Specialty Grains for Pale Ale

[pearlmikejam]

I have been brewing for 18 months and just opened my most recent batch, a 15 minute boil, low IBU Pale Ale. My goal was to get produce something similar to Alaskan Freeride or New Glarus Moon Man. I hit the mark on the ABV, IBUs and hop flavor, but missed on the slight sweetness those beers have. Here was my recipe:

Briess DME Golden Light 6 lb Bag (Extract)
Simcoe (US) Hop Pellets, 1 oz (dry hop 5 days)
Falconer's Flight 7 C's 1oz Hop Pellets (15 min)
Cascade (US) Hop Pellets, 1 oz (5 min)
Citra (US) Hop Pellets 1 oz (5 min)
Amarillo (US) Hop Pellets, 1 oz (5 min)
SafAle US-05 US05 11.5 g

What grains should I steep to add the missing sweetness to complement the hops? I have read everything from Munich to the various caramel/crystal malts. I need help on amount and malts. I was thinking of trying caramel 20L and just working my way down the malt spectrum, but thought I would get some feedback first.

Thanks in advance.

 

[dstockwell]

Maybe Crystal 40

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=424558
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=193381

 

[Raoul_Duke_PhD]

Any of the crystal malts will help. Munich, or any other base malt, will need to be mashed.

 

[RM-MN]

A pound of Caramel 10, 20, 40, 60, 80, or 120 will get you some sweetness. Each number has its own flavor and color. I'd probably start with Caramel 10 but on subsequent batches you could choose to go darker for the difference in flavor. Note that the darker colors will not be to style. I brew for my own drinking so style guidelines are discarded. I enjoyed the one with Caramel 120.