A Summer Ale recipe

[mhochman]

Hi folks,
I've been contemplating and tinkering with a summer ale for well over a year and I'm finally getting around to brewing it. My goal is an APA type beer that's very citrusy, which I hope will make it very refreshing. I've really enjoyed the citra hop and the nelson sauvin the few times I've tried them, so that's what I'm going to go with. I've never tried them together, but in searching some sites it seems people feel they work well together.

I purchased AHS's citra pale ale to use as a base, so I can't tinker with the fermentables, but I'm open to suggestions with the hop schedule. The original recipe calls for a citra bitter additions, flavor addition, and an aroma addition. As citra and NS are pretty high with the AA, I have decided to eliminate the bitter addition and rely on hopbursting. So here's what I've got (partial mash):

Fermentables
US 2-Row Malt, 2lb 0oz, In Mash/Steeped
Crystal 75L, 8.00 oz, n Mash/Steeped
UK Munich Malt, 8.00 oz, In Mash/Steeped
US Carapils Malt, 8.00 oz, In Mash/Steeped
Extract - Extra Light Dried Malt, 4lb 0oz, Start Of Boil

Hops
US Citra, 15.0 %, 0.75 oz, 15 Min From End
NZ Nelson Sauvin , 12.5 %, 0.75 oz, 15 Min From End
US Citra, 15.0 %, 1.00 oz, 5 Min From End
NZ Nelson Sauvin , 12.5 %, 1.00 oz, 5 Min From End

Yeast
Wyeast 1272-American Ale II

OG: 1.050
FG: 1.013
IBU: 46.4 IBU
BU:GU ratio: 0.92

I'll have 1 oz(+) of each hop left over and originally considered dry hopping, but I'm looking for a really clear, smooth ale, and I'm afraid the DH could add some cloudiness and grassiness.

Anyway, I tend to write too much, so I'll leave it at that. Would love feedback and thoughts. I've never done a batch that relied on hopbursting for the bitterness.

Thanks all.

 

[tre9er]

I've hop-bursted and it was really good. Depending on the hop, there may be more of a bite from all late hop additions, but that's not necessarily out of style for an APA. I WOULD consider dry-hopping with both hops, too. The 5m additions won't leave much aroma to the beer after it's all said and done.

 

[Osedax]

A light dry hopping shouldn't leave any noticable chill haze. You could always cold crash with finings. Should get your beer pretty clear.

I like to dry hop everything. I would rather it smell amazing than look amazing. Personal preference. If I'm entering a comp, I will use finings. That's about the only time.

 

[mhochman]

It's funny, I had pulled the dry hop at the last second because of something I read. I have no problem adding it back. Any thoughts on the rest of the hop schedule?

 

[terrapinj]

citra and nelson will make a fine beer but it won't be citrusy IME

 

[mhochman]

I thought citra was a citrus flavor hop and NS is a grape flavor hop.... In addition to their aroma qualities.

 

[benflath]

Citra really doesn't have too much citrus. I had a friend's single hop citra pale last weekend and it was quite unexpectedly like tropical fruit juice. Maybe a little tangerine in there, but very sweet with a passion fruit-y, mango kind of thing going on. It was quite tasty and summery, but citrus would not enter into my description.

 

[terrapinj]

citra name is very misleading - its tropical fruit, mango, pineapple etc

Nelson has a little bit of citrus to it but its a minor supporting flavor - it's more of a white wine pungent flavor

you'll make a delicious beer with that combo but it won't be very citrusy

 

[mhochman]

Gotcha. I've had the widmer Citra and widmer drifter pa (which has NS). I guess citrus isn't exactly what I meant. Tropical and refreshing is what I'd like... So it looks like I'll still achieve my goal.

Thanks for the input.

 

[terrapinj]

those hops both really shine as dry hops, def take advantage with 1-2oz total DH

 

[mhochman]

those hops both really shine as dry hops, def take advantage with 1-2oz total DH

Already added back into the brew software. Looking forward to brew day. Can't wait to experience the smell in the house that day.