My first APA

[tiagobrgs]

Hey guys! I'm new here, and not so sure if posting on the right place, but here goes.

This will be my first attempt on an america pale ale and any suggestions will be appreciated.

Batch size: 26 L; OG: 1.060; est. FG: 1.015; ABV: 5.86

6.8 kg - Pale ale malt
0.4 kg - Carapils
0.2 kg - Melanoidin (Best Malz Red X)
0.2 kg - Biscuit malt
0.4 kg - Vienna Malt

60 mins @ 67 C (153 F)
Fly sparge @ 77 C (170 F)


60 mins boiling:

60 - 10 g Columbus
30 - 10 g Cascade
30 - 8 g Chinook
20 - 10 g Columbus
10 - 5 g Cascade
10 - 10 g Chinook
5 - 15 g Citra

Ferment with Safale s-04
Primary: 7 days @ 20 C (68 F)
Secondary: 14 days @ 5 C (41 F)

Prime to 2.2 Vols. and bottle.

What do you guys think? I'm having second thoughts on the malt bill, so any comments will be really appreciated.

I've attached the full recipe too.

Thanks!

 

[saltymirv]

You will make an APA with the given recipe, but your grain bill is too complicated IMO. The Red X malt is not doing anything at that percentage, I would just drop it unless you want to use it as your base malt. I don't think the Vienna is necessary either and I would drop it, but not harm in keeping it either. The biscuit malt is ok to leave if that's a flavor you want.

I like your choice of hops, but I would just use a bittering addition (60 minute), a 10 minute and a 0 minute addition. I would also add some dry hops!! For APAs I like to use about 1/2oz per gallon which I think is like 4g/L.

Do you treat your water at all? I like to use a high SO4 low Cl water for APA/IPA. If you use Bru N Water its the "pale ale" profile

 

[jerbrew]

I agree that you can drop the RedX I'm neutral on the Vienna. I actually really like Vienna as a base malt. I also agree that APAs are best when you have a small dry hop addition. I like the 60 10 0 hop addition format for an APA/IPA it's simple and get you exaclty what you want. bitterness, flavor, and aroma. SUpercharge that aroma with some dry hops and you've got gold.

 

[jerbrew]

I would also like to add that in your picture there it says your carbing at 71.6C that's a bit too hot I think.

 

[saltymirv]

I would also like to add that in your picture there it says your carbing at 71.6C that's a bit too hot I think.

This kills the yeast

 

[jerbrew]

This kills the yeast

If your yeast is dead you can't carb your beer with sugar. and once it's carb'd up what's the point of killing your darling little yeast? They have worked so hard. I'm genuinely curious as to why your pasteurizing your carbed beer.

 

[saltymirv]

If your yeast is dead you can't carb your beer with sugar. and once it's carb'd up what's the point of killing your darling little yeast? They have worked so hard. I'm genuinely curious as to why your pasteurizing your carbed beer.

I was joking, "this kills the _____" was a meme once upon a time

http://imgur.com/gallery/pjPtu

 

[TurnipGreen]

You can't make an American pale ale with a recipe in metric.....just won't work, seriously.

Other that that it looks great! I would focus on just one specialty malt. But take that for what it's worth.

 

[jerbrew]

I was joking, "this kills the _____" was a meme once upon a time

http://imgur.com/gallery/pjPtu

That's amazing. I feel like an ars for not getting that. I was honestly perplexed.

 

[jerbrew]

You can't make an American pale ale with a recipe in metric.....just won't work

That's 22oz of truth.

 

[Beerthoven]

I would not use S-04. Fermentis Safale US-05 is much better for an APA.

 

[saltymirv]

I would not use S-04. Fermentis Safale US-05 is much better for an APA.

Tons of home and pro brewers use S-04 or equivalent in APAs and IPAs. There's nothing wrong with using it here. US05 will give you a drier, cleaner beer while S-04 will be more floral/estery. It all depends on what you are looking for in the beer. I think an APA is more defined by the hops used than yeast

 

[TurnipGreen]

My favorite yeast for an APA is WLP 006. It's a British ale. I kinda like how the British yeasts play on the American hops.

Maybe it's not perfect to style but I sure like it.

 

[Yooper]

I would not use S-04. Fermentis Safale US-05 is much better for an APA.

Agreed on the S04. It gets weirdly estery (not pleasantly fruity) if it's fermented above about 66 degrees, I love that it clears the beer so well, but there are so many better choices out there. The only use I have for it is in cider recipes, since it does make a great hard cider. For beer, no, it's just not generally a good flavor in most of the beers I've tried that used it unless it was fermented very cool (like 62 degrees or under).

I'm not a huge fan of s-05, though, unless it is fermented at 68 degrees and then it's ok (but takes forever to clear for me).

There are so many great choices for an American pale ale, depending on what you have available where you live that it's hard to just give one- but I'd stay far away from S04 in any case.

 

[crusader1612]

I would not use S-04. Fermentis Safale US-05 is much better for an APA.

I would - and have.
I've found when pitched at a good rate and fermented low, its actually really good

My ferm goes likethis: yes its metric - sorry, not sorry.

17.2 Deg C 48 hours
18.4 Deg C 24 hours
21.1 Deg C from there.

worked pretty well, some minor esters, but its quite pleasant and attenuates perfectly.


Like you Yooper, I hate US-05, to finnicky, and diacetyl has been a huge isue for me with that yeast, no other yeast - just. that. one.