Looking to do an all-Cascade Blonde

[boydster]

I've got a bunch of Cascade on hand and want to use some for a blonde ale. I also have some CTZ and Simcoe, and not sure if maybe I should just use the CTZ for bittering instead of Cascade as I haven't used Cascades for bittering before. Looking for feedback/guidance... Here is the recipe I have so far:

Blonde Ale – 4 gallon boil, top up to 5.5 gallons

6 lbs Briess Golden Light DME (3 at beginning, 3 at flameout)
4oz CaraPils
4oz Crystal 15
0.5oz Cascade @ 60
0.5oz Cascade @ 15
1.0oz Cascade @ 5
1.0 oz Cascade @ 0
Safale S-05

I have 8oz each of CaraPils and C15 on hand, but using all puts it at 16% of the grain bill which seems kinda over the top.

Just looking for thoughts/opinions/ideas.

 

[Jmarsh544]

Looks slightly on the hoppy side for a blonde but that's how I make mine. Some people say cascade as a bittering hop adds a weird funk to a beer, but I haven't had that experience. I do like CTZ as a bittering hop though, so if it was me I would go that route and use cascade for the rest.

 

[sptaylor70]

This looks similar to Biermuencher's Centennial Blonde. You could follow his pattern and use your Simcoe for bittering and Cascade for flavor and aroma. You could go up to the full 8 oz. of CaraPils, but leave your C15L at 4 oz., which would give you 11% crystal. Looks nicely balanced. Post how it turns out.

 

[boydster]

Cool, thanks guys. I'll mull over using the Columbus or Simcoe for bittering and probably brew this up tomorrow or Sunday. Will post final recipe on brew day.

 

[boydster]

Decided to use the Columbus for bittering while also shortening up the boil. Here is what I am doing (steeping the grains now):

6 lbs Briess Golden Light DME - 3 at beginning, 3 at flameout
4 oz C20
4 oz CaraPils
0.4 oz Columbus @ 30
1 oz Cascade @ 10
1 oz Cascade @ flameout

 

[TimBrewz]

Let us know how your blonde comes out

I was going to do a blonde with Mt. Hood hops, but for the life of me I can't find the package I bought....so I am brewing my blonde with all Cascade too. I decided to try a single 15 min addition to get about 20 IBU. I expect a good amount of flavor and some aroma to carry over.

1.048 OG
21 IBU
4.5 SRM

8 lbs pale
1 lb Vienna
.5 lb Carahell (10L)

2 oz Cascade at 15 min.

Wlp 060 American Ale Blend

 

[boydster]

So mine is clearing in the primary right now. I found a 1/2 oz of coriander in the freezer when I was grabbing my hops (leftover from a few months ago) and decided to throw that in as well because... well... because why not?

I plan on taking a gravity reading this weekend and then another one on Tuesday/Wednesday of next week. As long as it's stable, I'll bottle it up.

Tim: I was just reading yesterday about brewers using all late hops. I think that is a pretty cool idea. Let us know how yours turns out... I may try something similar with my Simcoe.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Pass. I've had enough blondes in my life taht started out fun and fruity and just ended up bitter.

 

[boydster]

Are you talking about from the coriander? Hadn't heard that before. I've only used it once before, 1/2oz in 5 gallons, and I can't say I got any bitterness from it. That brew is the reason I had this other 1/2oz tucked away in the freezer. Guess I will see if it contributes any bitterness to the current batch in a few weeks...

 

[Sippin37]

Are you talking about from the coriander? Hadn't heard that before. I've only used it once before, 1/2oz in 5 gallons, and I can't say I got any bitterness from it. That brew is the reason I had this other 1/2oz tucked away in the freezer. Guess I will see if it contributes any bitterness to the current batch in a few weeks...

Didn't pick up on the sarcasm, huh?

 

[boydster]

Ah, dammit. My sarcasm blindness is an ongoing affliction. Everyday is a challenge.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Ah, dammit. My sarcasm blindness is an ongoing affliction. Everyday is a challenge.

Not at all. In fact, my attempt at spicing things up is what made them all bitter.

 

[TimBrewz]

My all cascade blonde came out great. Just one addition at 15 min is very nice. Just enough to have a faint northwest ale influence but very much a light lager like beer.

 

[boydster]

Nice! Mine is getting bottled tomorrow. Planned on doing it today, but the trials and tribulations of life and children of various sizes have forced me to succumb to the baser joys of enjoying homebrews instead of bottling them. Why put off drinking them until tomorrow, when I can enjoy them today and bottle something tomorrow instead?? Hit 1.012 for FG a couple days ago, double checked it today and holding steady. Gravity sample is good, both varieties of hops are coming through in the flavor. Can taste the coriander in there too, definitely a citrusy brew but balanced with the maltiness.