A Pale Ale recipe review please

[akajdg]

I'm sorry if this is not the place but I'll get used to navigating my around over the next few days. So I have been playing with different recipes and would like to brew a simple pale ale this weekend using extracts. I have used Beersmith to get the presentation down and would appreciate any feedback as to what the final outcome of the recipe might be.

Pale Liquid Extract 6lbs
Light Dry Extract 1lb
Honey Malt 12oz
Citra Hops - 1oz 60min
Cascade Hops 1oz 45 min
Cascade Hops .50oz 30min
Cascade Hops .50oz 1min
Irish Moss .25tsp 15min
California Ale WL001 Yeast

ESG 1.053
IBU 40.9
Color 9.5
EABV 5.3%


Playing with adding some melon at flame out along with at secondary which is why I added the honey malt. For the most part I just wanted to know if I went with a straight up Pale Ale that this would be a reasonable and worthwhile effort. Thanks to all in advance for your input.

 

[Krane]

Sounds pretty solid to me. You could do a crystal malt instead of the honey, but I think it's your call on that one. I do have two suggestions though: more hops closer to flameout and skip the melon.

The 30/45 minute additions as I understand don't contribute much to aroma so you might as well start them earlier. Since you will get more IBUs this way, you will add less for the same IBUs, and then have more to add near flameout. Also, citra is a pretty awesome hop that is typically not for bittering. Consider something else and using the citra closer to flameout.

As for the melon, I only say this because adding things to the beer increases your chance for infection and it can be dissapointing. I've done a few beers where I added something like that, and it's either too little or too much. Hard to get that right the first time with your own recipe.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[Krane]

Ugh, I hate to keep adding things, but are you making a yeast starter? You won't have the proper cell count with the WL001 without a starter. If you aren't making one, I suggest Fermentis S05. It's a personal favorite plus dry yeast will save some money.

 

[Daybis]

Sounds pretty solid to me. You could do a crystal malt instead of the honey, but I think it's your call on that one. I do have two suggestions though: more hops closer to flameout and skip the melon.

The 30/45 minute additions as I understand don't contribute much to aroma so you might as well start them earlier. Since you will get more IBUs this way, you will add less for the same IBUs, and then have more to add near flameout. Also, citra is a pretty awesome hop that is typically not for bittering. Consider something else and using the citra closer to flameout.

As for the melon, I only say this because adding things to the beer increases your chance for infection and it can be dissapointing. I've done a few beers where I added something like that, and it's either too little or too much. Hard to get that right the first time with your own recipe.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

I would agree with this post completely. I would push the hops a little later in the boil. Specialty malts are up to you, but I also prefer some crystal malts in my pale ales. With the melon, I would keep it out and save that experiment for a beer that won't fight with delicacy of the melon flavor (maybe a blond or a cream ale?). However, I think your recipe is fine the way it is and these are just suggestions.

 

[amingo]

I'm sorry if this is not the place but I'll get used to navigating my around over the next few days. So I have been playing with different recipes and would like to brew a simple pale ale this weekend using extracts. I have used Beersmith to get the presentation down and would appreciate any feedback as to what the final outcome of the recipe might be.

Pale Liquid Extract 6lbs
Light Dry Extract 1lb
Honey Malt 12oz
Citra Hops - 1oz 60min
Cascade Hops 1oz 45 min
Cascade Hops .50oz 30min
Cascade Hops .50oz 1min
Irish Moss .25tsp 15min
California Ale WL001 Yeast

ESG 1.053
IBU 40.9
Color 9.5
EABV 5.3%

Playing with adding some melon at flame out along with at secondary which is why I added the honey malt. For the most part I just wanted to know if I went with a straight up Pale Ale that this would be a reasonable and worthwhile effort. Thanks to all in advance for your input.

You have a lot of bittering hops. Not necessarily a bad thing but you wont get much hop flavor or aroma. I'd push the hops to later in the boil and use the Citra last to take advantage of its unique citrus character.

If it were me, I'd do something like this:
1oz Cascade @ 60
1oz Cascade @ 20
1oz Citra @ 5

IBUs are pretty much the same but you'll have a more well-rounded hops profile with a nice citrus note.

My two cents...

Cheers!

 

[prrriiide]

If it were me, I'd do something like this:
1oz Cascade @ 60
1oz Cascade @ 20
1oz Citra @ 5

That's exactly what I was thinking (except add the Citra @ 10 min, for my taste). The lower alpha Cascades will give you a mellower bittering and the higher aplha Citras will pop as a late-boil addition. Since you're just formulating the recipe...if you want a little more bitterness, you could drop in a half oz. of Magnums early. It'll contribute a good clean bitterness without competing with the citrusy hops later in the boil.

 

[amingo]

That's exactly what I was thinking (except add the Citra @ 10 min, for my taste). The lower alpha Cascades will give you a mellower bittering and the higher aplha Citras will pop as a late-boil addition. Since you're just formulating the recipe...if you want a little more bitterness, you could drop in a half oz. of Magnums early. It'll contribute a good clean bitterness without competing with the citrusy hops later in the boil.

Agreed!

 

[BrewingRugger]

I would add some dry hopping.

 

[akajdg]

Ugh, I hate to keep adding things, but are you making a yeast starter? You won't have the proper cell count with the WL001 without a starter. If you aren't making one, I suggest Fermentis S05. It's a personal favorite plus dry yeast will save some money.

I actually hadn't planned on going with a yeast starter however I will definitely take your dry yeast suggestion into consideration as I toy with this a little bit more. Thanks!

 

[akajdg]

I would agree with this post completely. I would push the hops a little later in the boil. Specialty malts are up to you, but I also prefer some crystal malts in my pale ales. With the melon, I would keep it out and save that experiment for a beer that won't fight with delicacy of the melon flavor (maybe a blond or a cream ale?). However, I think your recipe is fine the way it is and these are just suggestions.

Daybis, I may have been putting the cart before the horse in playing with the melon idea instead of just getting the basics down first. Thanks for the reply.

 

[akajdg]

You have a lot of bittering hops. Not necessarily a bad thing but you wont get much hop flavor or aroma. I'd push the hops to later in the boil and use the Citra last to take advantage of its unique citrus character.

If it were me, I'd do something like this:
1oz Cascade @ 60
1oz Cascade @ 20
1oz Citra @ 5

IBUs are pretty much the same but you'll have a more well-rounded hops profile with a nice citrus note.

My two cents...

Cheers!

Thanks Amingo! I know I have some serious work to do on getting these hop schedules down and like the idea of pushing the hops later. Going to try dialing in the hop schedules a bit more.

 

[akajdg]

I would add some dry hopping.

I believe instead of playing around with fruit I'd rather go with dry hopping as you suggest. Would the Citra hops be adequate for this at a rate of 1oz for seven days?

 

[ArcaneXor]

3/4# of Honey malt is a lot for a 5-gallon pale ale. It's a very potent malt that adds a lot to the perceived sweetness of the beer. I would drop it down to 1/2# or less.

 

[RM-MN]

I believe instead of playing around with fruit I'd rather go with dry hopping as you suggest. Would the Citra hops be adequate for this at a rate of 1oz for seven days?

I did a pale ale and only used a half ounce of Citra for dry hopping and I thought the aroma was plenty. Recipe here: http://hopville.com/recipe/1066896/american-pale-ale-recipes/citra-pale-ale

I had expected more of a grapefruit flavor from this that I didn't get (more like mango) so I changed it up a bit and used Cascade for the dry hop. This one got bottled 2 days ago and the hydrometer sample screamed grapefruit to me then. Recipe here: http://hopville.com/recipe/1068411/american-pale-ale-recipes/citra-cascade-pale-ale

 

[akajdg]

3/4# of Honey malt is a lot for a 5-gallon pale ale. It's a very potent malt that adds a lot to the perceived sweetness of the beer. I would drop it down to 1/2# or less.

Thank you very much for pointing that out. I may just cut it out all together as it seems like it might not be complimentary to the desired taste of the Pale Ale.

 

[akajdg]

I did a pale ale and only used a half ounce of Citra for dry hopping and I thought the aroma was plenty. Recipe here: http://hopville.com/recipe/1066896/american-pale-ale-recipes/citra-pale-ale

I had expected more of a grapefruit flavor from this that I didn't get (more like mango) so I changed it up a bit and used Cascade for the dry hop. This one got bottled 2 days ago and the hydrometer sample screamed grapefruit to me then. Recipe here: http://hopville.com/recipe/1068411/american-pale-ale-recipes/citra-cascade-pale-ale

This helps a lot, I like beers that have a strong grapefruit character and seems like this is the way I should go. Now following you on hopville also, great site!