Pale Ale Technique and Recipe's

Just wanted to get a thread going on simple, sessionable American Style Pale Ale's. It seems that the pale ale has been flying under the radar and been getting overlooked more and more recently for more "extreme" brews. I am one of the lucky folks that has my own beer on draft at all times and I will tell you, a well executed pale ale is invaluable. I also like to have some crazy beers available, but %10 abv and 100 IBU is something that you can only drink in limited quantities.

Here are some of my thoughts some of the characteristics that I like in a pale ale:

1. sessionable, %5.5 abv and less
2. Finishes dry
3. Firmly bittered with excellent hop flavor and aroma
4. Eneough malt back bone there to help tip the scales away from hop bomb.


I have come to find an excellent grain bill or template for a pale ale, IMO.

75% Pale Ale Malt or Two Row
20% Munich or Vienna
05% Crystal Malt (Anything C80 and Below)
Mash at 152 to 154 (the lower the original gravity the higher the mash temp)
OG = 1.045 to 1.050
FG = 1.008 to 1.011
Attenuative Yeast WLP001/1056 or WLP007/1098
I like right 35-40 IBU with the more IBU for the higher OG version

Hop it how you will, its almost cliche' at this point, but the most popular all around pale ale at my place is always loaded with late boil cascade , whirlpool/steep cascade and cascade dry hops.

something like this:

1/2 oz millenium or magnum to bitter
1 oz cascade at 15
1 oz cascade at 5
1 oz cascade at whirlpool
1 oz cascade in the serving keg


I will have to say that this makes a nice pale ale, I find late hopping with columbus to make it more like an IPA (too dank), but summit, chinook, centennial among others (amounts adjusted for AA%) make a great beer too. summit especially (tangerine).


If anybody else cares to contribute opinions or tips on APA that would be excellent. Thanks!

The dry hopping might get a little grassy. If you like Cascades, Centennial is the "Super Cascade."

ludomonster said:

The dry hopping might get a little grassy. If you like Cascades, Centennial is the "Super Cascade."

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I forgot to mention that the dry hop is done at serving temps in my insantce and it is actually quite subtle.

For IPA's and such I dry hop at or near fermenting temps after the yeast has dropped and it is much more dramatic

I just brewed a batch with no crystal whatsoever; instead, I used a tiny bit of chocolate malt for color. I FWH'd the bittering addition, which might have smoothed out the bitterness a little too much. However, w/o any crystal or other dextriny malts, it didn't end up sweet. It's just really crisp and clean and bright, with a nice cascade/citra fruit punch on the front end and a dry finish. I think next time, I might only toss half the bittering hops in during the sparge and add the other half as a typical 60 minute addition. It's 5% ABV, and it tastes fantastic. Definitely my best brew so far.

This is something I'm interested in too. I think of it as taking what I like in an IPA and adjusting the recipe so I can have several pints.

Mashing a little hot and using darker base malts will help with #4. Vienna, MO, faux-English malts like Briess Special Pale, etc... Obviously, you'd want to leave out simple sugars as well. Clean yeasts are fine, but I like to play with fruitier ones to accentuate the West Coast hops. After adjusting the bittering hops, I'd still end up blasting the beer with flameout and dry hops just like you would for an IPA.

kingwood-kid said:

This is something I'm interested in too. I think of it as taking what I like in an IPA and adjusting the recipe so I can have several pints.

Mashing a little hot and using darker base malts will help with #4. Vienna, MO, faux-English malts like Briess Special Pale, etc... Obviously, you'd want to leave out simple sugars as well. Clean yeasts are fine, but I like to play with fruitier ones to accentuate the West Coast hops. After adjusting the bittering hops, I'd still end up blasting the beer with flameout and dry hops just like you would for an IPA.

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I just did my first Mild Ale AKA:English Brown, just for this reason.... I hopw to keg it this weekend.

With it's low alcohol I am hoping it will be ready after 4 weeks...

sounds like the recipe I'm brewing tomorrow....
http://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/6690/palatino-pale

I've been working on making the perfect session IPA and session APA for several years.

This is as close as I got:

11 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 56.0 %
4 lbs 8.0 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 22.9 %
1 lbs Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 3 5.1 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 4 5.1 %
1 lbs Wheat Malt, Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 5 5.1 %
1 lbs Wheat Malt, Pale (Weyermann) (2.0 SRM) Grain 6 5.1 %
2.1 oz Acidulated (Weyermann) (1.8 SRM) Grain (for mash pH adjustment)

1.00 oz Magnum [11.60 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 20.3 IBUs
0.50 oz Simcoe [11.90 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 5.7 IBUs
1.00 oz 7 C's Falconers Flight [9.90 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 6.3 IBUs
0.50 oz Chinook pellets [11.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 3.6 IBUs
2.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Aroma Steep 0.0 min Hop 0.0 IBUs
0.50 oz Centennial [10.40 %] - Aroma Steep 0.0 min Hop 0.0 IBUs
0.50 oz Simcoe [11.90 %] - Aroma Steep 0.0 min Hop 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg Denny's Favorite 50 (Wyeast #1450) Yeast
2.00 oz Falconers Flight [11.40 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days 0.0 IBUs
1.50 oz Centennial [10.40 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days Hop 0.0 IBUs

10.5 gallons
OG 1.049
FG 1.012
ABV 4.9%
IBUs 36

I've used other hops than the Falconer's Flight- most often amarillo. I love this beer!

Yooper said:

I've been working on making the perfect session IPA and session APA for several years.

This is as close as I got:

11 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 56.0 %
4 lbs 8.0 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 22.9 %
1 lbs Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 3 5.1 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 4 5.1 %
1 lbs Wheat Malt, Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 5 5.1 %
1 lbs Wheat Malt, Pale (Weyermann) (2.0 SRM) Grain 6 5.1 %
2.1 oz Acidulated (Weyermann) (1.8 SRM) Grain (for mash pH adjustment)

1.00 oz Magnum [11.60 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 20.3 IBUs
0.50 oz Simcoe [11.90 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 5.7 IBUs
1.00 oz 7 C's Falconers Flight [9.90 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 6.3 IBUs
0.50 oz Chinook pellets [11.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 3.6 IBUs
2.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Aroma Steep 0.0 min Hop 0.0 IBUs
0.50 oz Centennial [10.40 %] - Aroma Steep 0.0 min Hop 0.0 IBUs
0.50 oz Simcoe [11.90 %] - Aroma Steep 0.0 min Hop 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg Denny's Favorite 50 (Wyeast #1450) Yeast
2.00 oz Falconers Flight [11.40 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days 0.0 IBUs
1.50 oz Centennial [10.40 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days Hop 0.0 IBUs

10.5 gallons
OG 1.049
FG 1.012
ABV 4.9%
IBUs 36

I've used other hops than the Falconer's Flight- most often amarillo. I love this beer!

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Have you ever experimented with switching the pils to pale malt ratios, or perhaps swapping one of those with vienna, or munich? Do you feel you get the benefit of <2% acidulated malt with that grist? It's fairly light. I was under the impression that darker grists benefited more from an acid adjustment. Also, isn't Weyermann a German maltster? Therefore, 1 lb. German wheat vs. 1 lb. Weyermann wheat would be the same. I would rather have more wheat and 0% carapils, since you're already going that direction; plus, I would get more character out of the wheat with no suffrage of head retention and body if the mash temp is on point. What do you think?

Just trying to clear this all up for my own purposes. Thinking of reducing abv and bitterness in the future since I mostly brew the heftier/bracingly bitter IPAs.

bobbrews said:

Have you ever experimented with switching the pils to pale malt ratios, or perhaps swapping one of those with vienna, or munich? Do you feel you get the benefit of <2% acidulated malt with that grist? It's fairly light. I was under the impression that darker grists benefited more from an acid adjustment. Also, isn't Weyermann a German maltster? Therefore, 1 lb. German wheat vs. 1 lb. Weyermann wheat would be the same. I would rather have more wheat and 0% carapils, since you're already going that direction; plus, I would get more character out of the wheat with no suffrage of head retention and body if the mash temp is on point. What do you think?

Just trying to clear this all up for my own purposes. Thinking of reducing abv and bitterness in the future since I mostly brew the heftier/bracingly bitter IPAs.

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Oh, yes, I've used Munich and Vienna (as well as maris otter). I have the German wheat twice, but it's all Weyermann. I like the carapils in there for the body, although it's one of the only recipes (besides BoPils) I have that uses any carapils at all.

I wanted a medium/light body with lots of hops, like an IPA, but without the high ABV so this recipe works very well for me. When I add "maltier malts", it seems to be too heavy. Which is counterintuitive, I know. I always thought that I should add more heavy hitters and not less for the malt backbone, but lately I've found that the crispness I get with this is more IPA-like.

The 2 ounces of acid malt gets my pH right to 5.4 with that recipe and preboiled tap water (to precipitate bicarb). When I use RO water, I don't need as much but I don't have that recipe annotated on this computer. But it's actually the lighter grists that benefit most from acid malt as there is no roast/dark malt to lower the pH. You can use phosphoric acid or lactic acid for tweaking the mash pH, but I find that I don't have to with the correct amount of acid malt.

I'm such a hophead that I want to only drink IPAs, but my 135 pound frame just can't handle multiple glasses of 7+% beer all night. For several years (at least 5) I've been really trying to nail the best session IPA beer I can. It's been harder than I planned, as beer really is all about balance, even the unbalanced ones!

Just curious Yooper, what do you think of Stone's Pale Ale?

I'm subscribing to this thread. Ive been searching for a perfect Pale Ale recipe for sometime. To me, Pale Ale's are hit or miss. Either they're just decent, or they're amazing.

When you guys make your pale ales, would you recommend Maris Otter, or two row? Im planning a recipe and can't decide if I want the nuttiness of the Maris and all that extra sweetness.

When you guys make your pale ales, would you recommend Maris Otter, or two row?

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I'm a Pale 2-row fan myself. I find MO detracts from the clarity of the beer. I like to have the nuances of the finishing & dry hops as bright as possible.

harrymanback92 said:

When you guys make your pale ales, would you recommend Maris Otter, or two row? Im planning a recipe and can't decide if I want the nuttiness of the Maris and all that extra sweetness.

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I find that Breiss two-row is plenty nutty when you don't have any caramel malt getting in the way. Maris is a little heavy in a pale ale, IMO.

permo, that's a nice simple looking recipe that I think I'm gradually moving to. I've used Notty more than US-05/1056 and sometimes feel that even 10% crystal and high mash temps still result in a somewhat dry and light beer (may not be a bad thing). The Cascades are classic and have always been nice to me.

Yooper, I do not doubt your pale ale is wonderful. One thing, do you find the ales you make with RO versus those with your water + acid malt any different from each other? I've gone away from using RO to my Lake Michigan water with acid malt and gypsum to "control" my pH. It always seems to me that even at 3%, that malt shows up in the final beer...or its something else. I haven't put it to a proper test yet, as I don't think 2-3% acid malt is "extreme".

Also, in a pale ale, is crystal/carapils or mash temps the "better" choice for adding body to a beer? I have my doubts about mash temps contributing much if anything. With these high attenuative strains I use for pale ales, they all seem to reach low FG. I'll go from 1.048 to 1.008 every time, even with 10% crystal and a mash at 155-158F.

I make a simple Amarillo Pale Ale. Disappears as fast as I can make it.
10 lbs 2 row
8 oz Cara-pils
8 oz Crystal 60l
.5 oz Columbus @ FW
1 oz Amarillo @ 20 and flameout
US-05 washed yeast

I've chased the perfect APA/IPA for many years now. I have moved to a recipe very similar to the one used by permo and find myself to be extremely pleased with the results. I don't really like crystal in any amount over 7% in my grainbill. Dunno why but I just don't particularly enjoy those flavors. I've been using amber malt, vienna, wheat, and recently aromatic/melanoidin malt to achieve my desired malt profile in IPAs. When I brewed my most recent pale I adopted a similar strategy. The recipe does have some crystal in it, but not much, around 5% if I remember correctly.

For what its worth, just to add to the thread. My friend also uses a similar grain bill as me and he has recently made two pale ales that have a lot of 15-30 minute fuggles additions, and I picked it out right away. A very pleasent, pine/herbal flavor througout the beer. Made me consider adding a 20-30 minute addition of fuggles to my next one.

signmastr said:

I make a simple Amarillo Pale Ale. Disappears as fast as I can make it.
10 lbs 2 row
8 oz Cara-pils
8 oz Crystal 60l
.5 oz Columbus @ FW
1 oz Amarillo @ 20 and flameout
US-05 washed yeast

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I had already planned on making a batch this weekend that is almost exactly the same. The only difference is Falconer's in combination with Amarillo.

This weekends brew is going to be crystal malt free.

11 gallons

15 pounds pale
5 pounds munich
mash at 154
American Ale II (wyeast)
20 IBU columbus at 60
2 oz summit at 10
2 oz summit at FO

This should be tasty! tangerine heavy aroma and flavor.......roughly 35 IBU......1.050 OG. tasty.

I've made this and it is awesome. Friends and Family love it & I love it. This is pretty much the only brew I will bottle because its great to bring to summer outdoor activities (camping, beach, lake etc). Refreshing and light.


~4.2ABV
41 IBUS

5.5 Gals
75% Eff

7.5 Lbs Golden Promise
1.25 Lbs CaraHell

.75 oz Palisade 7.5 AA (60 min) -- I've also used Magnums -- any clean bittering hop will do.
.5 oz Centennial 10 AA (10 min)
.5 oz Columbus 15 AA (10 min)
.5 oz Centennial 10 AA (0 min)
.5 oz Columbus 15 AA (0 min)

US-05 @ 65*-70* For Two weeks then Keg/Bottle and consume.

Do to the recent Centennial shortage I have been using Centennial type and I actually prefer it.



Ryan

My go-to pale ale is:

OG: 1.050
FG: 1.010
IBU: 37
SRM: 6.6

8.0 lb 2-row
1.0 lb 2-row toasted @ 250*F for 20 min (est. 10 SRM)
0.5 lb Crystal 40

0.5 oz Bravo - 60 min
0.5 oz Centennial - 15 min
0.5 oz Chinook - 5 min
1.0 oz Cascade - 0 min

Bell's yeast

And basically just add gypsum to my water to hit 300 ppm of SO4

I want to make a nice an simple APA this weekend, so this is just my thread. If I'm going to do:

11b 2 row
1lb. Crystal 40

Or

10 lb 2 row
1lb crystal 40
1 lb Munich


And I want to do a single hop, What would you all suggest and what kind of hop schedule?

I'd go with Simcoe if you can. Next choice would be Centennial. I would also take grist B and cut the crystal down to 1/2lb.

Simcoe it is! And what do you think about hop schedule, I've never used simcoe?

Here is a quick recipe I whipped up for ya based on what you had in mind -

http://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/16481/simcoe-apa

Thanks so much! I'll be brewing it this weekend!

phenry said:

My go-to pale ale is:

OG: 1.050
FG: 1.010
IBU: 37
SRM: 6.6

8.0 lb 2-row
1.0 lb 2-row toasted @ 250*F for 20 min (est. 10 SRM)
0.5 lb Crystal 40

0.5 oz Bravo - 60 min
0.5 oz Centennial - 15 min
0.5 oz Chinook - 5 min
1.0 oz Cascade - 0 min

Bell's yeast

And basically just add gypsum to my water to hit 300 ppm of SO4

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Very similar to mine, I just use vienna instead of toasting my own malt, and use all cascade because it is what I grow the most of.

I don't like bready munich in mine, and I think MO sucks in a pale ale. MO does not go well with citruisy hops IMO.

When it comes down to it, I'd rather brew my Belgian single than my pale ale now. I can never drink all the pale ale while it is still fresh, but with the single, it still tastes good a month after kegging. Very simple recipe:

9 lbs pils
.25 lb aromatic
1 oz sterling @ 60
1 oz sterling @ flameout
1 oz amarillo dry hop
WLP530 yeast

That is one damn good beer.

rexbanner said:

Very similar to mine, I just use vienna instead of toasting my own malt, and use all cascade because it is what I grow the most of.

I don't like bready munich in mine, and I think MO sucks in a pale ale. MO does not go well with citruisy hops IMO.

When it comes down to it, I'd rather brew my Belgian single than my pale ale now. I can never drink all the pale ale while it is still fresh, but with the single, it still tastes good a month after kegging. Very simple recipe:

9 lbs pils
.25 lb aromatic
1 oz sterling @ 60
1 oz sterling @ flameout
1 oz amarillo dry hop
WLP530 yeast

That is one damn good beer.

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To be honest I usually brew my APAs and IPAs as 2.5 gallon batches for that very reason. I love them when they're young, can't stand them when they get old. And for some reason, I've never really thought to do a moderate size session Belgian with Trappist yeast. Thanks for that idea, I'll probably put it to good use here in a few weeks.

phenry said:

To be honest I usually brew my APAs and IPAs as 2.5 gallon batches for that very reason. I love them when they're young, can't stand them when they get old. And for some reason, I've never really thought to do a moderate size session Belgian with Trappist yeast. Thanks for that idea, I'll probably put it to good use here in a few weeks.

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Do it! It's become my go-to beer. There is an incredible synergy between the ingredients. Grainy pilsner malt, fruity Trappist yeast, and floral hoppiness come together really well. Everything works together so well. Shoot for 20-25 IBU.

I am going to use trappist yeast with centennial and glacier on my next one

Some things I have found:

Briess Pale malt is a bit darker and give you slightly more color
Munich is amazing...getting close to 20% in mine
Longer boils...deeper color and makes it a little maltier, helps with balance in hoppier brews.
Late hopping...the IBUs are low anyway, might as well use the hops for aroma and flavor, unless you want it maltier.
Flaked barley and carapils give an amazing head
My go to hops are a mix of citra, centennial and summit

Calichusetts said:

My go to hops are a mix of citra, centennial and summit

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:rockin: I love summit hops. Used late in the boil they are amazing. I find when I buy a few pounds they don't last long in my brewery.

Dry hop with centennial and summit and you are in for something special!