Opinions/Input on a simple Pale Ale

Kicking around the idea of brewing a real simple pale ale. Just wanted some quick thoughts:

10 pounds Maris Otter
.5 pound Gambrinus Honey Malt
2 to 3 ounces of East Kent Goldings

I'd like a slightly sweet, nutty flavor, with medium bitterness. I really want to keep the grain bill simple, with at most three grains (with the focus on the Maris Otter). Any thoughts on adding just a bit of another specialty grain, and what type of yeast would you go with (I've been using liquid, but would like to try a good dry yeast). Thanks.

Looks good to me. I'd toast 1/2lb of the MO and use Nottingham yeast...

Nottingham would be great in that. toasting the maris would be okay, as long as you don't toast it too much. then you'd have an almost pale ale. i'd just leave it alone honestly. just make a good simple house beer. or you could put something in the secondary to make it interesting. dry hop, oak, etc

Replace the honey malt with 55L crystal, and you have a nice EPA. If the 55L crystal is too dark for you, then try 40L or 20L instead. You could also add 1/2 lb flaked corn or flaked barley if you want to make things more difficult.
2 oz EKG at 60 minutes, and 1 oz at about 5 minutes should be great
I'd recommend S-04 yeast. Nottingham ferments far too dry.

-a.

ajf said:

Replace the honey malt with 55L crystal, and you have a nice EPA. If the 55L crystal is too dark for you, then try 40L or 20L instead. You could also add 1/2 lb flaked corn or flaked barley if you want to make things more difficult.
2 oz EKG at 60 minutes, and 1 oz at about 5 minutes should be great
I'd recommend S-04 yeast. Nottingham ferments far too dry.

-a.

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I brewed that exact recipe a while back, minus the flaked corn/barley. It was pretty tasty.

This time, I was looking to try something a little different, and I've never used the honey malt before. Would you add just a touch of something else for a little added complexity? Also, even though it's not English, I was thinking about using the US56 yeast, because it's pretty neutral. That should let some of the malt character from the Maris Otter and the sweetness from the honey malt stand out, right?

benko said:

I brewed that exact recipe a while back, minus the flaked corn/barley. It was pretty tasty.

This time, I was looking to try something a little different, and I've never used the honey malt before. Would you add just a touch of something else for a little added complexity? Also, even though it's not English, I was thinking about using the US56 yeast, because it's pretty neutral. That should let some of the malt character from the Maris Otter and the sweetness from the honey malt stand out, right?

Click to expand...

I'm glad you liked it. I brew it at least once a month for kegging with either 55L crystal, or 0.25 lbs 150L crystal. If I bottle it, I always add the corn or barley, which just knocks the edge off the maltiness, which I prefer in the more highly carbonated bottled beers.

Sorry, I can't help with the honey malt. I've never used it.
I also can't really help with the yeast either. I use English yeasts almost exclusively because I like English beers. I find that American yeasts tend to ferment very drily, and strip the maltiness from the beer. Nottingham also fits into this category.
S-04 is the only dry yeast I have found, that really lets the maltiness come through, and it is very good for a draft beer, but to be honest, I prefer Wyeat 1028 or 1335 for bottled beers.
The 1028 may be too dry for your taste, but I find the 1335 excellent for bottled beers, and very good for draft.
Unfortunately, I haven't ound any dry yeasts that are even remotely similar to the 1028 or 1335.

Sorry I can't be of more help.


a,