Perfecting my house pale

[beerandloathinginaustin]

So I've shrunk something Rogue Yellow Snow IPA-ish down into a pale that I call Yellow Drizzle: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/making-rogue-yellow-snow-ipa-into-light-beer-255302/

6 gallon PM batch (3 on Pacman, 3 on WLP090)
6.9lb Xpale LME
.8lb Melanoiden
.7lb Carapils


I'm happy with the hopping and feel like I have a good handle on that aspect. Will probably try out some Galaxy that I have coming in the mail.

However, I'd like to sweeten the malt profile up a little bit. Right now it's a big fruity hoptastic experience with a base that's just a little blah. I'm thinking reduce the melanoiden a little and go with some crystal. Maybe a blend of crystals. Anybody got any suggestions?

 

[Germelli1]

If you can work a small mash, I use 2-3 pounds of munich in my house pale ale. It gives a really nice, malty backbone that blends with hops nicely. The best thing with munich is I could mash easily in my apartment because it can convert itself in the mash without 2-row!

 

[SC_Ryan]

^Munich is a good idea. I also like a half pound or so of Victory or Biscuit to add a nice little bit of bready body to a pale ale. If you use Crystal you will probably want to stick with the lighter crystals like 10 or 15 if you want to keep "yellow" in the name. Good luck!

 

[Yooper]

I'd definitely get rid of the carapils as if you're adding crystal, it would replace the carapils.

I'd second (third) using some Munich malt, adding some crystal malt, and possibly reducing the melanoidin malt.

I like a bit (.25 pound) of aromatic malt in some beers. Aromatic malt gives an intensely malty flavor and aroma and could be beneficial here.

 

[Celticway]

I'd definitely get rid of the carapils as if you're adding crystal, it would replace the carapils.

I'd second (third) using some Munich malt, adding some crystal malt, and possibly reducing the melanoidin malt.

I like a bit (.25 pound) of aromatic malt in some beers. Aromatic malt gives an intensely malty flavor and aroma and could be beneficial here.

Question for you Yooper; how would the crystal take the place of the carapils? They are different animals. There is in my opinion too much of it in this recipe, but carapils is pretty tasteless adding body and head retention, and crystal is full of flavor. Am I missing something? Not trying to be a butt, just interested in your thinking.

 

[Yooper]

Question for you Yooper; how would the crystal take the place of the carapils? They are different animals. There is in my opinion too much of it in this recipe, but carapils is pretty tasteless adding body and head retention, and crystal is full of flavor. Am I missing something? Not trying to be a butt, just interested in your thinking.

Caramel/crystal malt has some of the same properties as carapils (after all, they are made the same way and carapils IS a crystal malt). Crystal malt provides head retention properties, just as carapils does. That, and hops also provide great head retention. So, in a hoppy recipe with crystal malt, you don't need any carapils at all.

The only time I ever use carapils is if it's my only specialty grain, like in a Bohemian pilsner that is less than 5% carapils and 95% pilsner malt or in another instance where there are no crystal malts or flaked barley and head retention could be lacking. I rarely use it, and usually don't even have any on hand.

 

[Malticulous]

Carahell is nice for what you want. It adds a pleasant sweetness. I like my pales more gold and tend to use British 50-60L. It adds sweetness with bready, caramel and toffy notes.

 

[beerandloathinginaustin]

Thanks for the suggestions guys (and gals).

Version 2 of Yellow Drizzle will be:

6gal PM batch (3 on Pacman, 3 on ? - maybe 3711)

6lb Xpale LME
3lb Munich
5oz Crystal 20
3oz Crystal 40
3oz Melanoiden

Let me know if I should tinker with that at all. My pile of NZ hops should show in the mail tomorrow and I'll make an ingredient run on Friday.

 

[Germelli1]

looks like a very solid recipe! My house Pale is

7 Pounds 2 Row
3 Pounds Munich
.5 Pounds Cara-munich

Then whatever fruity hops I have in the freezer (usually cascades).


I can't wait to hear how it turns out with the NZ hops!

 

[beerandloathinginaustin]

Brewed up version 2 a couple days ago. Had 2 boilovers (it was my 2nd batch of the day and I was slightly drunk). It's loaded with Galaxy, Simcoe, Nelson Sauvin though so I'm not sure how it couldn't be wonderful.

The only deviation from what I said would be v2 is that my friendly LHBS guy gave me 3lbs of Munich extract instead of grains. He's such a good guy I didn't have the heart to tell him he'd given me the wrong shizzle. So v2 basically has 1.2lbs of Munich.