Advice please on APA recipe

I'm trying to create a pale ale that's not too bitter, still has a nice aroma and flavour from the hops, and also has a nice amount of malty body to it. I'd appreciate any advice! Also, I've never used this hop combination before, but I imagine they'd work well together.


Style: American Pale Ale
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 8.06 gal
Post Boil Volume: 6.76 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.053 SG
Estimated Color: 7.5 SRM
Estimated IBU: 31.7 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 82.7 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
9 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 82.6 %
1 lbs 4.0 oz Munich Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 2 10.9 %
6.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 3 3.3 %
6.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 4 3.3 %
0.50 oz Centennial [11.20 %] - First Wort 60.0 m Hop 5 19.2 IBUs
0.25 oz Amarillo Gold [8.70 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 6 3.4 IBUs
0.25 oz Citra [14.40 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 7 5.6 IBUs
0.25 oz Amarillo Gold [8.70 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 8 1.3 IBUs
0.25 oz Citra [14.40 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 9 2.2 IBUs
0.50 oz Amarillo Gold [8.70 %] - Aroma Steep 0.0 Hop 10 0.0 IBUs
0.50 oz Citra [14.40 %] - Aroma Steep 0.0 min Hop 11 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) Yeast 12 -
0.50 oz Amarillo Gold [8.70 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Day Hop 13 0.0 IBUs
0.50 oz Citra [14.40 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 14 0.0 IBUs


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 11 lbs 8.0 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperatu Step Time
Mash In Add 14.38 qt of water at 163.7 F 152.0 F 60 min

Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (1.82gal, 4.03gal) of 168.0 F water

I cant say much, as Im tired and dont make sense when Im this tired, but I have made a well balanced APA with Citra, Amarillo and Sorachi Ace that was very well received.

It was partial mash, came out around 35-40 IBU but I used many flavorful malts to give it balance like you are. As people tasted it they were very surprised at the balance due to the huge aroma and hop flavor, without face numbing bitterness

4lb 2 row
8 oz munich
8 oz victory
8 oz caramal 40L
4.5 LME

.45 Citra 60m
.5 Sorachi ace 15m
.5 Citra 15 m
.5 Amarillo 5m
.5 Amarillo 1m
.5 Citra 1m
.5 Sorachi ace Dry hop 6 days
.5 Citra Dry hop 6 days

Anyway, thats 40ibu's. I got nothing but compliments on it at a huge michigan homebrew festival, huge aroma but malt to balance I was told. I think your beer sounds quite delicious, also Citra and amarillo go awesome together.

...here is my last pale ale hop schedule with citra and Amarillo...
no 60 minute addition!
1/4 oz each at 20 min
1/2 oz each 10 min
3/4 oz each at 5 min
1.5 oz each at flame out
2 oz each dry hop for 5 days

bitterness is mild but aroma and flavor are exceptional

Thanks! Always good advice on this forum.

Fat_Bastard said:

...here is my last pale ale hop schedule with citra and Amarillo...
no 60 minute addition!
1/4 oz each at 20 min
1/2 oz each 10 min
3/4 oz each at 5 min
1.5 oz each at flame out
2 oz each dry hop for 5 days

bitterness is mild but aroma and flavor are exceptional

Click to expand...

did you still boil for 60?

That recipe looks similar to one that I do. I'd probably quadruple your dry hops - 2 oz each. Also mash a little higher if you want more malty body. 154.

Personally I'd probably also double the hop additions except for the bittering. That'll give you about 44 IBU, which isn't too much, especially with an OG of 1.054.

I think my similar APA was about the same - 1.053/45 IBU, and it was really great. Definitely not too bitter.

Jrapp
Your recipe looks interesting. What yeast did you use?

I used WLP001.

The beer really came out phenomenal. If i didnt have so much homegrown chinook lying around I would make it again. someday Im going to put it into a rotation so its always on hand as my house pale ale.