Would you call this a Blonde? or Pale Ale?

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

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

 

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.

 

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

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

 

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.

 

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...

 

Totally understandable.