Apa Recipe Critique

[MattC]

Please any hints and advice for modifying this recipe will be appreciated.

Came up with this recipe for an AG APA, Havnt used Simcoe and Cascade hops before, however Im told that when used with Amarillo, these three hops complement each other very well.




Hop Bandit APA
American Pale Ale


Type: All Grain
Date: 14/03/2009
Batch Size: 26.00 L
Brewer: Matt Cawley
Boil Size: 33.13 L Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 90 min Equipment: My Mash Stuff
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00
Taste Notes:

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
4.50 kg Pale Malt, Maris Otter (5.9 EBC) Grain 77.59 %
1.00 kg Wheat Malt, Ger (3.9 EBC) Grain 17.24 %
0.15 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (157.6 EBC) Grain 2.59 %
0.15 kg Carared (60.0 EBC) Grain 2.59 %
15.00 gm Amarillo [8.20 %] (Dry Hop 5 days) Hops -
15.00 gm Cascade [6.30 %] (Dry Hop 5 days) Hops -
10.00 gm Amarillo [8.20 %] (60 min) Hops 7.8 IBU
15.00 gm Simcoe [12.30 %] (60 min) Hops 17.6 IBU
10.00 gm Cascade [6.30 %] (10 min) Hops 2.2 IBU
10.00 gm Simcoe [12.30 %] (10 min) Hops 4.3 IBU
10.00 gm Amarillo [8.20 %] (10 min) Hops 2.8 IBU
10.00 gm Cascade [6.30 %] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
10.00 gm Amarillo [8.20 %] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
1.00 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Primary 3.0 days) Misc
1 Pkgs American Ale (Craftbrewer #AKA (US-05)) Yeast-Ale



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.053 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.010 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.015 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.005 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.90 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 0.65 %
Bitterness: 34.7 IBU Calories: 90 cal/l
Est Color: 14.5 EBC Color: Color


Mash Profile

Mash Name: Single Infusion, Medium Body, No Mash Out Total Grain Weight: 5.80 kg
Sparge Water: 23.81 L Grain Temperature: 22.2 C
Sparge Temperature: 75.6 C TunTemperature: 22.2 C
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE Mash PH: 5.4 PH

Single Infusion, Medium Body, No Mash Out Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 15.13 L of water at 74.4 C 67.8 C



Mash Notes: Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time).
Carbonation and Storage

Carbonation Type: Kegged (Forced CO2) Volumes of CO2: 2.4
Pressure/Weight: 74.4 KPA Carbonation Used: -
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 4.0 C Age for: 28.0 days
Storage Temperature: 11.1 C

 

[bradsbrew]

Looks like alot of wheat I usually only go 150 to 200g. And 50g of choc malt goes alright in an APA.
I havnt used simcoe before but cascade and amarillo go great together, my 3 are usually cascade. willamette and amarillo.
But it looks like a tasty brew.
Cheers Brad

 

[chappo1970]

Big hops should be nice simcoe, cascades and amarillo's :wub:

Looks good!

 

[MattC]

Yeah, might decrease the Wheat a bit I think...

Cheers Boys

 

[chappo1970]

Meh! I liked the wheat but that's my taste I suppose?

 

[Stuster]

Yeah, I think the wheat is fine. Recipe looks good. I've never used MO in an APA, but it should be delicious.

 

[technocat]

Yeah I would cut the wheat back to 200gr. Traditional APA's are hop driven with a slight hint of caramel or honey.
Not being critical just a suggestion, your brew go for it.

 

[katana]

Stuff Brewin`!

It`s too nice a day, Matt.

Down tools and head over to the Shawsy for some pool, vibes and schooeys!

:chug: :beerbang: :chug:

 

[Steve]

Yep - 250gms Wheat. Is the carared necessary? Never seen it in an APA before.

I'd be bittering with the Simcoe and then go the cascade and amarillo. I love simcoe.

Chuck some whirlfloc in at 10-15 if you have some too.

Cheers
Steve

 

[mje1980]

Traditional APA's are hop driven with a slight hint of caramel or honey.

Whats a traditional APA??. Just curious

 

[BoilerBoy]

The wheat will be fine, just an interesting dimension to the apa style, I have used similar amounts previously and it worked out no worries.

As for simcoe, cascade & amarillo there all best mates and compliment each other perfectly.

Hope it goes well.

BB

 

[Bribie G]

The carared might go better in an American Amber but at 150g won't do any harm. If it's the latest batch from Ross the aroma is sensational and should give a bit of 'honey' background for sure. I put a bit in just about everything nowadays.

If you already have the Maris Otter that's fine, but I would personally go rather for BB ale or it might turn out a bit too big malt especially as it will be bumped up a tad by the Carared. BB is a nice clean subdued malt - I would guess it's a bit more like American 2 row than MO, and will let the hops shine through.

If you want a fabulous hit of aroma hops try 20g of Cascade or Amarillo made into a hop tea with boiling water, sit till cool, then strain well into secondary fermenter two days before bottling :icon_drool2: :icon_drool2: :icon_drool2: I usually do mine the same day as Polyclaring.

 

[Fourstar]

Whats a traditional APA??. Just curious

An classic example of the style mje1980 would be Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

Personally i think your recipe looks like a halfcast American APA and an Engligh bitter due to the malt bill. It would taste awesome but it just doesn't feel like a true APA to me anymore. Only because I listened to the brewing network APA podcast lastweek. Basically they say if its American, keep the grain bill hop profile local. Simple.

So if it was mine, i would be using rock stock JW Ale malt. Standard 2-row. 5% Each of Munich and Wheat if you want to use wheat (if you are only using it for mouthfeel and head retention, the cyrstal will help you with that) and your choice of a light crystal malt (less than 50Lov) up to 5-6%.

an example would be my current APA on tap. All i can say is awesome, big and floral, slighty sweet and grainy/bready with a dry bitter finish.

Cheers :icon_cheers:


Cascading APA
American Pale Ale

Type: All Grain
Date: 1/03/2009
Batch Size: 23.00 L
Brewer: Braden
Boil Size: 30.90 L Asst Brewer:

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
5.20 kg Pale Malt, Traditional Ale (Joe White) (3.0 SRM) Grain 88.1 %
0.35 kg Crystal (Joe White) (34.2 SRM) Grain 5.9 %
0.35 kg Munich, Light (Joe White) (8.9 SRM) Grain 5.9 %
25.00 gm Horizon [11.30%] (60 min) Hops 31.2 IBU
30.00 gm Cascade [6.30%] (10 min) Hops 7.6 IBU
30.00 gm Cascade [6.30%] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
0.50 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 10.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056) Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile
Measured Original Gravity: 1.056 SG
Measured Final Gravity: 1.016 SG
Actual Alcohol by Vol: 5.2 %

 

[bconnery]

There's a lot of scope for malt bill in APAs.
Some have that caramel flavour underneath, approaching amber ales in colour, and some are much lighter and less driven by crystal.
I wouldn't change that grain bill at all this time. It will make a nice APA with a bit of crystal flavour. Next time you could play and try different grains for your base.
Carared is a great crystal malt I think.
Maris Otter is a great base malt in general, and works very well in an APA.
The hops look good to me. You have a wide range to play with hop addition wise from those with a decent but not crazy hop flavour to entirely hop driven, such as those with no bittering and all late additions.

 

[Kai]

It looks like an APA to me, and a nice tasting one. Nothing wrong with MO, wheat or carared in there. I've tasted very nice APA's that have been made with 100% Munich malt.

 

[mje1980]

An classic example of the style mje1980 would be Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

Any others?

 

[Fourstar]

Locally Made Examples: The obvious Little Creatures Pale Ale. Matilda Bay Alpha Pale Ale, Snowy Mountain Brewery - Crackenback, Mildura Brewery - Storm are some decent examples you can get these from your local good bottle shopr or First Choice/Dans.

BJCP.org's examples http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style10.php#1a

 

[technocat]

Any others?

Carared just might be in this nice drop of mirror pond from Oregen



View attachment 25456 View attachment 25457

 

[mje1980]

Carared just might be in this nice drop of mirror pond from Oregen



View attachment 25456 View attachment 25457

Lucky me, i just bought some cara red, !!

 

[buttersd70]

snip...
Personally i think your recipe looks like a halfcast American APA and an Engligh bitter due to the malt bill. It would taste awesome but it just doesn't feel like a true APA to me anymore. Only because I listened to the brewing network APA podcast lastweek. Basically they say if its American, keep the grain bill hop profile local. Simple.

So if it was mine, i would be using rock stock JW Ale malt. Standard 2-row. 5% Each of Munich and Wheat if you want to use wheat (if you are only using it for mouthfeel and head retention, the cyrstal will help you with that) and your choice of a light crystal malt (less than 50Lov) up to 5-6%.

an example would be my current APA on tap. All i can say is awesome, big and floral, slighty sweet and grainy/bready with a dry bitter finish.

snip....

Can I paraphrase this, to see if I'm interpreting what you're saying correctly?

This recipe would be awesome, but not to style. Remove the high quality, super tasty malt, and replace it with a malt that, whilst fairly good for what it is, is rather bland in comparison. You're beer will still be good, just not as good. But at least it will be in style, which is, after all, the object of the excersize.

Did I misunderstand? h34r:

edit: OT, I think the wheat is a little high as well....but that's more a (editv2: personal ) taste thing than anything. Simcoe and cascade are great together (I use them often, believe it or not) , I like amarillo and cascade together more than straight amarillo; so I think all 3 together would be excellent.