New APA recipe development

[Mer-man]

I have decided to pursue an APA from scratch, recipe wise.

I am starting with choosing my base malt combo. Using a clean, neutral yeast and classic cascade/centennial hopping so the malt is in the right perspective.

I plan to then move on to choosing a Munich and then crystal, then yeast then mash temp, then hops.

I brewed one combo a week or two ago and two more today, so I will be evaluating them side by side. I think it will be a delicious process.

Does anyone have words of wisdom from their own experience?

 

[Mer-man]

Ok, all three of the base malt combos are bottled.

Side note, 5th and 6th generation WLP090 seem to form a more stable yeast cake.

 

[Bosh]

Well, most popular APA I brewed had a grain bill of 90% Vienna, 4.5% Victory, 4.5% Carared and 1% Caraaroma mashed low and fermented nice and dry with US-05. Lots of flavor without being cloying or sweet or clashing with the hops.

 

[Mer-man]

Cool, thanks for the input. I def like the Vienna flavours so far

 

[Mer-man]

Ok with some time, the all-Danish malt beer is winning. It has the cleanest flavour and beautiful lacing. I love it when progress is delicious.

Will be soliciting opinions tomorrow at a Friday bar (pretty typical at large companies here in Denmark.)

 

[Mer-man]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1457633012.890418.jpgthe lighting is quite poor, as the beer is actually quite pale.

 

[Rui]

so, what people thought about it??

 

[Mer-man]

The winner was the 50-50 mix of Danish Pilsner malt and Weyermann Vienna.

 

[Mer-man]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1457874465.748765.jpg better pic

 

[Mer-man]

Now I am comparing Fuglsang and Weyermann (Light) Munich malts.
I cranked the proportion up to 20% to really amplify the flavour differences.

 

[pythonaut]

You're doing God's work.

 

[jmitchell3]

Nope. zero experience doing it this way. But I like it. I like it...

 

[Mer-man]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1463306750.575133.jpg
Weyermann Munich
Better head, and flavour more oriented toward bread crust maltiness.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1463306838.797148.jpg
Fuglsang Munich
Worse head (Danish malts have been having lower protein lately) and flavour is more nutty and malty.

 

[Mer-man]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1465404152.455531.jpg
I take it back about the Danish malt.

With some time the head became rocky with Belgian lacing.

And it has been winning in my triangle test tastings. Hah!