Next Batch

Ok, this is going to be my next batch, a Pale Ale. Feel free to respond with tweaks to it and such since I am still a beginner.

6 lbs Coopers Light DME

Steep: 2lbs CaraVienne or crystal malt (of some sort) (40L)

Bittering hops:
2 oz Cascade (60min)
1 oz Perle (60min)

Flavor:
.5oz Hallertauer (30min)

Finish:
1oz Willamette (5min)

White Labs California Ale

fining: irish moss

Heres a tweak for ya.

If it were me
I would reduce the crystal 40L to .5 lb .
Add .5 lb of carapils
Add 1 lb honey malt

I'd change the flavoring hops to 1 oz Crystal

I'd use Wyeast 1968. Ferment at 70F.

I'd steep the grains at 152F for 50 Mins

Just me though.

That sounds good...so, since Im kind of a beginner, do you mind explaining the reduction of crystal and the introduction of carapils?
Also, why put the honey in?
My LHBS only sells White Labs because he sayd Wyeast has a "1% fail rate which is no good".

Thanks sudster

When you use crystal you are adding residual sweetness to the beer(unfermentable sugars). Honey malt is a grain from Canada and some say it has a taste similiar to honey. I don't think it taste that way at all. It will give your malt a complexity especially in a pale ale. Adding Carapils will give some body and head retention to your beer. I was just trying to add some balance
to your recipe . I have had exceptional luck with Wyeast. I also use WL yeasts too. I have found out that many of my local brewpubs are using 1968 in many of their brews. I love it in pales.

Thanks, I will use your advice. Its all really helpful

Kewl! Let me know how it turns out.

Somerville, I was just looking at your hop schedule and your total IBU's are going to be about 98. That's real high for a pale ale. Sorry I didn't catch it sooner. You should be in the IBU range of 30 - 54 IBU's for an american pale.
I would drop one ounce of the cascades bittering hops and drop your perl to .25 ounce.

Try this :

Cascade 1 oz
Perl .25 oz 60 min

Crystal 1 oz 15 min

Williamette 1 oz 5 min

This will give you about 42 IBU's

What Sudster said. I've never used honey malt myself. Hmmm. Food (or grains) for thought. And I like the WL WLP011 CA ale yeast. It works in just about anything.