Evening all,
Brewed probably a dozen American pale ales over the past few years, but none of them have been incredibly mesmerizing. I’m looking for a basic pale recipe (O.G. 1.045 - 1.060). I can get any grain. Hops in house include:
-Magnum
-Super Galena
-Columbus
-Cascade
-Belma
-Calypso
-Pacific Jade
Current yeast stock includes
-California 001
-US 05
-US 04
Also have access to other white labs liquid yeasts.
Thanks in advance,
David
My pale ales always seemed a little bland and I couldn’t figure it out. I mashed at the same temps as my IPA’s. After tasting at my club meetings I was asked at what temp did you mash at?
I said about 149,150 or so. Thats when my APA’s improved, I was mashing too low, It seems that mashing at 152-154 made for a tasty beer. I’m drinking a pale ale as I write this and I used that advise, very tasty. I used hops that you don’t have on hand.
IF it was me, I would mix the cascade,columbus and pac. jade and bitter to 50. Yummy!
Thanks for the input. Yeah I usually mash anywhere between 150 and 154. Have you every used galena or calypso. Thinking a pale ale experiment with those hops might be interesting.
I mean I don’t know that APAs are supposed to be overly complex or earth-shattering, just an easy-drinkin’ beer with some hop character. Can you be more specific about what is lacking? touch of caramel malt? Want it breadier/biscuity-er? More mouthfeel?
have you tried toasting a 1/2# or so of your base grain in the oven? Do it about 2 weeks before brewing, store it in a zip lock bag (there are some harsh compounds created that dissipate with storage).
I find I like a hint of crystal/caramel flavor in mine, but overall just rich light malts.
I am planning the following:
80% 2-row (with 1/2# toasted) - could also try MO or I’ve heard of people having good results with all Vienna.
10% biscuit
5% c20
5% simple sugar
small charge of magnum @ 60, but the majority of IBU’s from late, late hops. Might even skip the 20 minute addition in favor of more 15/10/5.
US-05 or Pacman.
Pietro, you make great points. I’m guessing more mouthfeel would be great, which coincides with the above idea of mashing on the higher end versus the lower end. I may give the “toasting” idea a run. I also have another recipe in the book that calls for dextrin malt and vienna malt in addition to pale malt and c20. Might give it a try. Have you ever used galena or calypso as bittering hops?
The first all-grain recipe I designed was an APA and it was really good. I tweaked it a couple of times; one time it swayed the way of an IPA, another a shandy, and another was just screwed up all around. As soon as it gets warmer around here I’m going to go “back to my roots” and try brewing the original again.
Don’t have the exact recipe in front of me right now but it was basically:
9 lbs 2 row
1 lb crystal 40
1 lb carapils (optional)
1 oz Northern Brewer - 60 min
.5 oz Cascade - 30 min
.5 oz Willamette - 30 min
.5 oz Cascade - 10 min
.5 Willamette - 10 min
WY1056
Mash at 152-154
