Australian Pale Ale

[Dazza_devil]

G'day Brewers,
My Golden ESB is now bubbling nicely so it's now time to start planning the next masterpiece, an Australian Pale Ale.
To begin, does anyone know what's an exceptable EBC range for the style?
Cheers.

 

[AndrewQLD]

12 EBC for the Sparkling ale
8.5 EBC for a Pale Ale
That's the coopers specs if your looking for something along those lines.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Dazza_devil]

Thanks Andrew, I'm not targeting a Coopers Clone specifically but this gives me some idea of where to start. I guess that would be Gold to Amber as the guidelines suggest, 6 - 15 EBC's sound OK?

Which brings me to the grain bill.

Here's what spec. grains I have left at the moment.

150g Pale Crystal
180g Carapils
400g Carared
200g Caramunich II
105g Caraaroma

According to AABC guidelines, 'caramel malt flavours are out of style'. Which of the above would impart the most caramel flavour?

Also, 'Judicious use of crystal malt for colour adjustment'.
I've got Black Malt, Roast Barley, Choc Wheat, and small amounts of Carafa II and Choc. Would you use any of these or depend on one of the above?

'A small amount of wheat for head retention', would the carapils suffice or perhaps a tad of Choc Wheat?

 

[AndrewQLD]

Here's my CSA and CPA


CSA
4.30 kg Pale Malt, Ale (Barrett Burston) (4.0 EBC)Grain 93.07 %
0.24 kg Wheat Malt (Barrett Burston) (2.4 EBC) Grain 5.19 %
0.08 kg Crystal Dark Bairds (239.9 EBC) Grain 1.73 %
39.00 gm Pride of Ringwood [8.30 %] (60 min) Hops 35.3 IBU

CPA
3.75 kg Pale Malt, Ale (Barrett Burston) (4.0 EBC)Grain 93.75 %
0.20 kg Wheat Malt (Barrett Burston) (2.4 EBC) Grain 5.00 %
0.03 kg Crystal Dark Bairds (240.0 EBC) Grain 1.25 %
28.00 gm Pride of Ringwood [8.30 %] (60 min) Hops

If you haven't got dark crystal then sub out a bit of the wheat malt for some choc wheat, say 80g.
I wouldn't use any carapils at all, you won't need it.
If you get it around 10 EBC it should be great.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Bribie G]

CSA used to be much darker, I remember it as being almost orange back in the 70s and it has been definitely lightened over the last few years, presumably to cater for a younger or at least more mainstream market. I try to aim for the historical version, more amber. This one got a bronze at the QLD comp which I was chuffed about as I had only entered it for comments. (Edit: I should point out of course that Andrew's got a Silver ) Not sure about the EBC as I don't use software, I'll post a piccie on What's in the Glass at Beer O'clock today:
25l batch

4000 BB Ale
200 Wheat malt
300 Carared

64 degrees 90 min

30g POR flowers 90 min

500 white sugar into fermenter

Whirlfloc, Polyclar etc

Coopers recultured yeast.

In a previous version I used 500 of Munich II as well but it turned out too heavy going for my palate.

:icon_cheers: :icon_cheers:

 

[Stagger]

If Andrew's Australian Pale ale recipe above is the same as the one in the Qld comp, it is outstanding. I was lucky enough to judge it and gave it 44pts, true to style and a bloody good (great) beer.

Craig

 

[Dazza_devil]

Cheers BribieG,
How much caramel would you get from the 300g carared?
I was thinking I would have to add at least 500g dextrose or plain sugar to get a FG of 1.004 - 1.006 from my LDME as per style.
Perhaps adding half a kilo or more of plain sugar at high krausen might get me there?

 

[AndrewQLD]

If Andrew's Australian Pale ale recipe above is the same as the one in the Qld comp, it is outstanding. I was lucky enough to judge it and gave it 44pts, true to style and a bloody good (great) beer.

Craig

It was the CSA recipe Craig, but there's only a small difference between the two, thanks for the compliments, it's one of my favorite beers. Pretty simple recipe as well.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Dazza_devil]

Hmmmm....
'No adjuncts, cane sugar for priming only'
Is dextrose or sucrose considered an adjunct?

 

[AndrewQLD]

Hmmmm....
'No adjuncts, cane sugar for priming only'
Is dextrose or sucrose considered an adjunct?

Yes, but I wouldn't get hung up on it, if you feel you need to add sugar to get your FG down then go for it. It will still be a great beer but it might be lacking slightly in the malt levels and won't have quite the same bready/malty aroma either.

Andrew

 

[Bribie G]

I added sugar to lighten out the body of the beer because I find that my version tends to be a bit more chewy and bready and less 'refreshing' than the CSA from the bottle shop, but I wanted to keep the higher alcohol %. If using LDME then sugar would thin it out a bit as well, as I believe that LDME ferments out to a higher FG than grain. Had you thought of getting a can of wheat malt extract?

I've never done extract brewing, I jumped straight from kits n partials to AG, so can't comment on exact quantities.

I love Carared because of the colour, and it adds a nice smooth grainy flavour that's quite different to Crystal. I wouldn't describe the taste as being caramelly really.

 

[Dazza_devil]

This could end up being a Tasmanian Pale Ale, pity I can't get my hands on some Cascade yeast and dried hope cones from the farm.
I'll be using Galaxy hop pellets and was going to use the standard, done to death Coopers reculture.
Perhaps I could look into using Cider Gum sap as a fermentable, apparently the Tassie Aboriginals made an annual brew from the fermented sap.