El Dorado Pale Ale

[Iowa Brewer]

Created a Pale Ale recipe to get to know El Dorado hops. Not quite a SMaSH, but want it to be all El Dorado and I'd love to get any insights on how I have it set up.

I'll brew this on an eBIAB rig that Bobby at BrewHardware built for me.
Aiming for 45.8 IBUs, and mostly aroma, as my wife has a sensitivity to bitterness and I want her to be able to enjoy this beer.
Thanks, all!

Grain bill
Pale Malt 2-Row (2.0 SRM) — 14 lbs.
Flaked Oats (2.5 SRM) — 1.5 lbs.
Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) — 12 oz

Hops
El Dorado (12.7%) 60min — 0.35 oz
El Dorado (12.7%) 15min — 0.25 oz
El Dorado (12.7%) 2 min — 2.0 oz
El Dorado (12.7%) 3-day Dry —3 oz

Water – 8.64 Gal of distilled (Yellow Dry profile, using Bru'n)
Calcium – 51 ppm
Magnesium – 9 ppm
Sodium – 5 ppm
Sulfate – 106 ppm
Chloride – 45 ppm
Bicarbonate – -26(?!)
Lactic Acid – 0.14 ml/gal

 

[Iowa Brewer]

Created a Pale Ale recipe to get to know El Dorado hops. Not quite a SMaSH, but want it to be all El Dorado and I'd love to get any insights on how I have it set up.

I'll brew this on an eBIAB rig that Bobby at BrewHardware built for me.
Aiming for 45.8 IBUs, and mostly aroma, as my wife has a sensitivity to bitterness and I want her to be able to enjoy this beer.
Thanks, all!

Grain bill
Pale Malt 2-Row (2.0 SRM) — 14 lbs.
Flaked Oats (2.5 SRM) — 1.5 lbs.
Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) — 12 oz

Hops
El Dorado (12.7%) 60min — 0.35 oz
El Dorado (12.7%) 15min — 0.25 oz
El Dorado (12.7%) 2 min — 2.0 oz
El Dorado (12.7%) 3-day Dry —3 oz

Water – 8.64 Gal of distilled (Yellow Dry profile, using Bru'n)
Calcium – 51 ppm
Magnesium – 9 ppm
Sodium – 5 ppm
Sulfate – 106 ppm
Chloride – 45 ppm
Bicarbonate – -26(?!)
Lactic Acid – 0.14 ml/gal

Yeast – Omega #OYL–004 West Coast Ale I

 

[rootAndBoom]

This looks good to me as-is, but I might tweak it a little given that you'd like to minimize perceived bitterness. Specifically, you might flip your sulfate to chloride ratio and lean into a more "hazy" experience (you've already got the oats!). If you're trying to finish a bag of hops, that would also give you the excuse you need to add a whirlpool addition and increase the dry hop. But then your yeast choice might be less than ideal.

 

[redrocker652002]

I just did a Citra ale kit from morebeer and the hop amounts were more like an 1 ounce, at 15min, 5min and dry hop. It was pretty good, so I just tried one with Mosaic. It just went into the fermenter yesterday. Had a rough brew day, but gonna ride it out and see what happens.

Oops, nevermind. I just read your hop schedule and you are putting more on the back end. Interested to see how this turns out.

 

[Iowa Brewer]

This looks good to me as-is, but I might tweak it a little given that you'd like to minimize perceived bitterness. Specifically, you might flip your sulfate to chloride ratio and lean into a more "hazy" experience (you've already got the oats!). If you're trying to finish a bag of hops, that would also give you the excuse you need to add a whirlpool addition and increase the dry hop. But then your yeast choice might be less than ideal.

Thanks, rootAndBoom!

 

[Iowa Brewer]

I just did a Citra ale kit from morebeer and the hop amounts were more like an 1 ounce, at 15min, 5min and dry hop. It was pretty good, so I just tried one with Mosaic. It just went into the fermenter yesterday. Had a rough brew day, but gonna ride it out and see what happens.

Oops, nevermind. I just read your hop schedule and you are putting more on the back end. Interested to see how this turns out.

Cheers, redrocker! I will do, and hope yours turns out

 

[mashpaddled]

I think the recipe is fine as is. Certainly many tweaks you could make but instead of letting randos online pull your recipe in a dozen directions, brew the beer you designed and tweak what you want to improve.

The negative bicarbonate is not an issue. When you use brewing water calculators, it's showing you the final mineral profile. The bicarbonate is neutralized between acids in the grain, the lactic acid addition and the lack of bicarbonate in distilled water. Typically calculators only show a positive number for bicarbonate in the final profile if you're starting with a water source high in bicarbonate (and not pre-boiling) which you don't want for most beers.

 

[Iowa Brewer]

I think the recipe is fine as is. Certainly many tweaks you could make but instead of letting randos online pull your recipe in a dozen directions, brew the beer you designed and tweak what you want to improve.

The negative bicarbonate is not an issue. When you use brewing water calculators, it's showing you the final mineral profile. The bicarbonate is neutralized between acids in the grain, the lactic acid addition and the lack of bicarbonate in distilled water. Typically calculators only show a positive number for bicarbonate in the final profile if you're starting with a water source high in bicarbonate (and not pre-boiling) which you don't want for most beers.

Hey, solid advice, and thanks for the skinny on biocarbonate. That makes sense!

 

[redrocker652002]

I am very interested to see how this goes. I have never used El Dorado hops so this could be one I might give a try. Simple recipe that seems pretty cool.

I don't do much to my water. I have looked at the water report but damned if I could figure it out. I drink it out of the tap, so it must be ok. One of these days I will try and figure that out too. Rock On!!!!!!

 

[Iowa Brewer]

I am very interested to see how this goes. I have never used El Dorado hops so this could be one I might give a try. Simple recipe that seems pretty cool.

I don't do much to my water. I have looked at the water report but damned if I could figure it out. I drink it out of the tap, so it must be ok. One of these days I will try and figure that out too. Rock On!!!!!!

Thanks, redrocker! I’ll be sure to update

 

[BongoYodeler]

Thanks, redrocker! I’ll be sure to update

Did you ever end up brewing this? If so, how did it turn out?

 

[AmarikinBrew]

Bet it like tutti-frutti jolly ranchers that them thar people that has purple hairs really dig