Would you call this a Blonde? or Pale Ale?

[kpr121]

I think Im just going to call it "Elin" - The Pale Blonde. Anyone want to design a Label for me?!?

BeerSmith 2 Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Elin - The Pale Blonde
Brewer: Kevin
Asst Brewer:
Style: ??
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 13.02 gal
Post Boil Volume: 11.96 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 11.00 gal
Bottling Volume: 11.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.046 SG
Estimated Color: 5.3 SRM
Estimated IBU: 39.3 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 78.4 %
Boil Time: 45 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
4.0 oz Rice Hulls (0.0 SRM) Adjunct 1 1.3 %
12 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 64.0 %
5 lbs Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 3 26.7 %
1 lbs Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM) Grain 4 5.3 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 5 2.7 %
1.50 oz Belma [12.10 %] - First Wort 20.0 min Hop 6 21.7 IBUs
1.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - First Wort 20.0 m Hop 7 12.0 IBUs
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 10.0 mins) Fining 8 -
1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 9 5.5 IBUs
2.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 10 0.0 IBUs
1.50 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 11 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Belma [12.10 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 12 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg German Ale/Kolsch (White Labs #WLP029) [ Yeast 13 -
1.0 pkg US-S05 [50.00 ml] Yeast 14 -


Mash Schedule: KPR Single Infusion, Light Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 18 lbs 12.0 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 24.44 qt of water at 162.1 F 150.0 F 60 min

Sparge: Batch sparge with 3 steps (Drain mash tun, , 4.71gal, 4.71gal) of 168.0 F water

 

[Yooper]

WAY too many hops and IBUs for a blonde. It would probably fit as a pale ale, although a bit too high in IBUs (50 IBUs alone just in the FWH!).

 

[kpr121]

Yoop, you caught me before I was able to edit my post. I always calculate my FWH as 20 minute additions but I forgot to change that before posting here... that brings the calcuated IBUs down to 39 total. I realize that that is still outside the range for a blonde.

I know there's differing opinions on the FWH ibu calculation but I just wanted to clarify my thoughts.

 

[Yooper]

It still looks pretty bitter to me, although I'm not going to be drinking it so I can't say! I like the later addition hopping.

 

[kpr121]

Yeah I'll see how it goes... it was a last minute decision to throw that belma into the FWH, I probably should have left it out or added it to the late additions if I wanted to be closer to a blonde.

 

[kpr121]

No other comments? Maybe I need to add more pictures and have this moved to the Off-Topic sections of the forum!

 

[Yooper]

No other comments? Maybe I need to add more pictures and have this moved to the Off-Topic sections of the forum!

Sorry that I got nothin'.

The beer is a pale ale- totally fallls into an APA standard.

You could call it a blonde pale ale, if it makes you happy!

 

[daksin]

Definitely looks like an APA to me, color, gravity, late hops. Anyway, regardless of what you think about FWH, you're going to get more IBU than a 60m bittering addition, so you need to take that into account. When someone says think of FWH like a 20m addition, they are saying they get a flavor contribution out of it (I haven't noticed this, but people swear by it). You still get bittering IBUs from them, slightly more than a 60m addition.

 

[kpr121]

Definitely looks like an APA to me, color, gravity, late hops. Anyway, regardless of what you think about FWH, you're going to get more IBU than a 60m bittering addition, so you need to take that into account. When someone says think of FWH like a 20m addition, they are saying they get a flavor contribution out of it (I haven't noticed this, but people swear by it). You still get bittering IBUs from them, slightly more than a 60m addition.

I think I got the 20 minute idea directly from Denny Conn.... I'm on my phone so I can't look up the link now, but I'd say he's pretty well respected. I think he even did some blind taste testing with some random testers.

I don't have that kind of anecdotal personal evidence, but I have noticed a smoother bitterness that seems to be less bitter on the palate. So, I don't really care about true ibus, if it tastes "like 39 ibus should" that's good enough for me.

 

[kpr121]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/hop-impact-first-wort-hopping-68661/

Here's a good discussion on fwh and the apparent lack of bitterness taste.

 

[phenry]

Well it fits right into the stats for a Pale Ale, and it looks like it would taste like a Pale Ale, I think you should call it a Pale Ale.

 

[kpr121]

Well I just tapped this for the first time tonight... and...

I dont know what I was thinking. This is a pale ale. And a good one at that. Smooth with just the right amount of bitterness at the end of the sip. The amarillo really shines through with a bright orange citrus. The centennial gives it a little bit of spicy, almost peppery bite. And I think the belma plays well with the little bit of wheat to give it a great creamy mouthfeel. I dryhopped the first keg with 2 oz of cascades. I think the second keg will get some amarillo and something different, maybe citra or more belma.

Maybe I was just calling it a blonde for an excuse to put Elin on the label...

 

[woknblues]

Maybe I was just calling it a blonde for an excuse to put Elin on the label...

Totally understandable.