JAB Fall Yeast Experiment Post #1

So since we started the club back in aught-six, Jack Of All Brews has had a yearly experimental group brew.  Last year was a single hop experiment, but in retrospect, the base recipe really needed dry hopping for a more impressive hop character.  I'm thinking next year we retry that type of event with a refined recipe. 

This year I wanted to have a basic recipe that could be easy to replicate for all-grain, BIB and extract-with-grain methods of brewing.  The aim is a fairly simple grain base and just enough specialty malt to give it a little flavor and mouthfeel, with a subtle hopping that won't overwhelm the other flavors.  The star of the show for this experiment is really the yeast.  Taking this basic recipe and doing a different yeast for each batch (or even splitting batches if people really want to go crazy) should really give people a good taste of the differences to be found in the commercially available yeasts.  I went for a grain bill that sits somewhere between an ESB and an American Red, hopped with EKG at a level lower than either style to avoid a strong hop presence. 

All Grain Recipe for 5 gallon batch:
9# US 2-Row (Rahr if possible...and I have some extra from Rick if anyone needs some.)
12 oz Crystal 20
8 oz Crystal 120
8 oz Victory
1.75 oz East Kent Goldings at 5% AA at 60 minutes
0.75 oz East Kent Goldings at 5% AA at 15 minutes
Mash in at 152 degrees for 60 minutes
Boil for 60 minutes
Est OG is 1.056

Extract Recipe:
Substitute 6.5# Light DME for the base 2-Row malt.  Otherwise the same!


Everyone interested in taking part should post on the JAB Facebook Group; or show up to the June meeting!  We will randomly assign yeasts at the June meeting, assigning the remaining members who can't make it via FB or E-mail afterwards.  I'm hoping for a big turn-out like we had with the Belgian Brew Off last month!  Exchanging your assigned yeasts after the fact with other JAB members is totally cool as well!  We will have yeasts ranging from neutral (American ale) to Belgian (many) to German (Hefe, Kolsch) and possibly some lager yeasts if any are interested.