Brewing an "earthy" APA today

[Yooper]

I'm still on a mission to make a beer similar to Short's Pandemonium, as Bob loves it. I don't have any glacier hops (which I believe Short's uses) but I have some fuggles to provide the dirt flavor. :cross: I want a strong malt presence, like the malt flavor in an amber but not too cloying (hence the nearly 10% crystal) to balance the earthy/citrusy hops.

Can anybody give me some ideas on this recipe? Any critiques? Thanks!!!!

This is a 10 gallon batch. One fermenter will have WLP001, and one will have Denny's Favorite 50 (Wyeast 1450).

8 lbs Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 39.51 %
8 lbs Vienna Malt (US) (3.5 SRM) Grain 39.51 %
2 lbs Munich Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 9.88 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 4.94 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 4.94 %

1.00 oz Magnum [13.40 %] (60 min) Hops 23.1 IBU
1.00 oz Cascade [8.00 %] (15 min) Hops 6.9 IBU
1.00 oz Fuggles [4.50 %] (10 min) Hops 2.8 IBU
1.00 oz Cascade [8.00 %] (5 min) Hops 2.8 IBU
1.00 oz Fuggles [4.50 %] (0 min) Hops -

1.00 oz Cascade [8.00 %] (Dry Hop 7 days) Hops

 

[beergolf]

Cascade and Fuggles is a great combo in an Amber. That is what Bell's Amber uses.

I do one that is very similar to the recipe you just posted that I really like and try to keep some around all the time. The only difference is that I use equal parts C40 and C80, but using C20 and C80 looks very tasty.

 

[Homercidal]

Looks pretty good. I really need to brew something, but I'm torn between recipes. I've been wanting an easy drinking APA for a while, but also want to do a barleywine and I owe a friend some centennial blonde, which I screwed up last time.

If I am efficient and prepared, I could probably make a double batch using both burners....

 

[Yooper]

Well, the grain is crushed so I"m glad no one said "ewwww- don't do it!"

I'm going to start heating my strike water as soon as I finish this cup of coffee!

 

[Mk010101]

just curious -- how do you think EKG hops instead of fuggles would do for this brew? Not saying you should, but I was looking for a recipe similar to this and have EKG to use. Thanks!

 

[moose123]

looks tasty let us know how it turns out

 

[unionrdr]

Fuggle has more earthiness to it,but Kent Golding & Willamette also have some earthiness to them. But the last 2 also have that floral/herbal/spice thing going as well. I also think Kent Golding's "grassy" aroma/flavor is lemongrass,to be more precise. I've cooked with it,& know that smell.

 

[Yooper]

Fuggle has more earthiness to it,but Kent Golding & Willamette also have some earthiness to them. But the last 2 also have that floral/herbal/spice thing going as well. I also think Kent Golding's "grassy" aroma/flavor is lemongrass,to be more precise. I've cooked with it,& know that smell.

I'll agree with that!

I've never been a fuggles fan- it tastes like dirt to me. But I like EKG and willamette. I use willamette in a Bell's Amber clone that came out quite well, and EKG has some floral spicy notes along with some earthiness that I like.

 

[bierhaus15]

I've been thinking of making something similar for my next batch... malty with a good dose of citrusy and earthy hops. Something like golden promise, munich, c60, and victory with Ahtanum, Amarillo, and Willamette. I've been really digging the flavor of Ahtanum lately. It's like a fuggles/cascade cross.

Also, the difference between US and UK Goldings/Fuggles is night and day. I get much more 'dirt' character from the domestic fuggles than my whole leaf, UK ones. It's actually really nice in an English IPA or ESB where you want to offset the herbal - spiciness of the EKG. When I do all EKG bitters I often get a pronounced spicy-orange marmalade type character. I think US Goldings should only be used in wheat beers and bittering additions.

 

[unionrdr]

Just remembered that Nugget also has an earthy quality to it. A little bitter orange & spice too.

 

[rockfish42]

The styrian hop varieties are fairly nice to blend with earthier hops as well, I do a couple of english pales of varying strength with a bunch of styrians at flameout. It gives an almost orange marmalade flavor and aroma that I think blends well with earlier earthier hops.