Summer Pale ale help

I'm looking to make a nice light summer ale. On hand I have citra, amarillo, and magnum hops. I want to keep the grain bill simple, so I'm thinking straight 2-row. The question at hand is how much is too much/not enough hops. I've never used these two hops in conjunction with each other and would be curious to hear what you think. I have a recipe listed below and would love any input you have. Thanks and cheers!

8lbs 2-row
.6 magnum at 60 min
.4 magnum at 40min
1lb honey at 15 min
.5 amarillo at 10 min
.5 citra at 10 min
.5 amarillo at 5 min
.5 citra at 5 min
dry hop 1oz each citra/amarillo

Those hops will play nice together - you have a very hoppy, citrusy pale ale going there (IPAish even). I think it is a solid recipe, though I would ditch the magnum addition at 40 minutes - not really doing anything for you there. Just add more at 60 minutes to keep your IBUs the same. You might also consider a little bit of some "character" malt - some light crystal or Munich or victory - to help add some malt complexity.

Magnum is pretty high. the 60 min and 40 min alone aregonna give you an IBU around 72 (using my iBrewmaster app) on my phone. I'd knock off the 60 minute one (that alone is adding 45 IBU's) and go with the rest or else it might be REALLY bitter.

Edit: Just punched the other hop additions in, its showing me 105 IBU's. There are different ways to measure IBU, but either way with all that its still gonna be up there. For a summer pale, ur more likely hitting IIPA IBU numbers.

Pratzie said:

Magnum is pretty high. the 60 min and 40 min alone aregonna give you an IBU around 72 (using my iBrewmaster app) on my phone. I'd knock off the 60 minute one (that alone is adding 45 IBU's) and go with the rest or else it might be REALLY bitter.

Edit: Just punched the other hop additions in, its showing me 105 IBU's. There are different ways to measure IBU, but either way with all that its still gonna be up there. For a summer pale, ur more likely hitting IIPA IBU numbers.

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So since I am only looking for flavor additions from the citra/amarillo, would I be better to throw them all in at 1 min, or should I reduce the amount, or both? I like the idea of reducing the magnum, just trying to tweak the rest of it.

What is your anticipated OG, FG & IBU's?

My house pale ale is OG: 1.050, FG: 1.010, IBUs: 38 and it is the best drinking beer I make, even the women love it but it is complex enough to please any craft beer lover. I use 87% 2-row but also some Vienna and 6oz of Crystal malt in 5 gallons...awesome beer. Citra is a great hop for a pale ale.

well i don't personally have any experience with the amarillo or citra, although im currently piecing together a nice light lawnmower brew for my BMC friends that i want to dry hop with citra.

My app is tellig me if u dump the 60 minute and move the rest to one minute... u'll be around 31 IBU. If u add them with five minutes it'll up it to 50.

If u go with a 60 minute and dump the 40, the difference is 27 IBU's.

I normally do 1/2 oz of magnum at 60 and all the rest at flameout. Then let it steep for 15 minutes or so. You can't go wrong with citra and Amarillo.
(Weights are approximate depending on gravity)
I shoot for mid 30's IBU on my pale ales.

Jayhem said:

What is your anticipated OG, FG & IBU's?

My house pale ale is OG: 1.050, FG: 1.010, IBUs: 38 and it is the best drinking beer I make, even the women love it but it is complex enough to please any craft beer lover. I use 87% 2-row but also some Vienna and 6oz of Crystal malt in 5 gallons...awesome beer. Citra is a great hop for a pale ale.

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I was hoping to hit somewhere around 1.050-1.055 for OG and end up around 1.010. As far as IBU's are concerned, I looked at a calculator online and if I use 1oz additions at 5 min for both citra/amarillo and a 40 min addition of 0.6 oz magnum that puts me at 38.95. Would that be a more approrpiate way to go about this?

Nike_Eayrs said:

I was hoping to hit somewhere around 1.050-1.055 for OG and end up around 1.010. As far as IBU's are concerned, I looked at a calculator online and if I use 1oz additions at 5 min for both citra/amarillo and a 40 min addition of 0.6 oz magnum that puts me at 38.95. Would that be a more approrpiate way to go about this?

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I like the late additions you have- I wouldn't change those. I'd definitely lose the 40 minute magnum, though. You don't want it to be too bitter.

If you want a nice drinkable hopped beer, I'd do something more like this:

8 pounds two-row
.75 pound crystal 10L (or .5 pound honey malt, if you want the taste of honey, or .25 pound victory- something for character and depth)
1 pound honey (flame out)
.5 oz magnum (60 minutes)
.5 amarillo at 10 min
.5 citra at 10 min
.5 amarillo at 5 min
.5 citra at 5 min
dry hop 1oz each citra/amarillo

Yooper said:

I like the late additions you have- I wouldn't change those. I'd definitely lose the 40 minute magnum, though. You don't want it to be too bitter.

If you want a nice drinkable hopped beer, I'd do something more like this:

8 pounds two-row
.75 pound crystal 10L (or .5 pound honey malt, if you want the taste of honey, or .25 pound victory- something for character and depth)
1 pound honey (flame out)
.5 oz magnum (60 minutes)
.5 amarillo at 10 min
.5 citra at 10 min
.5 amarillo at 5 min
.5 citra at 5 min
dry hop 1oz each citra/amarillo

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That sounds tasty and im not a hop head. Might have to add this to the rest of the Yooper recipes i plan on brewing

So my last question is regarding the honey. Is that the best thing to use, or am I better off using corn sugar? I have used honey before and had no issues with off flavors, and that is the reason I'm leaning toward using it here. Obviously, I could save some money if I sub in corn sugar. Thanks!

The "best" thing to do is what you want to do. Dextrose is MUCH easier to use, but it has no flavor.

Nike_Eayrs said:

So my last question is regarding the honey. Is that the best thing to use, or am I better off using corn sugar? I have used honey before and had no issues with off flavors, and that is the reason I'm leaning toward using it here. Obviously, I could save some money if I sub in corn sugar. Thanks!

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I have used honey in my wheat beers to dry it out. Unless you add the honey after the wort has cooled or to secondary you are going to lose the honey "flavor" so you might as well save money and use corn sugar to dry it out and a few ounces of honey malt to add some of that sweet honey-like flavor back! Honey malt really adds something nice to wheats and summer blondes but I've never tried it in my pale ale. 3-4 oz in 5 gallons is enough to make a difference.

Well the keg is bone dry, and it was amazing, a really great summer beer. The only change I made from the original recipe was .5 magnum at 60, and dropped the 40 min addition. If I made it next spring some victory would be nice, but for a clean summer brew the 2 row was a champ!

Good suggestions from Yooper.

A half oz magnum at 60 minutes will be enough bittering hops for a pale ale. I'd also suggest a half lb of honey instead of a full pound since you only have 8 lbs of grain in there. A quarter lb each of honey malt and crystal 40 would play nicely in that recipe... something other than just 8 lbs 2 row... unless you wanted to use British 2 row.