Session pale ale hop addition

[Schmutzie]

Hi Everyone,

I am returning to brewing after about 13 years. I was brewing all grain batches back then, but have now eased into extract/PM and now have a Kolsch and a Milk Stout in bottles.

Tomorrow I am brewing a very low gravity, session, pale ale using the following recipe:

1.5 lb extra light DME (added with 15 min left)
1.75 lb 2 row pale malt
.75 lb crystal 120
.25 lb Flaked Barley
0.50 oz Magnum (10min)
2.25 oz Cascade (5min)
1.00 oz Cascade at flameout
Using Pacific Ale yeast
Est OG: 1.027
Est IBU 20.9

My question is this: Am I making a mistake not having a 60 min hop addition?

I want to keep the IBU's relatively low to stay in balance with the malt and I believe that IBU's from later additions are cleaner (or less harsh) than IBU's from earlier additions.

I have some left over Magnum from the Milk stout so I can make a 60 minute addition if I want.

Thanks for any input/advice!

-Schmutzie

 

[sendkyleanemail]

Welcome back!

That seems like a pretty low OG , even for a session beer. I'd day shot for something more like 1.045.

I like an early hop addition in. Pale ale. And magnum is a great choice. Just half an ounce would give a beer with that OG a good base of Bittering. Then do additions at say 10 an flame out.

 

[mabrungard]

I disagree that early hop additions are less clean than late additions. In this case with a larger late charge, the amount of vegative material is higher and that is more likely to give a greener, vegetal flavor. That grist is pretty lean and there won't be much malt to hide flaws behind. I agree with the need to have significant hop flavor and aroma in this beer, but don't overdo it to meet the bittering needs.

By the way, that is a really low gravity. I aim about 10 points higher for my session ales.

 

[Schmutzie]

Hi Sendkyleanemail and Martin,

Thanks for the feedback! I was intentionally seeing how low I could go with this one, but after both your comments I think I will add another pound of DME, and bump the Magnum addition to 60min (or maybe just move .25oz up to 60min) and reduce the 5min cascade addition a little.

This should keep me right around 3% (or a hair over) and about +/- 25 IBU's.

This will be the second time I've used Magnum, but I think they will be featured regularly in most of my brews - absolutely fantastic aroma.

Thanks again, if this works out well, I think I am going to be spending a lot of time making very low OG versions of my favorite styles (with an occasional IPA or IIPA thrown in for fun!)

-Schmutzie