[extract] Seattle Pale Ale

Thinking of putting together my own recipe for a Northwest-style, hoppy pale ale next week. How does this sound?

Mom's Seattle Pale Ale Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.053 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.012 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.4 %
Bitterness: 31.9 IBU
Est Color: 3.9 SRM

Steep 1 lbs. crushed Cara-Pils grain in 2.5 gallons of water at 150-160F for 15 min.

Bring water to a boil

Add:
3 lbs. Extra Dry DME
1 oz. Cascade hops pellets
Boil for 30 min.

Add:
0.5 oz Cascade hops pellets
Boil for 20 min.

Add:
0.5 oz Cascade hops pellets
0.25 tsp Irish moss
Boil for 10 min.

Remove from heat, add final 3 lbs. Extra Light DME

Cool to 60F, pour in fermenter, add water to bring to 5 gallons.

Pitch White Labs 041 Pacific Ale yeast

A couple thoughts:

32 IBUs in a 1.053 PA is possibly a little low bitterness for the style. I usually shoot for a BU/GU ratio of more like .8 in an APA. (For that ratio, your target IBUs would be more like 41.)

You have hops additions for 30 and 10 minutes--both are kindof "on the fence" between categories of hops additions (30 is kindof in between bittering and flavor, 10 is on the boarder between flavor and aroma). If that's where you like them from experience, then no worries...

I'd probably cut the flavor hops back to 15-20 minutes and the aroma hops to 5 minutes or less of boil. I'd probably consider dry-hopping this beer, too.

Have you steeped that much carapils before? I'd be a little concerned about starch haze. You obviously want a very light color--you might consider substituting 1/2 lb of 20L crystal for 1/2 lb of the carapils.

I might increase the hops, if you want something hoppy. I like an addition of 1 oz. pellet hops boils for the last 2-5 minutes. It gives a pretty nice aroma/flavor without affecting the bitterness.

Also, a little crystal malt might be a good complement to the hops.

Cheers,

monk

I with cweston on the Carpils and the hopping. I would use Crstal 20 or 40 about .5 -.75 lbs. I personally don't find Cascade to the a good bittering hop. I do like Magnum, Centenial with Chinook.

That's really not all that hoppy to be honest. I doubt you'll detect much flavour or aroma.

I would suggest upping the bitterness, and putting a couple of ounces of Cascade (or Centennial or Amarillo) in at 15 mins and the same at the end of the boil.