Quick question about my first concoction

Ingredients
1

I am about to attempt my very first try at my own personal home brew. I am making a 1 gallon batch so don’t get thrown off by my measurements.

8.5g centennial 45 min.
4g simcoe 15 min.
10.5g cascade dry hopping

I was shooting for a pale ale; however, I am not very sure where the thin line between a pale ale and an IPA is drawn. Would this combination of hops make an alright pale ale or or more of an IPA? More importantly will this combination of hops make for a horrible first attempt at something other than a pre-made kit? Thanks!

Michael

2

Looks awfully light on hops for an 11 gal. batch. You need to tell us the AA of the hops.

3

I’m not brewing 11 gallons just 1 gallon. I don’t know what the AA of the hops that I am getting; however, the NB site says the centennials are 9%-12%, the simcoes are 12%-14%, and the cascades are 4.5%-7%.

4

You can enter your recipe in a number of calculators. From the free trial versions of the major programs, to the free programs/spreadsheets or online ones. That will give you your OG, IBU and color. In general terms until you get the hops and can adjust the AA numbers.

Then, match your numbers with the style guidelines on the BJCP site.

http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/catdex.php

I came up with ~66IBUs. Which is in the American IPA range. Depending on the hops, drop the Centennial’s to 4g to bring it down to the 30’s for a APA.

5

[quote=“msgrady81”]
8.5g centennial 45 min.
4g simcoe 15 min.
10.5g cascade dry hopping
Would this combination of hops make an alright pale ale or or more of an IPA? More importantly will this combination of hops make for a horrible first attempt at something other than a pre-made kit? Thanks!
Michael[/quote]

Those three play well together.

6

Those numbers are the AA/ alpha acids. Its a measure of how much bitterness you’ll get from the hop. More AA%= more bitterness