"Australian" Pale Ale help

[SkiNuke]

A friend of mine wants me to make an Australian brew, and I figured I'd go for an APA using Australian hops. I am planning on using Super Pride (couldn't find any Pride of Ringwood and this seemed like a decent substitute) and Topaz, but I have no experience using these hops.

Thoughts and opinions are greatly appreciated.

Batch size: 5.5 gal
Boil volume: 7.5 gal
OG: 1.058
FG: 1.014
Bitterness (IBU): 30.0
Color (SRM): 11.6
ABV: 5.7%

Grain:
9.00 lb Two-row (US), 76.6%
2.00 lb Munich (US), 17.0%
0.50 lb Crystal 45L (British), 4.3%
0.25 lb Crystal 120L (British), 2.1%

Hops:
0.25 oz Super Pride (AA 15.8%, Pellet) 60 min, 13.3 IBU
0.50 oz Topaz (AA 16.4%, Pellet) 20 min, 16.7 IBU
0.50 oz Super Pride (AA 15.8%, Pellet) 0 min, 0.0 IBU
0.25 oz Topaz (AA 16.4%, Pellet) 0 min, 0.0 IBU

Yeast:
American Ale (Wyeast)

 

[PupThePup]

I'm not familiar with the Australian brew style, but looks a little sweet/unbalanced. Could probably use a tad more on the FWH to get the bitterness up. The later you add your hops the less they are utilized for bittering see Designing Great Beers.

 

[jtejedor]

Too bad you didn't get some wlp009 Australian ale. Great yeast I just did a hoppy double red with it and man its good. Anyhow your malt bill looks decent to me. I have never had Australian ale though so not sure how dead on it is. Galaxy is an awesome Australian hop.

 

[bierhaus15]

The malt bill looks good. I would lower the Munich malt down to 1lb total for my taste, but where you have it should give you a substantial malty base flavor if that's what your looking for.

I don't have any experience with those hop varieties, but I would recommend increasing your flameout addition closer to 2 oz total. 30 IBU's for that gravity is a tad lowish, but again that your preference.

+1 on the galaxy. Possibly my new favorite hop. Just amazing stuff.

 

[HoppinThruTX]

I would double the 60 minute addition, move the 20 to 10, increase the flameout hops, and add a dry hop... +1 on the Galaxy, it's awesome

 

[SkiNuke]

Unfortunately, I couldn't get my hands on galaxy hops. However, I just got the Topaz and Super Pride from farmhouse brewing (along with 5 lbs of brittish/american hops! But I digress). I am thinking of just doing single hopped brews for each hop and see what each brings to the beer. I really have no idea how these will work together, but I did see some description that said Stella and Superpride work well together, and that Topaz is like a citrusy version of Stella.

Unless someone has some experience to offer on these hops, I might do a .75 oz addition at flameout .75 oz at 15 and then bitter to 35-38 IBUs all of Super Pride then do another of all Stella. I am thinking of also switching out 1lb of munich for 1lb of 2-row (keep the same gravity).