Session Pale Ale - Extract Recipe

[PurplePope]

I plan on brewing the following session pale ale.

Am I using too much crystal? I'm trying to give the beer more body and flavor with specialty grains to compensate for it being a smaller beer. The grains listed are the ones I have on hand currently.

I'm also trying to give it some complexity by continuously hopping with different varieties towards the later side of the boil. Also, moderate dry hopping.

A secondary goal of mine was to come up with a reasonoably priced recipe that would still be very flavorful. I'm trying to make a recipe I can brew over and over again and not break the bank or get super drunk from a few beers.

I have a ton of Safale-05 and plan to use it to ferment, however I'm a little concerned I may over attenuate. Anyone have any ideas in terms of a modified pitching rate or temperature (as opposed to common 11g @ ~68F).

Any other criticisms / feedback appreciated.

Thanks!


Title: Session Pale Ale

Brew Method: Extract
Style Name: American Pale Ale
Boil Time: 30 min
Batch Size: 5.5 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 6 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.037
Efficiency: 35% (steeping grains only)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.040
Final Gravity: 1.011
ABV (standard): 3.79%
IBU (tinseth): 52.83
SRM (morey): 8.22

FERMENTABLES:
6 lb - Liquid Malt Extract - Light (87.3%)

STEEPING GRAINS:
4 oz - American - Caramel / Crystal 40L (3.6%)
4 oz - American - Caramel / Crystal 120L (3.6%)
3 oz - American - Carapils (Dextrine Malt) (2.7%)
3 oz - German - Dark Munich (2.7%)

HOPS:
0.25 oz - Belma, Type: Pellet, AA: 12, Use: Boil for 30 min, IBU: 8.98
0.25 oz - Galena, Type: Pellet, AA: 13, Use: Boil for 30 min, IBU: 9.72
5 g - Cascade, Type: Pellet, AA: 7, Use: Boil for 20 min, IBU: 2.91
5 g - Centennial, Type: Pellet, AA: 10, Use: Boil for 20 min, IBU: 4.16
5 g - Simcoe, Type: Pellet, AA: 12.7, Use: Boil for 20 min, IBU: 5.28
5 g - Cascade, Type: Pellet, AA: 7, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 2.38
5 g - Centennial, Type: Pellet, AA: 10, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 3.41
5 g - Simcoe, Type: Pellet, AA: 12.7, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 4.33
5 g - Cascade, Type: Pellet, AA: 7, Use: Boil for 10 min, IBU: 1.74
5 g - Centennial, Type: Pellet, AA: 10, Use: Boil for 10 min, IBU: 2.49
5 g - Simcoe, Type: Pellet, AA: 12.7, Use: Boil for 10 min, IBU: 3.16
5 g - Cascade, Type: Pellet, AA: 7, Use: Boil for 5 min, IBU: 0.96
5 g - Centennial, Type: Pellet, AA: 10, Use: Boil for 5 min, IBU: 1.37
5.6 g - Simcoe, Type: Pellet, AA: 12.7, Use: Boil for 5 min, IBU: 1.95
5 g - Cascade, Type: Pellet, AA: 7, Use: Boil for 0 min
5 g - Centennial, Type: Pellet, AA: 10, Use: Boil for 0 min
5 g - Simcoe, Type: Pellet, AA: 12.7, Use: Boil for 0 min
0.5 oz - Simcoe, Type: Pellet, AA: 12.7, Use: Dry Hop for 7 days
0.5 oz - Centennial, Type: Pellet, AA: 10, Use: Dry Hop for 7 days
0.5 oz - Belma, Type: Pellet, AA: 12, Use: Dry Hop for 7 days
0.5 oz - Cascade, Type: Pellet, AA: 7, Use: Dry Hop for 7 days

YEAST:
Fermentis / Safale - American Ale Yeast US-05
Starter: No
Fermentation Temp: 64 F
Pitch Rate: 11g

 

[Aonghus]

For what it is worth; I would omit the crystal 120 and up the crystal 40 to compensate (perhaps 2 oz worth). With the hop schedule I would worry about getting enough bittering in the beer (not sure 30 minutes will get the alpha acids fully isomerised). Perhaps consider Gelena for 60 and then start the rest of your hop schedule at 20 minutes?
If you boil your extract for a longer period of time you should get some more body and avoid your over attenuation (as a side benefit of 60 minute hop addition).
I would pitch the full sachet of US-05.
I am sure which ever way you decide to go that it will be good drinkable beer.


Cheers.

 

[PurplePope]

For what it is worth; I would omit the crystal 120 and up the crystal 40 to compensate (perhaps 2 oz worth). With the hop schedule I would worry about getting enough bittering in the beer (not sure 30 minutes will get the alpha acids fully isomerised). Perhaps consider Gelena for 60 and then start the rest of your hop schedule at 20 minutes?
If you boil your extract for a longer period of time you should get some more body and avoid your over attenuation (as a side benefit of 60 minute hop addition).
I would pitch the full sachet of US-05.
I am sure which ever way you decide to go that it will be good drinkable beer.


Cheers.

I didnt realized the 60 minute boil offered greater body. Interesting I'll take your advice there. Do you know why it has this effect on attenuation?

Also, can you elaborate on why you would sub out the crystal 120? Is it a sweetness or color issue?

Much appreciated.

 

[PurplePope]

Also can anyone offer feedback on the use of dark munich and carapils?

I've heard that carapils offers body and head retention without flavor.

I also heard recently that munich specialty malts need to be mashed as opposed to steeped. Can anyone attest to this? I'm a fairly new brewer, could I mash as part of my extract process? Does this require any additional equipment? Can I do it in my kitchen?

It sounds like the grains I bought aren't ideal, but I have a fair amount of them and would like to make them work for me if possible.

 

[chickypad]

I don't know that I would intentionally boil extract longer in an effort to gain body. I haven't brewed with extract in a long time but I much preferred the beers with mostly late additions when I did. I assume Aongus is thinking of the carmelization that can occur with boiling extract leading to more unfermentable sugars? I just don't care for the taste it creates and think I'd rather do that with recipe adjustments. You can bump up the total crystal for something like this - carapils as you mentioned if you don't want to add more color. I see lots of recipes that call for steeping Munich, I can't speak to whether you get anything from it that way. I also wouldn't intentionally underpitch or try for a less than ideal fermentation in an effort not to overattenuate - sounds like a good way to get off flavors. Choose a less attenuative yeast if you are worried about it. Again it comes down to recipe but you're more limited with extract and not being able to manipulate the mash temps. This will certainly be a hoppy brew for such a low gravity beer if that's what you're going for.

 

[PurplePope]

I don't know that I would intentionally boil extract longer in an effort to gain body. I haven't brewed with extract in a long time but I much preferred the beers with mostly late additions when I did. I assume Aongus is thinking of the carmelization that can occur with boiling extract leading to more unfermentable sugars? I just don't care for the taste it creates and think I'd rather do that with recipe adjustments. You can bump up the total crystal for something like this - carapils as you mentioned if you don't want to add more color. I see lots of recipes that call for steeping Munich, I can't speak to whether you get anything from it that way. I also wouldn't intentionally underpitch or try for a less than ideal fermentation in an effort not to overattenuate - sounds like a good way to get off flavors. Choose a less attenuative yeast if you are worried about it. Again it comes down to recipe but you're more limited with extract and not being able to manipulate the mash temps. This will certainly be a hoppy brew for such a low gravity beer if that's what you're going for.

Answered a lot of my questions. Thanks!

 

[homebrewhaha]

My preference with a recipe like this is would be to:

Eliminate the crystal 120. I know where you're coming from with this: I brewed a session IPA with a mix of 40/120 and it just ended being a bit too dark for my taste.

Not a huge deal, but I'd use the lighter Munich I and increase the amount up to about a pound. Don't be afraid to try a mini-mash. Mashing is really just steeping for a longer period of time at a specific temperature, and usually in a smaller amount of water to start. I might mash this recipe at 152 degrees F for 45-60 minutes. Typical rule of thumb is to use 1.25-1.5 quarts of water per pound of grain. Look around at BIAB techniques to find out more about mashing if you wish to try it.

For even more malt complexity to help support the "lightness" of this beer, consider adding something like a small amount of Victory malt.

If you're considering an alternative yeast, I really like Wyeast's American Ale II (1272). It's slightly less attenuative than the Chico strain, and IMO does a little bit better job of accentuating the malt, which you want in a beer like this to help balance all the hops and contribute the impression of a bigger IPA-like beer.

Good luck!

 

[PurplePope]

My preference with a recipe like this is would be to:

Eliminate the crystal 120. I know where you're coming from with this: I brewed a session IPA with a mix of 40/120 and it just ended being a bit too dark for my taste.

Not a huge deal, but I'd use the lighter Munich I and increase the amount up to about a pound. Don't be afraid to try a mini-mash. Mashing is really just steeping for a longer period of time at a specific temperature, and usually in a smaller amount of water to start. I might mash this recipe at 152 degrees F for 45-60 minutes. Typical rule of thumb is to use 1.25-1.5 quarts of water per pound of grain. Look around at BIAB techniques to find out more about mashing if you wish to try it.

For even more malt complexity to help support the "lightness" of this beer, consider adding something like a small amount of Victory malt.

If you're considering an alternative yeast, I really like Wyeast's American Ale II (1272). It's slightly less attenuative than the Chico strain, and IMO does a little bit better job of accentuating the malt, which you want in a beer like this to help balance all the hops and contribute the impression of a bigger IPA-like beer.

Good luck!

Killer! I'm going to research mini-mashing and give it a shot. I'll check out the yeast alternatives once I dwindle my supply down, I overbought...

Any thoughts on the use of the carapils here? Does it have utility in this beer or do you think I'm wasting my time?

 

[Aonghus]

Chickypad has correctly interpreted my somewhat ambiguous statement on the longer boil providing more body. I should have made that clearer. I do not like the extra color or extra sweetness from the Crystal 120. My tastes may differ from yours though. It is perfectly ok to experiment and deliberately overshoot in one area (like a ranging shot) in order to really get a sense of what that particular addition does for your brew. If you like it great, if not you have increased your understanding of the brewing process (and your own preferences). I also like the suggestion for steeping some Munich for your brew. I frequently use 3 to 5 Lbs of Munich or Vienna as an addition to my favored base malts (M.O. or US 2Row). Let us know how your beer turns out.

 

[homebrewhaha]

Killer! I'm going to research mini-mashing and give it a shot. I'll check out the yeast alternatives once I dwindle my supply down, I overbought...

Any thoughts on the use of the carapils here? Does it have utility in this beer or do you think I'm wasting my time?

I like to use carapils in almost all my beers. It helps with head retention and mouthfeel. I think a good head on an IPA or pale ale helps to make the aroma more appreciable, and moderate mouthfeel can help prevent a session IPA from tasting too "thin"