Blonde Ale Amarillo Blonde

[FastAndy]

Thank you FastAndy for a great recipe. I brewed this beer 2 months ago. Now it is almost gone. This was my first AG so I used a little more grain 10 pounds of 2 row and 1.2 pound Cristal, hops as per your schedule. Beer was ready to drink a moth ago but it was way too fruity with a strong grapefruit note. Even my wife tasted it, otherwise she hates beer. But after a wile (maybe 3 weeks) everything settled and mellowed into very smooth very balanced English style ale with only a hint of citrus aftertaste. This is maybe my best beer ever. Not butter, everyone can drink it. One important notice: it should not be served cold, just a little under room temp, otherwise it looses its taste and character.

Glad to hear it came out ok. Thats an interesting take on the serving temp for this beer, i am usually fine with beers being served just below room temp but have not tried this one that wat. What yeast did you use?

Cheers!

 

[daggers_nz]

I've been told by my LHBS that Amarillo will be even harder to get next year, hopefully you find some. Let me know how it turns out.

Cheers!

damnit, I just looked and nobody has them in stock! any suitable substitute you could recommend or is the hop that really made this recipe?

 

[bottlebomber]

Look!

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/amarillo-hop-dust-368911/

 

[FastAndy]

damnit, I just looked and nobody has them in stock! any suitable substitute you could recommend or is the hop that really made this recipe?

Hmm, I based this recipe on Amarillo because I had just bought 2 pounds of it at the time. It's a pretty simple blonde so you could really use any hop you have access to. I bet summit or cascade would be good. You could get all crazy and try something earthy like Fuggles and just change the schedule around.

Give something new a whirl and let us know.

Cheers!

 

[FastAndy]

Look!

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/amarillo-hop-dust-368911/

Wow. So does a ounce of hop dust get treated like an ounce of pellets?

 

[bottlebomber]

Wow. So does a ounce of hop dust get treated like an ounce of pellets?

Yes I would say so. The pellets and dust are probably the same utilization wise.

 

[daggers_nz]

how do you reckon US05 would fare in this recipe as well? can't be ****ed making a starter

 

[FastAndy]

US05 would be great in this beer. It's a pretty clean yeast.

 

[daggers_nz]

cool. recipe sorted.

 

[FastAndy]

Waaaayy off topic..... How do the All Blacks look this year? Been my favorite national side for as long as I've known Rugby. Unfortunately here in the US it's hard to catch games on t.v.

 

[daggers_nz]

Waaaayy off topic..... How do the All Blacks look this year? Been my favorite national side for as long as I've known Rugby. Unfortunately here in the US it's hard to catch games on t.v.

more of an ice hockey fan there mate

 

[Max2012]

I used Cafale US -05 Yeast. I like your recipe so much I'll brew it again this weekend. There are some local problems with Amarillo. But some store still have it.

 

[FastAndy]

Good choice on the yeast. I think we are all going to be having Amarillo availability issues soon.

Cheers

 

[FastAndy]

any updates guys? my pipeline is virtually empty so i am going to start v4 of this next weekend.

 

[cublue]

No problems yet with Amarillo here in Denver yet. I brewed a version of this, a couple minor tweaks to make it a little more lager like. Used us-05 at lower temps. Still in fermenter, will bottle Friday.

 

[FastAndy]

No problems yet with Amarillo here in Denver yet. I brewed a version of this, a couple minor tweaks to make it a little more lager like. Used us-05 at lower temps. Still in fermenter, will bottle Friday.

Nice, that should come out crisp and clean. Other than temps what did you tweak? I grew up in Denver, i left in 2007. Let me know how it turns out.

Cheers

 

[cublue]

I tweaked the hop addition. I'd have to check my notes for other tweaks (mash temp, etc). Also I did add one lonely ounce of biscuit, just to give it character, who knows!? Went late with the amarillo and used perle for the bittering. I will carb it to meet American premium later volume.

 

[FastAndy]

I tweaked the hop addition. I'd have to check my notes for other tweaks (mash temp, etc). Also I did add one lonely ounce of biscuit, just to give it character, who knows!? Went late with the amarillo and used perle for the bittering. I will carb it to meet American premium later volume.

The perle and Amarillo should be interesting. A handful of biscuit may be perfect. Sounds good.

Cheers

 

[Psych]

Finally got around to trying this, with a few modifications of my own. I do 40 minute boils typically, so larger hop bill, and added some munich malt. Got great efficiency so wound up .3g more. And I wanted to dry this out a bit so a pound of sugar went into the boil near the end.

Pitched my washed (not really) 1056 yeast 9 hours ago, and krausen is forming as I type, sweet.

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.80 gal
Boil Size: 7.16 gal
Estimated OG: 1.052 SG
Estimated Color: 5.9 SRM
Estimated IBU: 32.7 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 89.00 %
Boil Time: 40 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
6.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 66.67 %
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 11.11 %
1.00 lb Munich Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 11.11 %
1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (40 min) Hops 23.1 IBU
1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (10 min) Hops 9.6 IBU
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
20.00 gm Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 min) Misc
1.00 lb Sugar, Table (Sucrose) (1.0 SRM) Sugar 11.11 %
1 Pkgs American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056) Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out
Total Grain Weight: 8.00 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 6.05 gal of water at 152.6 F 148.0 F

 

[Waterboy42]

This recipe looks great! I have 4 ounces of leaf Amarillo in the freezer that I've been meaning to use. The new SWMBO is a lite beer drinker, so I have been searching for a recipe to ease her into pale ales, etc.

How do you guys think American Ale II would do here, and maybe 2 to 4 ounces of honey malt?

 

[FastAndy]

This recipe looks great! I have 4 ounces of leaf Amarillo in the freezer that I've been meaning to use. The new SWMBO is a lite beer drinker, so I have been searching for a recipe to ease her into pale ales, etc.

How do you guys think American Ale II would do here, and maybe 2 to 4 ounces of honey malt?

If you're going to use plain 2 row the honey would be great. I'm not familiar with that yeast but anything neutral ish would be fine.

Cheers!

 

[Waterboy42]

Rahr 2 row from Minnesota! And the am ale 2 throws more fruity esters than am 1, aka us 05, or chico

 

[Psych]

Here's the recipe I wound up building for this. I've pulled a few pints already, needed to get it carbed up fast because it's for my New Years Eve party. It's really good so far, even so young.

The hops are dominant still but that should fade down some with more than the current 1 week of age on it hehe

Gravity wound up going to 1.010, was shooting for 1.006 by Beersmith but no biggee. The sugar was there to dry it out and crisp it up, and that combined with the gypsum (in my super soft water) gave a really nice crispness which happens to accentuate the hops as well.

Anyways, here's what I went with:

Recipe: Texas Tea
Brewer: Mike
Style: American Pale Ale
TYPE: All Grain

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.16 gal
Post Boil Volume: 6.44 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.80 gal
Estimated OG: 1.052 SG
Estimated Color: 5.6 SRM
Estimated IBU: 33.6 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 89.00 %
Boil Time: 40 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
6 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 66.7 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 3 11.1 %
1 lbs Munich Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 4 11.1 %
1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 40.0 min Hop 6 23.8 IBUs
1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 8 9.8 IBUs
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 7 -
20.00 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 mins Water Agent 1 -
1 lbs Sugar, Table (Sucrose) (1.0 SRM) Sugar 5 11.1 %
1.0 pkg American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056) [125.00 Yeast 9 -


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out
Total Grain Weight: 9 lbs
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 6.05 gal of water at 152.6 F 148.0 F 60 min

 

[FastAndy]

^ sounds interesting. Does that much table sugar thin it out too much? I like the idea of getting it to be crisp and somewhat dry.

Cheers

 

[Psych]

Doesn't taste too thin, though I'd hesitate to say too much before it's aged a bit It was sort of an experiment, I think the gypsum did more to dry and crisp up the taste than the sugar did.

Tastes good at the almost 2 weeks since brewing point, 1 week in the keg.

 

[jajao44]

Thinking about doing this. Let me know what you think.

8lbs Pale 2 row
1lb Crystal 10L
8oz Honey Malt


1oz Amarillo 60min
.5oz Amarillo 5min

T-58 yeast

4.7% Est ABV
35 IBU
1.046 OG
1.009 FG

Mash
148* 90min

I do BIAB. Haven't done it yet. What do you think about the Honey malt and T-58 never used the Honey malt before. T-58 just sounds like it would be interesting.

 

[Psych]

Thinking about doing this. Let me know what you think.

8lbs Pale 2 row
1lb Crystal 10L
8oz Honey Malt


1oz Amarillo 60min
.5oz Amarillo 5min

T-58 yeast

4.7% Est ABV
35 IBU
1.046 OG
1.009 FG

Mash
148* 90min

I do BIAB. Haven't done it yet. What do you think about the Honey malt and T-58 never used the Honey malt before. T-58 just sounds like it would be interesting.

Honey malt is lovely and that's a good amount. Probably it'd lend itself nice here, offering a slightly sweet side to it.

My keg of this has kicked now and I ultimately found it a tad dry, so would reduce or remove the sugar, but it was still good. The hop flavor/aroma didn't stick around much past the first couple weeks though. Almost suggest dry hopping it hehe

 

[FastAndy]

Anyone have any updates on their versions of this beer? It's been steady in rotation at home in one incarnation or another since posting it?

Cheers!

 

[dawgmatic]

I never posted earlier but your recipe was definitely the inspiration for this. Normally I wouldn't post modifications in a recipes thread but since you asked...

7 lb pale malt
2 lb Vienna malt
1 lb honey malt
Mashed at 151 F

0.7 oz amarillo - 60 min
0.4 oz amarillo - flameout

I figured that if I mashed a little higher I could lose the crystal and add some grains that I like.

OG was 1.055. Higher than my expected 1.049. Used washed US-05 from an Irish red. Fermented at 65 for 15 days and Kegged. Finished at 1.009.
Volume was 5.5 gallons.

Color was a very light amber, a bit darker than I'd feel comfortable calling a blonde but it didn't really matter cause I ended up dyeing the beer green and drinking it for st pattys. It was a hit with my friends The hop flavor was there, but it wasn't overpowering in any way. Very balanced.

I will try your posted recipe next to compare, and I won't be tainting it with food coloring either. I think amarillo works really well for lighter beers, thanks for the thinking this one up!

 

[FastAndy]

I never posted earlier but your recipe was definitely the inspiration for this. Normally I wouldn't post modifications in a recipes thread but since you asked...

7 lb pale malt
2 lb Vienna malt
1 lb honey malt
Mashed at 151 F

0.7 oz amarillo - 60 min
0.4 oz amarillo - flameout

I figured that if I mashed a little higher I could lose the crystal and add some grains that I like.

OG was 1.055. Higher than my expected 1.049. Used washed US-05 from an Irish red. Fermented at 65 for 15 days and Kegged. Finished at 1.009.
Volume was 5.5 gallons.

Color was a very light amber, a bit darker than I'd feel comfortable calling a blonde but it didn't really matter cause I ended up dyeing the beer green and drinking it for st pattys. It was a hit with my friends The hop flavor was there, but it wasn't overpowering in any way. Very balanced.

I will try your posted recipe next to compare, and I won't be tainting it with food coloring either. I think amarillo works really well for lighter beers, thanks for the thinking this one up!

Sounds good. I think you're the second person to mention using honey malt in this thread so I'll have to try it sometime. The Vienna sounds like it would work well too.

Cheers!