Zero's APA: Your input...

Hi All-
I've recently gotten back into brewing after a 20 year hiatus, but I'm 100% Gluten Free brewing now. It's not for me. I have folks around me who have Celiac and I can't bear having a nasty sink water/off the shelf beer anymore ;-)

I spent a few months sampling, testing and trying ingredients and put together this recipe which I've gotten good reviews after my first brew, but I think it needs refinement to get really good. It's got body, caramel and some malty flavors, good nose and solid foam but lacks....something. I can't put my finger on it.
Your opinions are welcome!

Zero's APA - GF

Brew Method: Partial Mash
Style Name: American Pale Ale
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 5.5 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 4 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.077
Efficiency: 62% (brew house)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.060
Final Gravity: 1.019
ABV (standard): 5.32%
IBU (tinseth): 37.72
SRM (morey): 8.16

FERMENTABLES:
42 oz - Brown Rice Syrup - Gluten Free (23.6%)
2 lb - American - Buckwheat Malt - Gluten Free (18%)
2 lb - American - Pale Millet Malt - Gluten Free (18%)
1 lb - Honey (9%)
1 lb - Rice Syrup Solids Gluten Free (9%)
1 lb - Rolled Oats - Gluten Free (9%)
0.5 lb - American - Medium Roasted Millet Malt - Gluten Free (4.5%)
8 oz - Maltodextrin - Gluten Free (late addition) (4.5%)
8 oz - Belgian Candi Sugar - Amber/Brown (4.5%)

HOPS:
0.5 oz - Chinook, Type: Pellet, AA: 12, Use: First Wort, IBU: 9.81
0.5 oz - Mount Hood, Type: Pellet, AA: 5, Use: First Wort, IBU: 4.09
0.5 oz - Cascade, Type: Pellet, AA: 7, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 4.69
0.5 oz - Mount Hood, Type: Pellet, AA: 5, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 3.35
0.5 oz - Cascade, Type: Pellet, AA: 7, Use: Boil for 7 min, IBU: 2.54
0.5 oz - Mount Hood, Type: Pellet, AA: 5, Use: Boil for 7 min, IBU: 1.81
2 oz - Cascade, Type: Pellet, AA: 7, Use: Whirlpool for 30 min at 177 °F, IBU: 11.44
2 oz - Cascade, Type: Pellet, AA: 7, Use: Dry Hop for 7 days
1 oz - Mount Hood, Type: Pellet, AA: 5, Use: Dry Hop for 7 days

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Temperature, Temp: 110 F, Time: 20 min, Amount: 8 qt, Beta Glucan Rest
2) Temperature, Temp: 125 F, Time: 25 min, Protein Rest
3) Temperature, Temp: 160 F, Time: 30 min, Starch Conversion Rest

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
1 tbsp - Ph Stabilizer, Time: 75 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
1 tsp - Amylase Enzyme, Time: 5 min, Type: Other, Use: Mash
2 tsp - Yeast Nutrient, Time: 15 min, Type: Other, Use: Boil
1 each - Whirlfloc, Time: 5 min, Type: Fining, Use: Boil
1 each - Clarity Ferm, Time: 0 min, Type: Fining, Use: Primary

YEAST:
Fermentis / Safale - American Ale Yeast US-05

PRIMING:
Method: Corn Sugar
Amount: Calculate!!!
CO2 Level: 2.7 Volumes


Thanks folks! Appreciate your time on this one

Looks good! Do you have any direction for us on this? Is it missing something in the hops or malt, etc? Looks solid to me. I might try a little more intense hops though. Maybe something from New Zealand just to throw a little more variety in. You could add a little crystal malt or lightly kilned malt. I'm liking Grouse's munich for APAs/IPAs.

Osedax said:

Looks good! Do you have any direction for us on this? Is it missing something in the hops or malt, etc? Looks solid to me. I might try a little more intense hops though. Maybe something from New Zealand just to throw a little more variety in. You could add a little crystal malt or lightly kilned malt. I'm liking Grouse's munich for APAs/IPAs.

Click to expand...

Thanks for your input!

It's got enough hop nose and bitterness IMO. I had another one today and I think it's got too much BRS or rice syrup solids. On the next run I think I'll follow your suggestion but replace the DRE with Ekert's Rice Malt... I'll have to get some and sample it out first

I'll post the entire recipe over on the GF recipe board. Looked like it could use another APA

The link: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=523966