Pale Ale for review

What do ya think? I want to use the flaked barley in lieu of crystal. Not quite sure about the hop schedule. I'm trying to avoid a heavy grapefruit APA...

16 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM) 88.00 %
2 lbs Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM) 10.67 %
4.0 oz Chocolate Malt, Pale (225.0 SRM) 1.33 %
2.00 oz Northern Brewer [8.50 %] (60 min) 34.3 IBU
3.00 oz Cascade [7.20 %] (20 min) 14.7 IBU
2.00 oz Williamette [5.40 %] (0 min)
SafAle S-05

10 gallon batch, OG: 1.050, SRM: 7.7, IBU:48.9
Mash at 152F, Ferment at 62F

I'm no expert, but I reckon you'll still want at least a bit of crystal sweetness to balance out all that bitterness, especially since you're mashing on the cool side and won't have much else in the way of unfermentables.

To me, flaked barley is a substitute for Cara-Pils both of which boost body & head, not Crystal which lends a bit of sweetness. To me, Munich can sub for Crystal to get a different kind of malty sweetness, but flaked barley is a totally different thing.

Ok, I'm no expert either....in fact, waiting for a response to an APA recipe thread I posted yesterday! (https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/apa-recipe-hops-galena-mt-hood-120075/)

Maybe we can help each other out!

But, here's my opinion:

I like the choice of hops. I did a willamette / cascade IPA that turned out great. For my taste, your IBU's are high for a pale ale. (especially with the very simple grain bill and low OG) More like an IPA bitterness ratio. Typically, I like my pale ales around a .75 bitterness ratio, so I would shoot for 35 to 40 IBU's. Maybe back down the 60 min addition and move the 20 min addition to 10 min.

I am not sure about the flaked barley - are you concerned about clarity of the beer? I know that flaked barley is usually used in darker beers because of its haze producing qualities. That said, I have never used it in a light beer, so no first hand experience here.

I agree with the other responses, as well.

Good luck with it, in any case!!

I'm sure it will be good!

Thanks for the tips. How's this?
(I resized to a 5-gal batch)

9 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM) 83.72 %
12.0 oz Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM) 6.98 %
8.0 oz Munich Malt (10.0 SRM) 4.650 %
6.0 oz Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) 3.49 %
2.0 oz Chocolate Malt, Pale (225.0 SRM) 1.16 %
0.75 oz Northern Brewer [8.50 %] (60 min) 25.7 IBU
1.50 oz Cascade [7.20 %] (20 min) 14.7 IBU
1.00 oz Williamette [5.40 %] (0 min)
SafAle S-05

5 gallon batch, OG: 1.057, SRM: 9.0, IBU:40.3
Mash at 154F, Ferment at 62F

Looks good to me!

Now with the higher OG and maltier (?) malts, you could probably bump that 60 min NB addition back up a bit.

But either way - Hope it goes well!

Gotta love APA!