Dialing in a house pale ale

[lowtones84]

So I'm getting pretty close to what I really want as my "house" pale ale, which started with Edwort's recipe of course! I started with his recipe, tweaked slightly the second time, then tweaked a little more. I really like where it's getting, but ideally I would like a bit more of a "bready" or "toasted" character. Not over the top by any means, but a bit more. Here is my current recipe:

7.5 lbs. Pilsener
2 lbs. Vienna
8 oz. Crystal 10L
8 oz. Flaked Barley
3.25 oz. acidulated malt (pH reasons)
3 oz. turbinado sugar @60 min., 3 oz. turbinado sugar @15 min.
Mash @ 152 for 60 min. (strike water 168F)(3.25 gallons)
IBU: 39 (target)
OG: 1.052 (@68F)

Hops: -Centennial Pellets (8.7% AA), Mt. Hood Leaf (4.8 % AA)-
.5 oz. Centennial, .5 oz. Mt. Hood @ 60 min.
.25 oz. Centennial, .25 oz. Mt. Hood @ 30 min.
.25 oz. Mt Hood, .05 oz. Centennial @ 15 min.
.25 oz. Mt. Hood, .2 oz Centennial @ FO

S-05 at around 60F ambient for the first few days, then slow rise.

So, my thoughts to get a touch of bready character would be 4-8 oz. Biscuit malt, or a couple of lbs. of Munich. Any thoughts?

Thanks to everyone in advance!

 

[lumpher]

if you want more bread, add 8 oz biscuit. i like that in my english pale ales

 

[JNEL73]

I found 2-3oz of victory adds a nice bread character.

 

[lowtones84]

Cool, thanks for the suggestions. Yeah I considered victory as another option, but I've never used it. Is 2-3 oz. really enough to make a difference? I've heard that it's a little stronger.

 

[lumpher]

Cool, thanks for the suggestions. Yeah I considered victory as another option, but I've never used it. Is 2-3 oz. really enough to make a difference? I've heard that it's a little stronger.

victory is a little stronger, but it's really just briess's trade name for biscuit malt

 

[Qhrumphf]

Unless you're really married to the Pilsner malt flavor (or it's color), you could swap for a domestic "pale ale" malt (ie the US malts that are kilned more like UK malts and a little darker than regular 2-row, I know at least Briess, Rahr, and Great Western produce it). I think they add a nice background toasty character, without being as strong as something like Maris Otter. I use the stuff in my American styles.

 

[lowtones84]

Well, I'm using pilsener because I have it in bulk. Thanks for the suggestion though!

 

[tagz]

The turbinado is interesting. Is that there to dry things out or does it add some flavor? Does the 60 min caramelize?

 

[Yooper]

There is a difference between Victory malt (Briess) and biscuit malt. It's toastier/bready while biscuit malt is drier tasting and bready. I love the toasty warm flavor of victory malt in many IPAs and APAs. I'd use 6-8 ounces in the above recipe and leave out the simple sugar.

 

[lowtones84]

As for the turbinado, it's something I use in a lot of my beers. Yeah, it's there to help make it a bit a drier but in this case might be holding back a little of the malt, which I'm guessing is why Yooper is suggesting leaving it out. It does add a little flavor in my opinion, though in this small of an amount not particularly. The 60 min. addition does caramelize.

Thanks again folks!

 

[bbrim]

I put 4 oz of Special Roast in my last 10g batch of IPA, along with 4lbs Munich. Very bready/toasty notes without too much sweetness.

 

[lowtones84]

Alright, I also decided on a full lb. of flaked barley instead of half of a pound. Nothing is set in stone yet but I'd like to try it. Should I do a protein rest with that much flaked barley?