Sweet spot Hop amount for an APA

[Bjorn Bjornsen]

I know this is a question of taste/ preference.

But is there a sweet spot hop amount for an APA? One can add quite a bit of late hops to an APA, and still be within the style guidelines.

At what point do an APA become a IPA with less bitterness?

 

[TallDan]

At what point do an APA become a IPA with less bitterness?

At the point where you call it an IPA.

Style guidelines are no more than guidelines. There are many styles that overlap or are very similar. Even if they don't, there's plenty of room for interpretation and marketing by the brewer. APA and AIPA overlap a fair amount at the low end of the IBU range for IPA and high end for APA. There are no solid numbers for hop flavor though, so that's all up to the brewer (or marketer).

I brewed a beer a few months ago that I intended to be an APA, but at the hoppier end of the style. When it was done and I poured the first glass of it, I immediately changed my mind and started calling it an IPA. Even though the IBUs were technically just below the mark for an IPA, and the ABV was right at the low end, it just tasted like an IPA. The balance was too bitter and hoppy for me to call it an APA even though the numbers were right in the range for it.

 

[schematix]

12-16oz per 5 gallon.

Varieties and timing matter too.

 

[aprichman]

12-16oz per 5 gallon.

Varieties and timing matter too.

That's an absurd amount of hops for an American Pale Ale.

 

[day_trippr]

Considering my pales of late have carried 24 ounces in a 10 gallon batch, "absurd" seems too strong a word.
"Outlier", maybe...

Cheers!

 

[TallDan]

That's an absurd amount of hops for an American Pale Ale.

Agreed.