Munich or Vienna for a Pale?

I'm putting together the ingredients for a pale ale that doesn't necessarily taste like grapefruit, possibly tangerine.

I've been reading through many recipes including Ed's Haus Pale and others.

In addition to plain old pale malt, and a little light crystal, should I use Vienna, Munich 10l, or both, or neither? I've never brewed with either Vienna or Munich before, this will actually be my second AG batch.

I'm aiming in the low to mid 30's on IBU because I plan to drink it young, with 20 minute boil of 1/2 oz each Cascade, Amarillo, and Summit. Then the remaining 1/2 oz of each will be dryhopped.

So I'm going for a light borderline blonde american pale ale sort of thing. Are either of these malts appropriate in a 10 to 20% capacity?

The purpose of adding vienna or munich is to add melanoidins, so either will serve the purpose. Vienna is a little lighter than Munich so if you're going for something really light, go with that. However, it is very common to use Munich in a PA or IPA. 10-20% is about right, I usually use 1 pound in a 5 gallon batch.

Thanks! I have a follow-up question, do either aid in head retention?

Not to my knowledge but I'm not totally sure.

I made a great apa that was 70% 2-row and 30% light Munich(6L). This was a tweak to a recipe from a local brewpub that was actually 70% Pilsen and 30% Maris otter. Super light in color, but more than enough malt. You don't need any crystal.

As for tangerine, I would sub ahtanum for cascade if possible. I get more orange than grapefruit from those, plus the tangerine/orange flavors from the summits you would be golden.

I got interested in putting Vienna & Munich into the mix when I saw Yooper's Haus Pale Ale in the recipe section. Bottled it last Friday, waiting for the results. This pale ale has close to 50% of its fermentables in V & M....

I use Vienna in quite a few of my recipes, including my Pale and my Bitter. If you're looking to avoid the grapefruit flavor/aroma, steer away from the cascade and amarillo. That's where you'll get it, not from the malt.

The beer that the family liked best was a house ale with MO, and both vienna (2#) and munich (1#). Bear in mind that they are tough lot to recondition from the BMC mindset. I went more earthy and floral with the hops (mt hood, fuggles and galena), and I'm about to make another 11G's.

Thanks for your input, yall. I appreciate it very much. My last recipe, I made it up with zero input and that was a mistake. If it is ever drinkable, it will be in 6 months and I'll have to be really thirsty. I might donate it to some of the homeless winos this Christmas for the Hosea Feed The Hungry thing.

Here's what I'm put together now, taking the cascades out completely, and just upping the Summit hops.

5.25 gallon batch, plus .25 gallon yeast starter volume.

80% Pale Malt
15% Munich 10L
2.5 % Crystal 40
2.5 % Carapils

1 oz Summit 20 minutes
0.5 oz Amarillo 20 minutes

Irish Moss 15 minutes

0.5 oz Summit Dry Hop 4 days
0.5 oz Amarillo Dry Hop 4 days

Target IBU: 42 Daniels
SRM: 6
ABV: ~4.9%

Fletch78 said:

Thanks for your input, yall. I appreciate it very much. My last recipe, I made it up with zero input and that was a mistake. If it is ever drinkable, it will be in 6 months and I'll have to be really thirsty. I might donate it to some of the homeless winos this Christmas for the Hosea Feed The Hungry thing.

Here's what I'm put together now, taking the cascades out completely, and just upping the Summit hops.

5.25 gallon batch, plus .25 gallon yeast starter volume.

80% Pale Malt
15% Munich 10L
2.5 % Crystal 40
2.5 % Carapils

1 oz Summit 20 minutes
0.5 oz Amarillo 20 minutes

Irish Moss 15 minutes

0.5 oz Summit Dry Hop 4 days
0.5 oz Amarillo Dry Hop 4 days

Target IBU: 42 Daniels
SRM: 6
ABV: ~4.9%

Click to expand...

Did you brew this beer? How did it turned out?
I am planning a Pale Ale soon and looking at different hops. This is a combination I was looking at (Summit and Amarillo) Did you like it? Do they go well together?
I have Vienna in mine however and a bit more crystal (5%). I would love ot have feedback on your beer; it would help me fine tune my recipe. thanks