Looking for the world's best *proven* pale ale recipe

Been a while since I brewed. Time to do a pale ale methinks. I have some base grains I need to use (marris otter)...also have pilsner...so can use either one. Also have US05 that i should probably use soon. Been sitting around for probably 6 months.

I'm looking for your best pale ale recipe - preferably an award winner

Whatcha got?!

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/bee-cave-brewery-haus-pale-ale-31793/
This one is pretty popular. I brewed something similar but with a higher lovibond crystal, different and more finishing hops, and 1 oz of dry hops. Turned out really nice and I think it would have been even better with Maris Otter.

peterj said:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/bee-cave-brewery-haus-pale-ale-31793/
This one is pretty popular. I brewed something similar but with a higher lovibond crystal, different and more finishing hops, and 1 oz of dry hops. Turned out really nice and I think it would have been even better with Maris Otter.

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I am NOT a fan of this recipe, and neither was anyone who tried it. Not bad, just unremarkable in every way.


This on the other hand is a delicious recipe and fits your criteria well.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/russian-river-row-2-hill-56-clone-369668/

I think EdWort's grainbill is pretty solid if you're looking for a drier pale ale, but I also think the one I brewed would have benefited from Maris Otter as a base. I definitely don't think there's enough hops in it though, which is why I think I tripled the amount in mine (might have been a little over the top, but I definitely enjoyed the results). This was my recipe and hop schedule:

FERMENTABLES:
8 lb - American - Pale 2-Row (76.2%)
2 lb - American - Vienna (19%)
0.25 lb - American - Caramel / Crystal 40L (2.4%)
0.25 lb - American - Caramel / Crystal 80L (2.4%)

HOPS:
0.4 oz - Magnum for 60 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Boil (AA 13.5, IBU: 24.93)
0.5 oz - Centennial for 15 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Boil (AA 9.7, IBU: 5.98)
0.5 oz - Citra for 15 min, Type: Leaf/Whole, Use: Boil (AA 15.6, IBU: 9.61)
0.5 oz - Centennial for 5 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Boil (AA 9.7, IBU: 3.63)
0.5 oz - Citra for 5 min, Type: Leaf/Whole, Use: Boil (AA 15.6, IBU: 5.84)
1 oz - Citra for 7 days, Type: Leaf/Whole, Use: Dry Hop (AA 15.6)

If you like crystal malt in your pales SNPA clone is good.

Here's a winner...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/lake-walk-pale-ale-32939/

I think the problem you might run into on selecting the "best" recipe is going to be the variety of hop preference. IMHO I think every can come a lot closer on grain bill and maybe even time of hop additions, but not the hops themselves. FWIW I usually go with 75% pale malt, 10% white wheat, 10% Vienna or toasted pale and 5% crystal (sometimes a sprinkle of aromatic malt). I usually do a small buttering charge and then load up the hops from 10 mins on down. If you go with a base recipe like his you can have a lot of fun playing with different (and sometimes interesting) hop additions.

While technically closer to an IPA, you could make the zombie dust clone with MO as the base. It's great.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f69/three-floyds-zombie-dust-clone-303478/

Xpertskir said:

I am NOT a fan of this recipe, and neither was anyone who tried it. Not bad, just unremarkable in every way.


This on the other hand is a delicious recipe and fits your criteria well.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/russian-river-row-2-hill-56-clone-369668/

Click to expand...

Beat me to it. Perfect recipe for the OP. I'm enjoying the hell out of a keg of right now. I added an ounce of Nelson to the dry hop... Hnnnngggg

Xpertskir said:

I am NOT a fan of this recipe, and neither was anyone who tried it. Not bad, just unremarkable in every way.

This on the other hand is a delicious recipe and fits your criteria well.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/russian-river-row-2-hill-56-clone-369668/

Click to expand...

All simcoe no thank you...I like the grain bill though

One thing I've found a 90 minute boil will go a long way with a pale ale

shelly_belly said:

Here's a winner...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/lake-walk-pale-ale-32939/

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Brewed this up a few months ago. Bready, malty, nice balance with the hops.
I used Golden Promise. Definitely will become a standard around here.

This one turned out great for me:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/da-yoopers-house-pale-ale-100304/

milleniumsmoker said:

This one turned out great for me:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/da-yoopers-house-pale-ale-100304/

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Yes my friend made Yoopers pale and it was great.

milleniumsmoker said:

This one turned out great for me:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/da-yoopers-house-pale-ale-100304/

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I use this grain bill as my basis for a pale ale. I swap out hop varieties to change it up a little. It's very good.