Fungrel's Ella Centennial Citra Ale

[fungrel]

Don't know if this is the place to post it, but here it is. BeerXML file attached.

3rd place, NSW State Comp 2016.

Ella Centennial Citra Ale 2016

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: American Pale Ale
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 20 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 24.7 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.038
Efficiency: 62% (brew house)


STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.046
Final Gravity: 1.008
ABV (standard): 5.05%
IBU (tinseth): 33.65
SRM (morey): 6.93

FERMENTABLES:
4 kg - United Kingdom - Maris Otter Pale (86.4%)
250 g - American - Wheat (5.4%)
130 g - United Kingdom - Golden Naked Oats (2.8%)
125 g - German - CaraMunich II (2.7%)
125 g - Cane Sugar (2.7%)

HOPS:
6 g - Ella, Type: Pellet, AA: 14.9, Use: First Wort, IBU: 7.68
6 g - Magnum, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 11.7, Use: First Wort, IBU: 5.48
16 g - Ella, Type: Pellet, AA: 14.9, Use: Boil for 20 min, IBU: 20.48
30 g - Centennial, Type: Pellet, AA: 8.5, Use: Whirlpool for 15 min at 70 °C
15 g - Citra, Type: Pellet, AA: 11, Use: Whirlpool for 15 min at 70 °C
30 g - Ella, Type: Pellet, AA: 14.9, Use: Whirlpool for 15 min at 70 °C
20 g - Centennial, Type: Pellet, AA: 8.5, Use: Dry Hop for 5 days
35 g - Ella, Type: Pellet, AA: 14.9, Use: Dry Hop for 5 days
15 g - citra, Type: Pellet, AA: 11, Use: Dry Hop for 5 days

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Infusion, Temp: 66 C, Time: 75 min, Amount: 14.7 L
2) Temperature, Temp: 75 C, Time: 10 min, Amount: 15.6 L
Starting Mash Thickness: 2.7 L/kg

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
0.5 each - whirlfloc, Time: 5 min, Type: Fining, Use: Boil

YEAST:
Fermentis / Safale - American Ale Yeast US-05
Starter: No
Form: Dry
Attenuation (avg): 81%
Flocculation: Medium
Optimum Temp: 12.22 - 25 C
Fermentation Temp: 18 C
Pitch Rate: 0.5 (M cells / ml / deg P)

PRIMING:
Method: Kegging

View attachment EllaCentennialCitraAle2016.xml

 

[ScottyDoesntKnow]

Thanks for posting, this sounds pretty good! Got any pics of it?

 

[fungrel]

 

[Dan Pratt]

Thanks for sharing. A little wheat and oats would of balanced out the mouthfeel from the finished gravity and sugar used, well done !

Did you get your scoresheet from the nsw comp? Would be good to see what comments they made.

 

[ScottyDoesntKnow]

Love the colour fungrel. I haven't brewed with maris otter, citra or centennial yet but I love both those hops in commercial beers I've tried. I think I'm going to give this a go next week, mini biab style. Ive got some magnum pellets in the fridge, what sort of quatity do you think I should substitute for the hop cones you used?

 

[Coodgee]

The name sure has a ring to it

 

[user 31093]

This sounds great, Ella's one of those ones I've butted heads with a few times with, nice hop but has had some harshness to it but that's been at IPA levels... drawing back to a pale just seems to make sense now I'm seeing it...

 

[fungrel]

Thanks for sharing. A little wheat and oats would of balanced out the mouthfeel from the finished gravity and sugar used, well done !

Did you get your scoresheet from the nsw comp? Would be good to see what comments they made.

Some postive statements is that the beer had a huge aroma, complex mouthfeel and firm bitterness.
Some of the constructive comments were that the beer may have done with more malt complexity, and that the beer was a little hazy, which are fair statements.
Although, the intention was to showcase the hops by placing the malt in the background I guess the style guidelines are open to a little interpretation which i did.

Love the colour fungrel. I haven't brewed with maris otter, citra or centennial yet but I love both those hops in commercial beers I've tried. I think I'm going to give this a go next week, mini biab style. Ive got some magnum pellets in the fridge, what sort of quatity do you think I should substitute for the hop cones you used?

Pellets are fine, just adjust recipe in your software. Interpret the recipe on your system as IBU contributions rather than weight additions and it will be fine.

This sounds great, Ella's one of those ones I've butted heads with a few times with, nice hop but has had some harshness to it but that's been at IPA levels... drawing back to a pale just seems to make sense now I'm seeing it...

This beer is VERY earthy, particularly with the sub-isomerisation additions in the whirlpool. Early on, i thought the additions of Ella were too much but ended up maturing and being more spice than earth. Be warned, it is calculated at 33IBU but drinks more like 40+IBU.

 

[user 31093]

This beer is VERY earthy, particularly with the sub-isomerisation additions in the whirlpool. Early on, i thought the additions of Ella were too much but ended up maturing and being more spice than earth. Be warned, it is calculated at 33IBU but drinks more like 40+IBU.

I'm good with 40 IBU in that gravity -_- -_-

The first time I used Ella I was in a SMaSH phase, I used it in an IPA.... unknown to me the alpha acids were incorrectly labelled as 9% when they were actually 15%. I ended up with some 100+ IBUs when I was expecting more like 60.

Hadn't used the hop before nor looked up much about it, so I didn't twig to the low AA%

The beer is immensely bitter, but the flavour to it's incredible, without one in front of me going from memory but spice was in the mix though not dominant, overall it was incredibly floral and there was some fruit in there like mango.

 

[ScottyDoesntKnow]

Noob question sorry, when did you add the cane sugar? After the mash but before boil starts? I get between 11-12l in my fermenter so I've matched your IBU's and then just going to halve the whirlpool and dry hop additions

 

[fungrel]

End of boil

 

[ScottyDoesntKnow]

Finally got my Ella hops in the mail - LHBS didn't have any stock, so it's brew time!

 

[fungrel]

How did you go with the brew?

 

[ScottyDoesntKnow]

Brew day went really well, best one yet, pretty much hit all my numbers in beersmith so I've got high expectations! Currently bottle conditioning and planning to crack one next weekend if not sooner. I'll post a pic and let you know.

 

[ScottyDoesntKnow]

Sorry no pic yet. Had one last Thursday, had been conditioning for a week and was still undercarbed but tasted great. Had another one on Sunday and still tasted a little green but I am really looking forward to seeing how this goes with another week or two in the ferment fridge. Easily the best beer I've made to date so thanks fungrel for sharing. First time using gelatin and the beer was crystal clear, minimal yeast at the bottom of the bottle compared to previous brews. I get a huge hit of citra, lots of tropical fruit aroma and taste. Had my mother over on the Sunday and gave her a try, she absolutely hates beer but said this was actually pretty good! Wife enjoys beer and loved it. Father hates craft beer and said "well it tastes no worse than that other flowery crap you pay for so well done".
Off to work for 8 days so when I get back I'll get stuck in and have a session on it.

 

[ScottyDoesntKnow]

Sorry my beer palate is about as mature as my 2 year old. Just read Ella can give tropical notes at larger quantities so it may be that I'm tasting more of that than the Citra. I didn't get earthy, spice(yet).

 

[fungrel]

Sorry my beer palate is about as mature as my 2 year old. Just read Ella can give tropical notes at larger quantities so it may be that I'm tasting more of that than the Citra. I didn't get earthy, spice(yet).

I find that as Ella ages, it will start to turn towards what it's typically known for. Give it a few weeks to age.

Glad you like the recipe :chug:

 

[ScottyDoesntKnow]

Well the Citra has definitely mellowed, still has a good fruity aroma but I'm now getting that earthy Ella bitterness that lingers a bit at the back of my mouth. Very tasty and different to anything I've tried before, thanks again for sharing your recipe.

 

[Ralph]

Thought I would brew this as it had a beersmith file and sounded interesting. Do you think it would handle a higher OG? I have hit 1.054 and that is a lot of dilution. Sugar not added yet so may run with out it. what do you say fungrel? Sorry I am 3 years late .

 

[fungrel]

Thought I would brew this as it had a beersmith file and sounded interesting. Do you think it would handle a higher OG? I have hit 1.054 and that is a lot of dilution. Sugar not added yet so may run with out it. what do you say fungrel? Sorry I am 3 years late .

Higher OG sounds fine. I'd probably just run with it if i were you.