Pale Ale recipe/grain question

[jack_a_roe]

I've been reading that you can basically replace crystal with honey malt in most recipes instead of adding honey malt to your grain bill on top of the crystal. How do you guys feel about completely replacing the crystal and how do you feel about keeping a little crystal purely for coloring purposes?

My main concern is going overboard with the honey malt if I'm replacing the crystal entirely. Most i've read says it's best to keep it under 5% of the total grain.

My original grain bill before was...

6.5 lbs Golden Light DME (76%)
1.5 lbs Crystal 20 (17%)
.5 lb Honey Malt (5%)

Thinking it will be....

6.5 lbs Golden Light DME (93%)
.5 lb Honey Malt (7%)
((.5 lb crystal 20???))

 

[deepcdan99]

I just brewed a similar all-grain batch a three weeks ago

6lb 2-row
1/4lb honey malt
1/4lb victory
Cascade
Citra
It is now fully carb'd in my keggerator and wish I had added either a bit more honey malt or a touch of crystal 10 or 20. I was worried it was going to be too sweet but now I think it could have been sweeter to stand up to the Citra hops added. It is deffinately an excellent beer. Just might change it a lil bit next time. This was a 3.5 gal batch

 

[Malticulous]

I like your second one. I think even 10% crystal and honey malt may be a bit too sweet. You have to taste it and see how you like it.

 

[jack_a_roe]

Def gotta taste and tweak, was more or less just looking for some sort of baseline. Also the plan is to hop it somewhat aggressively so a little too sweet might be necessary. Probably gonna land somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 lb of honey malt and and touch of crystal, <1/4 lb ish. should be brewing it soon now...

 

[meltroha]

Holy crap, that's way too much crystal, need to keep crystal under 10% at most, you making candy?

 

[jack_a_roe]

Right now the crystal is at 3%...

 

[Malticulous]

I think honey malt tastes a lot like crystal 20L. I have used it in a few APAs but with darker crystal. Here is a recipie with 10% honey malt and 5% crystal 80L. Evidently it's good.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/bbd-brewing-kabes-secret-apa-139831/
Now I'm starting to like to make my pales and IPAs dryer than before.