Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: US-05
Yeast Starter: Not needed if dry
Batch Size (Gallons): 5.5 Gal
Original Gravity: 1.051
Final Gravity: 1.012
IBU: 43
Boiling Time (Minutes): 90
Color: 9.2 SRM
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 21 days @ 62 F
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): None
Tasting Notes: Well balanced if slightly on the hoppy side, but very well received.

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item % or IBU
4 lbs 10.1 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) 48.08 %
4 lbs Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) 41.54 %
12.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (75.0 SRM) 7.79 %
4.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) 2.60 %
1.00 oz Centennial [8.70 %] (60 min) 29.0 IBU
1.00 oz Cascade [6.00 %] (15 min) 9.9 IBU
1.00 oz Cascade [6.00 %] (5 min) 4.0 IBU

1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min)

Mash specifics:
Simple Infusion, 152 degrees F for 1 hr.
I batch sparged these, using a mashout followed by a batch sparge for a total of about 6.9 gallons collected.
Boil for 90 minutes for a final volume in the kettle of about 5.5 gallons.

Ferment with US-05, WPL001 or 1056 @ 62-64 degrees for 3 weeks.

Mash water adjusted to(per TH's spreadsheet):
Ca 84 ppm
Na 8 ppm
Mg 1 ppm (don't worry about Mg)
Cl 85 ppm
So4 50 ppm
CaCO3 59 ppm

Mash + Sparge Water:
Ca 53 ppm
Na 31 ppm
Cl 31 ppm
So4 50 ppm
CaCO3 59 ppm

Don't worry about the exact water, but if you use TH's spreadsheet, get it into a range for a lighter beer and a Choride to Sulfate ratio in the .6 (bitter) range. Oh, and I get a little over 80% brewhouse efficiency, so adjust as necessary for your own system.

After all the time I've spent doing variations of other people's recipes, I thought it was about time I gave back.

I developed this beer for my son's wedding recently. Normally, I like highly hopped IPAs and IIPAs, like variations on Vinnies Pliny the Elder recipe, Eschatz's Bell's Two Hearted Clone, Yooper's Stone Ruination Clone, and enohcs Two Time Award Winning IPA.

But this was a wedding, people have to drive, so a rich Pale Ale was more appropriate and approachable by a larger group of people. I made a couple of kegs in separate batches, and also provided homemade and boutique wine as well. When I arrived to the reception maybe 15 minutes late due to wedding party photos, they were already on the second keg and had hardly touched the wine. Everyone who found out I had brewed it gushed over it, including friends familiar with my more exotic brews. Needless to say, we ran out. But I did manage a few glasses and I gotta say, it's the best Pale Ale I've made, even without dry hopping.

Just goes to show that maybe a good tasting Pale Ale will appeal to many more people than your more exotic brews. This one is now a standard feature in my kegerator.

If you try this beer, please let me know how you liked it. Or maybe I left some detail out. Or maybe you just have a question.

I'll try and post a picture, as well.

--Rich