I recently brewed a BIAB 5- gal batch of stout with 11 lbs. of malted barley (with 10 lbs of 2-row being the base) plus 1/2 lb. of roast barley and 1/2 lb. of flaked wheat. I did a single infusion mash at 153 F.
I used WLP013 London Ale Yeast plus 1 oz Cascade and 1/2 oz, of East Kent Goldings. Hops were added at the beginning of a 60 minute boil.
I really like the finished beer and got good reviews at a local beer club meeting and at a family reunion plus a request for the recipe.
I’m almost afraid to alter the recipe under the dictum of “If it ain’t broke don’t try to fix it” because I think its almost perfect for my tastes.
If I could make one change, I’d like to increase the citrus flavor just a bit without making the beer more bitter from hops. I like malt-forward brews. If I used citra hops, the alpha acid content is much higher than the hops listed above.
Could I use 1 oz of Cascade and 1/4 oz of Citra and still balance the malt bill, or perhaps up the citra to 1/2 oz and add more roast barley to help balance the hops and keep a malt -forward profile?
Are there other hops that provide more citrus flavor than cascade at a 5% to 7% alpha acid level?
Suggestions please and thanks in advance for your ideas.