Zythos Ale Critique

Picked up some Zythos blend hops and was looking to make a Pale Ale to showcase them with what I have in my inventory. I have some Chinook in the freezer so I was going to use that to bitter and Zythos for aroma and dry hop. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks.

Recipe Specifications
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Boil Size: 6.98 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.98 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.00 gal
Bottling Volume: 4.60 gal
Estimated OG: 1.049 SG
Estimated Color: 7.5 SRM
Estimated IBU: 39.2 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 82.8 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
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Amt Name Type # %/IBU
7 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 73.7 %
2 lbs Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 2 21.1 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 3 5.3 %
0.75 oz Chinook [13.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 4 34.9 IBUs
0.50 oz Zythos [11.90 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 5 4.2 IBUs
0.50 oz Zythos [11.90 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 6 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg SafAle English Ale (DCL/Fermentis #S-04) Yeast 7 -
1.00 oz Zythos [11.90 %] - Dry Hop 10.0 Days Hop 8 0.0 IBUs

I brewed the zythos IPA that is straight from Hop Union. It was my experience that it is a weak hop and needs heavy dry hop. I admit, I usually go crazy on dry hops, so take my thoughts with a grain of salt.

I'd would up the dry hop to 4 ounces or at least 3.

Grain bill looks fine, but crystal 80 won't help your goal of showcasing the hops. I would either cut the percentage to 3% and/or replace it with some lighter such as crystal 40 or 20.

Safale-04 is also a funky pale ale yeast in my experience. I think you would have better luck pushing the hops forward with s-05, Nottingham or better yet, WLP001/Wyeast 1056.


Didn't mean to hack up your recipe so much, sir . I'm sure your brew will be tasty as is even, just throwing my 3 cents haha

us-05 and wlp001 are the same - the chico strain.

sweetcell said:

us-05 and wlp001 are the same - the chico strain.

Click to expand...

People really need to stop saying this. The beer they produce is different.

It are fact, I edited the Wikipedia article.

i've seen lots of people state this, yet you are the first to say otherwise... and i'm supposed to take your word for it?

jammin said:

It are fact, I edited the Wikipedia article.

Click to expand...

well it's official now!

sweetcell said:

i've seen lots of people state this, yet you are the first to say otherwise... and i'm supposed to take your word for it?



well it's official now!

Click to expand...

The gross peach ester s-05 can put off is well known. Why is it so hard to believe the yeast strains are different? They behave differently an anyone who has used both can attest to it. Not try'n to rustle your jimmies but this rumor has gone on long enough. Similar is as far as I'd go comparing the two.

the peachy esters have been noted in both US-05 and the liquid equivalent (ex: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/chico-us-05-1056-perceived-peach-flavor-aroma-309272/). it's more promounced with the dry yeast, probably due to the fact that the yeast has been stressed when dried. you can't put it through that without expecting some variation. so does it behave differently, in certain circumstances? yes it can. is it a different strain? no.

but whatever. believe what you like

sweetcell said:

the peachy esters have been noted in both US-05 and the liquid equivalent (ex: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/chico-us-05-1056-perceived-peach-flavor-aroma-309272/). it's more promounced with the dry yeast, probably due to the fact that the yeast has been stressed when dried. you can't put it through that without expecting some variation. so does it behave differently, in certain circumstances? yes it can. is it a different strain? no.

but whatever. believe what you like

Click to expand...

All that thread does is prove my point. So does what you posted. They are different. End of story.

jammin said:

All that thread does is prove my point. So does what you posted. They are different.

Click to expand...

the behave differently, but they are genetically the same thing. they are not different strains. they are both the chico, thus proving my point.

thanks for playing!

sweetcell said:

the behave differently, but they are genetically the same thing. they are not different strains. they are both the chico, thus proving my point.

thanks for playing!

Click to expand...

You really should re-read my original post on the topic, then read your response. Comprehension is obviously not your strong suit.

apparently its not yours either... we're both right: US-05 and WLP001 are both Chico, and they can produce different beers

awrite, i'm done with this since we've descended into insults. a few more posts and we'll have a hitler reference in here.

Anyone else have any comments on the recipe or they zythos hops? I've learned enough about yeast for now.

yeah, sorry about that... here, i'll try to be useful:

i like your malt bill.

i would consider boosting the 5 and 0 min additions to 0.75 or even 1 oz. i have a pound of zythos and haven't tried it yet, but several folks have said that they aren't particularly intense.

should be a good beer.