Vote for what I should brew next!!

[PastorofMuppets]

Hello fellow homebrewing ninjas.


I've been at this brewing hobby for about a year and a half. I made about 5 extract batches and then went all grain. I have tried to up my game continually. I have a temp control, grain mill, oxygen, stir plate, pH meter, etc.

I have never brewed the same recipe twice.

I have done the following recipes. :hs: indicate this was my own recipe

dred brown porter
cream ale
centennial blonde from this site
yoopers oatmeal stout
edworts apflwein
Joes ancient orange mead
IPA :hs:
Irish red :hs:
cascade orange pale ale
southern english brown :hs:
newcastle
apricot wheat :hs:
bluemoon clone which turned out like a dubbel
ESB :hs:
chocolate brown porter :hs:
bee cave hefeweizen
ESB version 2 :hs:
phat tire clone :hs:
pumpkin ale

and likely several more I didnt make good notes on.

I am trying to figure what to brew next.

A smash with MO and Amarillo

Something with Citra hops.

Pale ale

Another attempt into english beers for my house ale.

A better Wit or Hefeweizen (my bee cave came out very sulfur smelling and not much flavor)


I am not really a ipa fan. I cant get into IBUs above about 40. Id like to develop a orange/tropical fruit pale ale with a nice flavor but with only like 20-30 ibu, which makes use of citra tough since its high in AA.
I like drinking IPA but wouldnt want 5 gallons since I am the only drinker in my house and have 5 kegs in my kegerator.

All the batches that were my own recipe helped me learn about what grains I like and in what percentages. I am getting away from roasty and super caramel but do want to dial in my house brown ale. I may even be willing to lager sometime. I would say I could lager in my garage but its hovering about 20 degrees now lol.


So yeah I need help. I have about 10 recipes bouncing around.

 

[Jayhem]

Why not brew a Citra Pale Ale? This is my house beer!

80% 2-row
15% Vienna
5% C-60

Galena, Magnum or other clean bittering hop at 60 min for 20 ibu's.
Citra and Cascade @ 15 minutes for 10 IBU's
1oz Citra, 1 oz Cascade whirlpool as the wort cools below 180F
Dry hop with 1oz Citra, 1 oz Casacade for 7 days after primary fermentation is over.

OG: 1.050
FG: 1.011
IBU's: 35
ABV: 5.0%

The nose is mango, papaya and tangerine.

Nice crisp taste with fruity aroma and nice malt backbone provided by the Vienna. I brew this every 3rd batch because we love it so much.

 

[PastorofMuppets]

that sounds good. does it come across as bitter or balanced at that 35 ibu?
ive not dry hopped before. guess ill get in on that sometime. You didnt mention a yeast on that.
ive been going with american ale II but i still dont wash any yet but need to do that too.

 

[Kingbogart]

I would personally try for another English style for your house ale. I have seen many posts on the site stating that one of the best ways to up your game is to learn your process and to be able to repeat results. If you haven't made the same recipe twice, then it is possible there are still little tweaks and flaws in your process that could be improved. Also, making a recipe multiple times, you've got the ability to identify what you do and don't like, and really come out with something you can love, as opposed to taking something pretty good, and not pushing to make it better.

 

[Jayhem]

that sounds good. does it come across as bitter or balanced at that 35 ibu?
ive not dry hopped before. guess ill get in on that sometime. You didnt mention a yeast on that.
ive been going with american ale II but i still dont wash any yet but need to do that too.

It is slightly bitter but no where near IPA bitterness. If you like more balance shoot for 30 IBU's and it will be more like a dry hopped american amber. Let me put it this way, I brewed this beer for my brother's wedding last year and out of 150 bottles of it (which was gone in 3 hours) I got about 10 people complimenting me on the beer, saying it was the best pale ale they had every had. In fact just talking about it makes me want to put it next on my brewing que!

I also agree on the "You need to brew recipes more than once" idea. I have made this pale ale about 8 times now. I tweak it just slightly every time but I think I've finally nailed it.

 

[PastorofMuppets]

It is slightly bitter but no where near IPA bitterness. If you like more balance shoot for 30 IBU's and it will be more like a dry hopped american amber. Let me put it this way, I brewed this beer for my brother's wedding last year and out of 150 bottles of it (which was gone in 3 hours) I got about 10 people complimenting me on the beer, saying it was the best pale ale they had every had. In fact just talking about it makes me want to put it next on my brewing que!

I also agree on the "You need to brew recipes more than once" idea. I have made this pale ale about 8 times now. I tweak it just slightly every time but I think I've finally nailed it.

I know I should rebrew recipes and attempt to clone my own but the waiting game is what stops me. My tastes vary like the wind and often times I get so excited about brewing something that by the time what I have fermenting is kegged and ready I have already moved on in my mind. I have tried so many styles and want to brew ranges of beers but I can only drink so much. I have thought about doing small batches like 3 gallons using my secondary fermenters or even smaller BIAB and ferment in my several mr beer kegs in order to dial in my house ales. ive considered doing a Graff kind of brew also. My mind just moves in all kinds of directions.

I aged my ancient orange mead for over a year and just tasted it. It was yummy.

This citra recipe will get added to my list because I really am getting into pale ale recipes and want to use citra. The descriptors of that hop really appeal to me. Do you think that if I did the main bittering on that as a First wort hop it would smooth it out and still be in line with pale ale?

 

[Jayhem]

You can absolutely use Citra as the bittering hop. First wort addition might help though I have never used that technique. I personally prefer my pales ales more balanced and not so crisp and bitter like IPA's. My recipe is closer to an American Amber ale but I love dry hopping for the aroma it gives with Citra. Citra is best when the beer is young, you want to start drinking it as soon as it's carbonated because that tropical fruit aroma only lasts a week or 2 before fading.

 

[Spartan1979]

Maibock

 

[Melana]

Brew a RIS! Brew a RIS!
or a RYEPA! I like RyePA!

 

[chewse]

How about a coffee stout.....this beer can warm up cold bones....

 

[zdbrown1]

You can absolutely use Citra as the bittering hop. First wort addition might help though I have never used that technique. I personally prefer my pales ales more balanced and not so crisp and bitter like IPA's. My recipe is closer to an American Amber ale but I love dry hopping for the aroma it gives with Citra. Citra is best when the beer is young, you want to start drinking it as soon as it's carbonated because that tropical fruit aroma only lasts a week or 2 before fading.

My vote....citra pale ale...great tropical aroma..but lacking the bitterness of a true IPA

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[doc5md]

I'm on a rye kick, so I vote for a Rye pale ale. great flavors from the rye. I really enjoy it!

 

[SliverXZennon]

Belgian... love me some belgians!

 

[monkeybox]

EdWorts Haus Pale Ale is also excellent and very popular. Works great with citra hops, too.

Or you might try a Kölsch. Nearly a lager, and nice when fermented cold.

 

[Rdom]

I agree with the kolsch suggestion. But if you want to dial in your brown ale, go for it. Brew small batches (1 to 2 gallons) and brew often. You'll learn a lot about using specialty grains that way.

 

[Cbaddad]

Why not brew a Citra Pale Ale? This is my house beer!

80% 2-row
15% Vienna
5% C-60

Galena, Magnum or other clean bittering hop at 60 min for 20 ibu's.
Citra and Cascade @ 15 minutes for 10 IBU's
1oz Citra, 1 oz Cascade whirlpool as the wort cools below 180F
Dry hop with 1oz Citra, 1 oz Casacade for 7 days after primary fermentation is over.

OG: 1.050
FG: 1.011
IBU's: 35
ABV: 5.0%

The nose is mango, papaya and tangerine.

Nice crisp taste with fruity aroma and nice malt backbone provided by the Vienna. I brew this every 3rd batch because we love it so much.

This looks tasty. What do you mash at? 153? Thanks.

 

[PastorofMuppets]

I think what I am going to do for my next full size batch is going to be this citra pale.
I also want to go smaller possibly biab batches for experiements. One thing I forgot to mention I am fascinated with is Graff. I gotta do that soon also.
Ill do my house brown in a smaller batch and the smash in a small batch. i have 6 kegs and 12 full cases of bottles ready to fill. I think ill do a few 3-4 gal batches and bottle them and keg the citra.

 

[Jayhem]

This looks tasty. What do you mash at? 153? Thanks.

You got it. I always aim for 152-154F mash for 60 min and then mash out to 169F to stop conversion and keep this from getting IPA dry. A pale ale is not supposed to be dry.

Also I find that Nottingham Dry Ale Yeast is an excellent Pale Ale yeast.

 

[adixon3]

Brew a Red Ale It should be ready in time for St. Patricks day

 

[TheHunk]

St. Patty's is coming. Brew an nice Irish red or a stout.

 

[dustys_dad]

You could kill two birds with one stone and brew a Citra SMaSH.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

I voted lager, you just can't go wrong with a doppelbock.
Regards, GF.

 

[PastorofMuppets]

So here is what I am brewing next. I recently had Three Floyds Pride and Joy and loved it. Its amber and malty but with a citrus aroma and great sessionability.

This is what I have so far. Any thoughts on the recipe I would LOVE to read them.


Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.60 gal
Boil Size: 7.21 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
End of Boil Vol: 6.08 gal
Final Bottling Vol: 5.61 gal
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage

Efficiency: 77.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 80.4 %
Taste Rating: 30.0


7 lbs Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 1 65.5 %
1 lbs Amber Malt (22.0 SRM) Grain 2 9.4 %
1 lbs Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 3 9.4 %
8.0 oz Aromatic Malt (26.0 SRM) Grain 4 4.7 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 5 4.7 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 6 4.7 %
3.0 oz Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 7 1.8 %
0.75 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 8 21.8 IBUs
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 9 -
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 10 6.8 IBUs
1.00 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 11 8.2 IBUs
1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 0.0 min Hop 12 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 0.0 min Hop 13 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg American Ale II (Wyeast Labs #1272) [124.21 ml] Yeast 14 -
1.00 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Primary 3.0 days) Other 15 -
0.50 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 16 0.0 IBUs
0.50 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 17 0.0 IBUs


Gravity, Alcohol Content and Color

Est Original Gravity: 1.054 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.014 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.3 %
Bitterness: 36.8 IBUs
Est Color: 16.2 SRM

Measured Original Gravity: 1.055 SG
Measured Final Gravity: 1.010 SG
Actual Alcohol by Vol: 5.9 %
Calories: 182.3 kcal/12oz


Mash Profile

Mash Name: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Sparge Water: 5.16 gal
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE


Total Grain Weight: 10 lbs 11.0 oz


Mash In Add 4.14 gal of water at 166.5 F 153.0 F 60 min

Sparge: Batch sparge with 3 steps (Drain mash tun , 2.67gal, 2.67gal) of 168.0 F water
Mash Notes: Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time).



Carbonation and Storage

Carbonation Type: Keg
Pressure/Weight: 12.54 PSI
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 45.0 F
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage


Volumes of CO2: 2.3
Carbonation Used: Keg with 12.54 PSI
Age for: 7.00 days
Storage Temperature: 36.0 F