American Pale Ale

[KneeHighBrewery]

Afternoon HBT! Looking to create an American Pale Ale this weekend and wanted some advice. Here's what I'm starting with.

My grain bill should be fairly straight forward (just a bunch of 2 row and some color) I'm mainly worried about the hops and additions. What do you guys think?

Cheers!

Recipe: American Pale Ale
Brewer: Knee High - Justin
Style: American Pale Ale
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 3.67 gal
Post Boil Volume: 3.38 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.00 gal
Bottling Volume: 4.60 gal
Estimated OG: 1.057 SG
Estimated Color: 13.5 SRM
Estimated IBU: 40.6 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 79.2 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt
8 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain -- 72.7 %
3 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain -- 27.3 %
1.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop -- 32.7 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop -- 5.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Coriander Seed (Boil 10.0 mins) Spice
1.00 oz Orange Peel, Bitter (Boil 10.0 mins) Spice
1.00 oz Glacier [5.60 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop -- 2.8 IBUs
1.0 pkg California Ale (White Labs #WLP001) Yeast

 

[dawgmatic]

You got too much crystal in there, I would use 1-1.5 lbs for an APA. If you really want the color just use a slightly darker type but you'll prob be fine sticking with the 40l. The hops look fine, never used glacier myself but it sounds like it'd go well with the simcoe an cascade.

The only thing I'm unsure of is the coriander and orange peel. It seems unnatural for an APA. I personally would not use em. But if that's what you're going for I'm sure it'll taste great,

 

[KneeHighBrewery]

You got too much crystal in there, I would use 1-1.5 lbs for an APA. If you really want the color just use a slightly darker type but you'll prob be fine sticking with the 40l. The hops look fine, never used glacier myself but it sounds like it'd go well with the simcoe an cascade.

The only thing I'm unsure of is the coriander and orange peel. It seems unnatural for an APA. I personally would not use em. But if that's what you're going for I'm sure it'll taste great,

Thanks dawg

I knocked the 40L down to 1.5lbs and the 2 row up to 9lbs. The citrus and coriander I'm throwing in to play off of the hops. I went with Cascade and Simcoe because of their citrus characteristics. Thought it would add an interesting flavor, but let me know if I'm wrong!

 

[ICWiener]

The citrus and coriander will add interesting flavors for sure, but you're going to be making something that tastes more like a hoppy witbier than an APA. You can leave 'em in, but just know that your beer will be spiced up a bit.

 

[nicklepickles]

Id definitely get of the orange and coriander, this is a pale ale, not a wit! Also move your simcoe to later in the boil, bittering with it is a huge waste of all the awesome floral aroma qualities is has. Use a different, less character-full hop for your bittering addition.

 

[Yooper]

Thanks dawg

I knocked the 40L down to 1.5lbs and the 2 row up to 9lbs. The citrus and coriander I'm throwing in to play off of the hops. I went with Cascade and Simcoe because of their citrus characteristics. Thought it would add an interesting flavor, but let me know if I'm wrong!

Is this a 5 gallon batch? The boil size says 3.67 gallons. If you're adding water to the wort post- boil, you'll dilute your IBUs so I just wanted to check and make sure before I considered the hopping.

I'd still lower the 40L to no more than a pound (it can be cloying in a larger amount and cause a too-sweet APA), especially if you are doing a partial boil.

 

[KneeHighBrewery]

Point taken. The citrus and coriander are out. I want a pure Pale Ale. And I'll do some more research into the hops.

Yooper, you bring up an interesting point I've been meaning to address. I've been making my recipes in BeerSmith and was never sure if the volumes were matching up to what I was actually making. After doing some poking around I found where I could make my own profile. I just need to figure out my mashtun volume when I get home.

 

[wailingguitar]

I agree with those saying drop the C40 down, I would go with a pound, you could add a pound of Victory perhaps for color and a nice nutty maltiness without the sweet... maybe use Pale Ale malt instead of straight pale 2row and not necessarily bump the pale up to 9#... but that's just me. LOL I just realized that would actually put the grain bill right on with a beer I just made; 8# Pale Ale malt, 1#C40, 1# Victory

Your hops look ok to me, but I don't get orange peel and coriander in an APA... That being said, if that is what you want, DO IT. You only have to please you, it doesn't matter a bit if I or someone else say *insert stuffy voice here* "That's not to style"

 

[rpe290]

I would do more like 3/4 lb C40 (I personally like non-caramel malt APAs anyway) and use the Simcoe in end of boil or dry hop, don't waste it on the bittering hop, use something cheap and easy to get.

ETA: Similar to above, I would use something like 3/4 lb victory, .5 lb C40... mash at 152 maybe? I like the pale malt suggestion too. A good ferment will determine how good it is, of course.

 

[KneeHighBrewery]

Thanks all! Rejiggered recipe below. Any recommendations on yeast? I did some research and ended up switching to US-05. Seemed to have the best reviews. Next up, a German Wit!

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 5.00 gal
Post Boil Volume: 4.25 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.00 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.057 SG
Estimated Color: 10.2 SRM
Estimated IBU: 44.8 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 72.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------

9 lbs --- Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)
1 lbs --- Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM)
1 lbs --- Victory Malt (25.0 SRM)
1.00 oz --- Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min
1.00 oz --- Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min
1.0 pkg --- Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05)

 

[Yooper]

I think a pound of victory malt is too much. I'd use .5 pound of it in a beer like this. It's nice and toasty, but can be overdone.

I'd like to see some hops at 15 minutes. I really like a traditional 60/15/5 bittering schedule. I like simcoe, but not so much as the only late hop addition. If you still have the cascade, or a different bittering hop variety instead of the centennial, I'd use one of those at 5 minutes and leave the simcoe at 15.

Like this:
1 oz bittering hop 60 minutes
1 oz simcoe 15 minutes
1 oz cascade (or centennial/amarillo/citra/etc) 5 minutes

 

[KneeHighBrewery]

I think a pound of victory malt is too much. I'd use .5 pound of it in a beer like this. It's nice and toasty, but can be overdone.

I'd like to see some hops at 15 minutes. I really like a traditional 60/15/5 bittering schedule. I like simcoe, but not so much as the only late hop addition. If you still have the cascade, or a different bittering hop variety instead of the centennial, I'd use one of those at 5 minutes and leave the simcoe at 15.

Like this:
1 oz bittering hop 60 minutes
1 oz simcoe 15 minutes
1 oz cascade (or centennial/amarillo/citra/etc) 5 minutes

I'm a big fan of that schedule too, but I'm worried it'll put my bitterness way too high.

Right now I have:
1 oz comet 60 minutes
1 oz simcoe 15 minutes
1 oz citra 5 minutes
IBUs: 65.2

 

[ICWiener]

Cut that 60 minute addition down to .5 oz. That will keep overall bitterness down, but you'll still get good flavor/aroma from your citra and simcoe.

 

[wailingguitar]

RE The victory malt, That is very subjective. I find 1# to be perfect in 5gallons, it is a matter of taste. I currently have two beers on tap that have that amount and I wouldn't mess with them at all

 

[Yooper]

Cut that 60 minute addition down to .5 oz. That will keep overall bitterness down, but you'll still get good flavor/aroma from your citra and simcoe.

Yes, that's what I'd do. Keep the IBUs in the 40-45 IBU range for that OG.

 

[KneeHighBrewery]

Wanted to follow up on this thread with some reactions to the finished beer.

When I took my recipe to my LHBS they suggested I spread out my hop schedule a bit to balance out the bitterness. The beer ended up being a lot less hoppier than I had originally thought. But it still turned out great! Lots of citrusy flavor with a little bite and a very clean finish.

Just finished a 2L growler of it, so when I get some more bottles chilled I'll try and post some pictures.

Thanks for all the help with this beer. This is definitely a recipe that I will keep experimenting with.