for a little touch of sweetness. Maybe you could talk me in to 12 oz, but higher would be criminal (I'd be forced to make a citizen's arrest, confiscate your gear, and turn you over to the Crystal Police). Add some other hop later. Mosaic, citra, or centennial (depending on new school vs old school). And maybe some table sugar if you want it higher gravity.