Sweet Summer Blonde

Brewing this afternoon, one day late on the Nat. Homebrew Day deal, but I was otherwise occupied. Below is my recipe, mixed and matched from a few others hanging around these parts AND what was available from the local LHS. I try to support the local guy but it's aggravating when they don't have BASIC ingredients (no DME??).

1.5 lbs German Honey Malt (crushed & steeped)

5.5 lbs Lt DME

0.5 oz Centennial (9.4%) 60 min
1.0 oz Cascade (7.4%) 15 min

0.5 oz Coriander seed - 10 min
2g Grains of Paradise - 10 min
2 oz (+/-) Lemon zest - 10 min

Wyeast American Ale II (1272)


Any comments? Suggestions on zest amount? Looking for a lt summer beer.

Various calcs show approx values as: 9 SRM, 25 IBU, 5.1% ABV

i assume you are doing a 5 gallon batch? In my summer ale I used about 1.2 oz lemon zest and at 1st very pungent but finished off WELL

1.5#'s of honey malt is probably way too much. Plus, it might not be able to convert itself. It's not a crystal malt and must be mashed.

Soooooooooooooooo, now ya tell me! Well, the brew is 4 days old now, so it now a wait and see. As I noted, I started it up on Sunday and by noon on Monday it was bubbling away. O.G. was 1.052 @ 71.8 degs.

Tasted the sample used for the hydrometer reading and it was pretty sweet. Didn't have much lemon flavor at that time though.