What Speciality Grain To Use

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kman2

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Hi All,

I want to brew my first partial APA. The recipe is:

Fermentables:

2x1.5 KG Coopers Liquid Malt Extract - Light
300 GMS Coppers Brew Enhancer 1

Hops:

30G Northern Brewer (9.3% AA) - 60 Minutes
20G Cascade (5.6% AA) - 45 Minutes
10G Cascade (5.6% AA) - 15 Minutes
20G Willamette (9.2% AA) - 15 Minutes
10G Willamette (9.2% AA) - 0 Minutes

However - I am not sure what and how much speciality grain(s) to use with my APA? Any suggestions?

Cheers
 
I'd probably look at 200g of Caramalt steeped for 20-30 minutes. Nice colour and aroma from that.


Cheers

Peter
 
I'd replace that brew enhancer with 250g steeped medium crystal,
IBUs to mid 30's (assuming your OG is around 1.054)
 
Partial means partial mash in which you mash some base grain for part of the fermentables.

Is that what you are doing or just steeping some grain?

If steeping, then 200-250g of simpsons heritage crystal malt and 200g Briess Victory malt. Add to that about 1/2 of one of these: http://www.grainandgrape.com.au/product_in...ucts_id=8841 and save the other half for later. Get rid of the enhancer. Keep your pale tins in with the above recommendations.

Hops to about 40 IBU with at least half your IBU from additions past 20 mins (20, 15, 10, 5 and 0 is good)
 
Victory, biscuit or brown malts all add a nice biscuity/toasty flavour which I think is perfect for an APA - but do they need more than steeping? I have always assumed that they should be mashed? Thinking about it, steeping will probably get the flavour you're after.
 
Victory, biscuit or brown malts all add a nice biscuity/toasty flavour which I think is perfect for an APA - but do they need more than steeping? I have always assumed that they should be mashed? Thinking about it, steeping will probably get the flavour you're after.

Biscuit needs mashing but apparently Briess Victory does not. I have checked because I was under the impression, for ages, that victory was identical to biscuit in necessary processes.
 
BJCP Style Guidelines. Handy for checking out a beer you are making.

10A. American Pale Ale
Aroma: Usually moderate to strong hop aroma from dry hopping or late kettle additions of American hop varieties. A citrusy hop character is very common, but not required. Low to moderate maltiness supports the hop presentation, and may optionally show small amounts of specialty malt character (bready, toasty, biscuity). Fruity esters vary from moderate to none. No diacetyl. Dry hopping (if used) may add grassy notes, although this character should not be excessive.
Appearance: Pale golden to deep amber. Moderately large white to off-white head with good retention. Generally quite clear, although dry-hopped versions may be slightly hazy.
Flavor: Usually a moderate to high hop flavor, often showing a citrusy American hop character (although other hop varieties may be used). Low to moderately high clean malt character supports the hop presentation, and may optionally show small amounts of specialty malt character (bready, toasty, biscuity). The balance is typically towards the late hops and bitterness, but the malt presence can be substantial. Caramel flavors are usually restrained or absent. Fruity esters can be moderate to none. Moderate to high hop bitterness with a medium to dry finish. Hop flavor and bitterness often lingers into the finish. No diacetyl. Dry hopping (if used) may add grassy notes, although this character should not be excessive.
Mouthfeel: Medium-light to medium body. Carbonation moderate to high. Overall smooth finish without astringency often associated with high hopping rates.
Overall Impression: Refreshing and hoppy, yet with sufficient supporting malt.
History: An American adaptation of English pale ale, reflecting indigenous ingredients (hops, malt, yeast, and water). Often lighter in color, cleaner in fermentation by-products, and having less caramel flavors than English counterparts.
Comments: There is some overlap in color between American pale ale and American amber ale. The American pale ale will generally be cleaner, have a less caramelly malt profile, less body, and often more finishing hops.
Ingredients: Pale ale malt, typically American two-row. American hops, often but not always ones with a citrusy character. American ale yeast. Water can vary in sulfate content, but carbonate content should be relatively low. Specialty grains may add character and complexity, but generally make up a relatively small portion of the grist. Grains that add malt flavor and richness, light sweetness, and toasty or bready notes are often used (along with late hops) to differentiate brands.
Vital Statistics: OG: 1.045 – 1.060
IBUs: 30 – 45 FG: 1.010 – 1.015
SRM: 5 – 14 ABV: 4.5 – 6.2%
Commercial Examples: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Stone Pale Ale, Great Lakes Burning River Pale Ale, Bear Republic XP Pale Ale, Anderson Valley Poleeko Gold Pale Ale, Deschutes Mirror Pond, Full Sail Pale Ale, Three Floyds X-Tra Pale Ale, Firestone Pale Ale, Left Hand Brewing Jackman’s Pale Ale


You can use just about any spec malt in the 30-500EBC range to give the colour you require - keeping it in the "style" will help keep it balanced.

I like Caramunich in an APA for colour and flavour, but as you can read above, the non-American part of APAs is probably their use of English-style spec malts (biscuit & bread). There are heaps of them though and to be honest, the colour and the flavour are quite connected - so the colour is a good indicator.
 
Partial means partial mash in which you mash some base grain for part of the fermentables.

Is that what you are doing or just steeping some grain?

I was just following the How To Brew's definition of partials. So just steeping.

If steeping, then 200-250g of simpsons heritage crystal malt and 200g Briess Victory malt. Add to that about 1/2 of one of these: http://www.grainandgrape.com.au/product_in...ucts_id=8841 and save the other half for later. Get rid of the enhancer. Keep your pale tins in with the above recommendations.

Thanks for the suggestion. Can I use Briess Golden Light if I cannot find the Briess Munich? It seems that not using the enhancer is general consensus. Any particular reason?

Hops to about 40 IBU with at least half your IBU from additions past 20 mins (20, 15, 10, 5 and 0 is good)

Should I use all the cascade and willamette past 20 mins?

Chees
 
The enhancer is a blend - probably malt extract, dextrose and maybe some maltodextrin. You can get the results you want with better ingredients and you can control the proportions.

I would use briess golden light to replace your coopers tins (coopers tins are fine but briess make good quality products) but it isn't a replacement for munich. You could go all pale malt (coopers or briess, just make sure they are fresh), some crystal (heritage heritage heritage) and the victory and make a lovely beer. Munich just adds a bit extra. I have based my recommendations on my APA/AIPA AG base grist. If you don't use the munich, I'd leave as is and you will have a slightly lower OG.

Adding 250g of dex won't hurt either way - just to balance up the percepion of dryness from an all extract beer.

I'm not quite sure what the IBU contributions of each addition are but bittering with NB at 60 to half the total (roughly), then splitting the rest up to give the same IBU will give a great result.

You can even start at 25 and just add every 5 mins. Alternatively, do 25, 15, 10 and 0 if standing over the pot adding small amounts of hops doesn't take your fancy.

What yeast are you using?
 
As others have suggested a 200-250 gm addition of a medium crystal and maybe some biscuit will sit really well.

I would also suggest to use the williamette in something like an amber with more malt backbone. It is a really earthy hop (one of my favourites) and I find it goes well with darker malts...personal choice of course.

Or use the williamette early and the cascade late in the boil. You want the citrus and fruit hops to be the leader, not the earthy, sand pit hops.

Cheers.
 
Make sure the pack you have is nice and fresh.

JYO's advice makes sense - I've not used willamette but it's meant to be close to fuggles and for this type of beer, I would use the NB early and go hard with the cascade late or bring in a touch of chinook (45-30 min addition and a small one at 0) to add some piney balance.

Drop willamette or take back with NB. Dry hop with cascade and chinook if using chinook.

if you just want to go with what you have - cascade is lovely as a single flavour/aroma hop.
 
Thanks everyone for the kind advice and in particular to manticle and JYO. Brewed a batch yesterday. Couldn't find victory in GC so just used 250G crystal. Also revised the hop additions as per the advice. Final recipe:

Bring 12 litres water to 69C.
Steep in 250G Crystal Malt for 30 minutes - maintain temperature bn 66 - 70C.

Add 2x1.5K Coopers light liquid malt extract.
Add 1/2 x 1.5K Briess munich liquid malt extract.

Bring it to boil. Hot break after approximately 20 minutes.

Added 30G Northern brewer at hot break and start counting down 65 minutes boil time.

Added 30G Willamette at 50 minutes remaining to boil.

Added 30G Cascade at 20 Minutes remaining to boil.

Cool the wort quickly. Add it to the fermenter and add extra water to make the final volume 23 litres.

Yeast: 500 ML starter of US05.

Pitched in at 32 C wort temperature.

OG - 1.046 (@32C)

Now fermenting at 16C in temperature controlled fridge.

Will let you now how it goes.

Cheers
 
Looks yummy might be quite hoppy. Just one thing no need to be highly accurate with steeping temperatures although good practice for when you get onto mashing grain.

I just ordered some Briess dry extract was tempted to buy a can of the Munich but trying to keep the weight down to avoid high postage costs.
 
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