Need help with a Citra APA

[hawgwild81]

I had Bosco's Hop Harvest Ale at their brew pub this weekend. It's a great beer. I was hoping to try and recreate it, but I'm new to All Grain and to making a recipe. This is what I know...They use all Citra wet hops, the O.G. is 1.062, and the IBU's are 35. This is what I had in mind. Any help would be much appreciated.

Recipe: Citra APA
Brewer: Evan
Asst Brewer:
Style: American Pale Ale
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.04 gal
Post Boil Volume: 6.50 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.10 gal
Estimated OG: 1.053 SG
Estimated Color: 13.0 SRM
Estimated IBU: 35.7 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 85.2 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
9 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM) Grain 1 81.8 %
2 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 2 18.2 %
0.50 oz Citra [13.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 3 20.2 IBUs
0.50 oz Citra [13.00 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 4 15.5 IBUs
1.00 oz Citra [13.00 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 6 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) Yeast 5 -


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Full Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 11 lbs
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 14.30 qt of water at 163.2 F 152.0 F 60 min

Sparge: Drain mash tun, Batch sparge with 3 steps (5.03gal, 1.82gal, 1.82gal) of 168.0 F water
Notes:
------


Created with BeerSmith 2 - http://www.beersmith.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[pickles]

Having brewed a beer that had the majority of late hops as citra, I'd recommend no using more than say 25% of citra for anything after 20 min. The flavor is so intense, mango-like. It's almost sickening. I thought I'd like it cause I love simcoe, Amarillo, every C hop, etc; but its too intense for my taste. I've got 5 gallons aging hopping it'll lose some of its flavor!

 

[Yooper]

You've got 18% crystal- that's WAY too much! Lower it to 5-10% at the most and it'll be better.

For hopping ,you've got all bittering hops and dryhops with no flavor or aroma hops. That's very strange, and if you actually taste hops in the beer, it needs to be changed. I'd hop at 60, 15, 0, and maybe dryhop if it has an extreme hops nose.

 

[hawgwild81]

Thanks for the help. Yooper...any suggestions as to what I could replace some of the crystal with? I'm trying to keep the OG around 1060. From talking to the guys at the pub and ready their web page, they used nothing but citra hops. Or would moving one of the hop additions to 15 min and the flavor? Thanks again for the help.

 

[Ozzfest05]

.5oz Citra at 60 mins
.5oz Amarillo at 15

Dry hop with Amarillo and sorachi ace
.5 of each.

I'm afraid of citra as they are lemon grapefruit bombs.

This hop schedule might be better

 

[Yooper]

You can use two-row for the bulk of the fermentables, and then a pound of crystal for color and flavor.

I find citra very much MANGO. So I don't care for an all-citra beer. But if that is what you like, a hops schedule like this is a typical APA schedule:

60 minutes (bittering) (get about 25-30 IBUs from this addition)
15 minutes (flavor)
5 minutes (aroma)

Dryhop (if needed)

 

[hawgwild81]

Ozzfest....what would the Amarillo bring to this beer? I know sorachi is more of a citrus flavor, but I've never used Amarillo. The original beer had a sweet flavor to not cloying, but kind of like shortbread. Would some biscuit malt help bring that out?

 

[Ozzfest05]

Ozzfest....what would the Amarillo bring to this beer? I know sorachi is more of a citrus flavor, but I've never used Amarillo. The original beer had a sweet flavor to not cloying, but kind of like shortbread. Would some biscuit malt help bring that out?

Amarillo is a medium strength aroma and flavor hop offering a citrusy aroma.

Amarillo and sorachi ace are a perfect pair.

 

[h22lude]

I made a Citra APA partial mash a few batches ago that I feel was one of my top 3 brews. I'm not a huge hop head but this beer was great. My buddy from work and his wife really love the commercial IPAs and APAs. They both said they would buy my Citra APA over any of the commercial ones they have tried.

I did a total of 3 oz of Citra just as Yooper said...
1oz @ 60
1oz @ 15
1oz @ 5

 

[wheels4]

I made a Citra Pale on October 8th. and it is awesome. I will make it again this weekend. I used
.5oz - 60
.5oz - 30
.5oz - 15
1 oz - 1
I had some friends over last weekend and they all loved it as well.

 

[hawgwild81]

Ok guys how does this look? Thanks for all the help!

BeerSmith 2 Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Citra APA
Brewer: Evan
Asst Brewer:
Style: American Pale Ale
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.04 gal
Post Boil Volume: 6.50 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.10 gal
Estimated OG: 1.054 SG
Estimated Color: 10.0 SRM
Estimated IBU: 35.0 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 85.2 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
9 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM) Grain 1 86.4 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 2 9.1 %
0.50 oz Citra [13.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 4 20.1 IBUs
0.50 oz Citra [13.00 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 5 10.0 IBUs
0.50 oz Citra [13.00 %] - Boil 1.0 min Hop 7 0.9 IBUs
1.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) Yeast 8 -
8.0 oz Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 3 4.5 %
0.50 oz Citra [13.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 6 4.0 IBUs


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Full Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 11 lbs
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 14.30 qt of water at 163.2 F 152.0 F 60 min

Sparge: Drain mash tun, Batch sparge with 3 steps (5.03gal, 1.82gal, 1.82gal) of 168.0 F water
Notes:
------


Created with BeerSmith 2 - http://www.beersmith.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[wheels4]

Looks good...make it and adjust next time if its not what you wanted. Thats the best part of this hobby/obsession. Drinking the mistakes and learning from them .

 

[pstrohs]

I think that the grain and hop bill look great. However, I would strongly suggest dry hopping with one ounce of citra. I did this for my citra APA and it was great.

 

[dfess1]

My house pale is a Citra Pale, with alot of Citra. I brew 10 gallons of it every 2-3 weeks because I fly through the kegs. My efficiency still sucks, and I'm trying to dial that in. The main goal is a 1.052-ish beer. Something that is "sessionable". For 10 gallons I use:

22 lbs Pale 2 row (though this time I used Marris Otter)
1 lb Crystal 20
1 lb Carapils
2 oz Nugget (60)
2 oz Citra (20)
2 oz Citra (10)
2 oz Citra (5)
1 oz of Citra in each carboy (dryhop)
American Ale II (forget the wyeast number)
If I have the leaf (and the time), I will also run 2 oz through the hopback at flameout/cooling.

Comes out nice and smooth. Has hop character, but isn't over the top.

 

[Hops4life]

I just recently did an amber that used mostly citra. I used the following additions for a 5 gallon batch.

30 min .25 oz citra
20 min .5 oz citra
20 min .25 oz Amarillo
10 min .5 oz citra
10 min .25 oz Amarillo
1 min .5 oz citra
1 min .25 oz Amarillo

Dry hop same as 20/10/1 min additions.

Came out very tropical fruit heavy. Next chance I get going to do same basics additions but use centennial vs Amarillo to provide a little more of a tart citrus to balance some sweetness.

Knowing Boscos has this spa I guess I will have to venture over that way!!

 

[Hockyplr]

However, I would strongly suggest dry hopping with one ounce of citra.

+1

I concur and would also point out, IMO, only dry hop with leaf with Citra. 1 oz for say 7-10 days is good, 2 oz I think is better. Stay away from dry hoping with pellets when it comes to Citra. My experience, as I have done both several times, the pellets lend a "cat piss" smell, rather that a citrus/flower smell.

 

[hawgwild81]

Thanks for the info. I think I am going to dry hop this one.