Looking for APA v3 critique

**petep1980** · 06-20-2009, 04:38 PM

I made a half batch APA before all grain and it was my best batch. I simply plan to double and do all grain outside. Just looking for a little double check on it from the masses.

5.5 gallon batch, 73% efficiency

10# 2-row pale
1# Caramel 20L

1 oz Galena - 45 minutes
1 oz cascade - 20 minutes
.5 oz cascade (dry hopped) - 14 full days in secondary

wyeast 1056

I could ROYALLY cut down costs (like $10) if I went Notty and Cascade bittered. Do you think it would make much of a difference in the overall flavor?

scinerd3000 · 06-20-2009, 05:31 PM

1056 is going to be cleaner with less esters than notty but personally i love both. You could use safale 05 instead of 1056 to save also.

pericles · 06-20-2009, 05:57 PM

Nottingham yeast always gives me a fruity taste. I liked it at first, but now that I'm set up to make fruit beers, I want my REGULAR beers to taste like. . . well. . . beer. I'm with scinerd3000 and vote for Safale S-05 in lieu of Nottingham. Personally, I only use liquid yeast for beers that call for dramatic yeast styles (Big Belgians, Wits, High temperature lagers, stuff like that,) so I think dry yeast will be a fine substitution for an APA.

As for substituting Cascade for Galena. . . Cascade hops are the micro-brew standard. A lot of people recognize the taste as generic "hop" flavor," so if you use them for bittering AND aroma then your beer will just scream CASCADE HOPS! As a result, your guests will find the beer overhopped - even if they'd be fine with the same amount of IBUs in a beer which used Galena. That may not be a problem for you, just bear it in mind.

Schnitzengiggle · 06-20-2009, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pericles

As for substituting Cascade for Galena. . . Cascade hops are the micro-brew standard. A lot of people recognize the taste as generic "hop" flavor," so if you use them for bittering AND aroma then your beer will just scream CASCADE HOPS! As a result, your guests will find the beer overhopped - even if they'd be fine with the same amount of IBUs in a beer which used Galena. That may not be a problem for you, just bear it in mind.

I just brewed an extract APA using Amarillo and Cascade combo for bittering, flavor, and aroma. I also plan to dry hop with an 1 oz of each. However, Amarillo doesn't have as high of AA% as Galena.

**petep1980** · 06-20-2009, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pericles

Nottingham yeast always gives me a fruity taste. I liked it at first, but now that I'm set up to make fruit beers, I want my REGULAR beers to taste like. . . well. . . beer. I'm with scinerd3000 and vote for Safale S-05 in lieu of Nottingham. Personally, I only use liquid yeast for beers that call for dramatic yeast styles (Big Belgians, Wits, High temperature lagers, stuff like that,) so I think dry yeast will be a fine substitution for an APA.

As for substituting Cascade for Galena. . . Cascade hops are the micro-brew standard. A lot of people recognize the taste as generic "hop" flavor," so if you use them for bittering AND aroma then your beer will just scream CASCADE HOPS! As a result, your guests will find the beer overhopped - even if they'd be fine with the same amount of IBUs in a beer which used Galena. That may not be a problem for you, just bear it in mind.

Well the previous one with Galena got rave reviews. So I guess I'll stick with that.

May use 1056 and just save the cakes and stock up on American Ales.

pericles · 06-20-2009, 11:01 PM

This forum also has two great stickies on washing yeast and creating a freezer-safe yeast bank. If you do use the more expensive yeast, DEFINITELY get started on that. I just got started, and it's MUCH easier than I expected.

**petep1980** · 06-21-2009, 01:18 PM

I've done the yeast washing, I may do it again. I worry I made an error in cleanliness though because I had some cultures which worked well, and some that didn't.

At $7 a pop though I may have to though. Notty is so tempting because it's a friggin $1.49 here.

Schnitzengiggle · 06-22-2009, 03:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petep1980

I've done the yeast washing, I may do it again. I worry I made an error in cleanliness though because I had some cultures which worked well, and some that didn't.

At $7 a pop though I may have to though. Notty is so tempting because it's a friggin $1.49 here.

Just with a first washing I have been able to easily get enough yeast for 5 more starters. Washing up to 4-5 times thats easily the equivelant of 20-25 vials, or smak-paks. That is quite a few bucks!

**petep1980** · 06-22-2009, 11:50 AM

I know @ 5 generations you may never need to buy yeast again.

adamjab19 · 06-22-2009, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pericles

Personally, I only use liquid yeast for beers that call for dramatic yeast styles (Big Belgians, Wits, High temperature lagers, stuff like that,) so I think dry yeast will be a fine substitution for an APA.

Totally agree. Recipe looks good.