Favorite hoppy APA/IPA Grist

[Tony B]

Because I’ve been slammed at work lately, I’m behind on keeping my pipeline flowing. For my next brew I would like to do a hoppy ale with abv between 5-6. For hops I’m thinking of doing something tropical using a good bit of Sabro and some Amarillo and Citra. Probably throw in a some random leftovers too.
For this type of beer, I generally just use primarily Briess brewers malt with a little bit of honey or victory and maybe a touch of Carapils.
What do you all like to use?

 

[Hoochin'Fool]

Well I'm a complete newb at pale, hoppy beers, but I've fallen in love with:

90% briess brewers malt
9% briess munich 10L
1% flaked wheat
og: 1052-ish, fg: 1011-ish, ibu: 37-ish

cascade @60 and @15
citra @15 and dry-hop
yeast: S-04

 

[HM-2]

For a West Coast style IPA, I love:

87% Maris Otter
10% Munich I
3% Red Rye Crystal

 

[Bramling Cross]

I'm a bit of an arch traditionalist when it comes to APAs, I think they need some C40 in them. Not a full pound, as was normal in the early '90s, but I find 4oz in a 10-11lb grist will give the ale that classic APA flavor without making it fat or tiresome to drink. With that said, I certainly recognize that APAs have substantially changed in the subsequent three decades, so my opinion might be rather dated.

 

[scrap iron]

I am into the New West Coast IPA, APA thing with no crystal malt and using pilsner malt in place of pale malt. I use either Vienna or light Munich at 15-20% of the grain bill and maybe a little Victory malt just to add a little color and flavor.
I'm not into Tropical so I use old school hops like Cascade, Centennial, Amarillo etc. but I use a little spicy hop like Sterling or Pacifica or noble spicy type hop at the finish, maybe at about ten minutes. I use a clean ale yeast and no crystal malt dries it out and makes a quaffable APA/IPA great for the heat of Summer.

 

[Jag75]

2 row , Munich , c10/15 for me.

 

[JohnDBrewer]

I agree with @Bramling Cross, c-40 no more than a 1/2 lbs. Vienna, Munich, MO all nice, but I find the hops walk all over them. If you have some small odd amounts of these sitting around, use them up. I'm on my third version of a sessionable (sub-5%) and the last version was really nice. I think it was the yeast that made the difference. Used a California Lager yeast and fermented like a California Common.

 

[Harleybrew32]

one of my favs is the Bells Two Hearted clone

2 row, C-40L and Centennial hops 60m, 20m, 5m and 2 DH's

 

[mac_1103]

I'm coming around to the simpler the better - 4-5% Crystal 15 and a little something for foam if you're into that. The point here is the 10 ounces of hops. No reason to let anything get in the way.

 

[Bramling Cross]

I agree with @Bramling Cross, c-40 no more than a 1/2 lbs. Vienna, Munich, MO all nice, but I find the hops walk all over them. If you have some small odd amounts of these sitting around, use them up. I'm on my third version of a sessionable (sub-5%) and the last version was really nice. I think it was the yeast that made the difference. Used a California Lager yeast and fermented like a California Common.

I have to agree, I think 2112/Anchor is a great yeast for APA. While I don't have a lot of experience with the more modern interpretations of the style, I've gotta think 2112 must be a great fit for them.

 

[Tony B]

I appreciate the input. Some good ideas and combinations here. Always fun to see what other brewers are doing. Keep it rolling!
As for what I generally like the grist to bring to a beer of this style ( I probably should have noted this in my original post), I'm sort of between old and new schools. I don’t have a problem with something like SNPA. As well, I don’t mind the newer, Pilsner malt based varieties, but for my HB’s I usually try to fall somewhere in the middle. I also have not noticed a huge difference between the Pilsner malts I’ve used and Briess brewers malt. I haven’t tried the brewers malt in super clean beers like a lager or Pilsner but some other styles that generally call for Pilsner malt.

 

[DonT]

My next brew is an APA... I'll be using mostly 2-row, a pound of Munich and some carafoam. I'm also using WLP002 English Ale yeast, which I haven't used before but read some folks here recommend it for APA. Citra, Mosaic and Centennial for hoppage

 

[worlddivides]

I'm a bit of an arch traditionalist when it comes to APAs, I think they need some C40 in them. Not a full pound, as was normal in the early '90s, but I find 4oz in a 10-11lb grist will give the ale that classic APA flavor without making it fat or tiresome to drink. With that said, I certainly recognize that APAs have substantially changed in the subsequent three decades, so my opinion might be rather dated.

I don't always put crystal in my American IPAs (I often do, though), but I ALWAYS put crystal in my APAs. It might only be 3-4%, but I just feel like APAs should have some amount of crystal in them. Usually C40, but sometimes C60. I do notice, though, that both American IPAs and APAs have really reduced or even cut out crystal altogether more recently. Even some of my favorite classic beers from the 90s that used to have something like 5-10% crystal sometimes now have 0% crystal. It's good either way, but I do like some crystal in my APAs... and often in my West Coast IPAs too.

 

[Miraculix]

My next brew is an APA... I'll be using mostly 2-row, a pound of Munich and some carafoam. I'm also using WLP002 English Ale yeast, which I haven't used before but read some folks here recommend it for APA. Citra, Mosaic and Centennial for hoppage

Don't. This yeast is not for the beers above 4.5%. it will leave too much sugar behind. Also, it is prone to fusel alcohols in the higher end, it can render a batch undrinkable of fermented just a bit too warm (don't ask me how I know...).

If you want that strain, you'd better go with Imperial yeast pub, which is a derivate of the same strain, but behaves much better. It is an excellent yeast for an English bitter, but I wouldn't use it for an APA. If you want to go English, you can try s04, which is easy going and makes a great IPA and apa, verdant which is marvellous as an apa and IPA and of course Nottingham. 007 should also work, but I have not tried it myself.

 

[Shenanigans]

Don't. This yeast is not for the beers above 4.5%. it will leave too much sugar behind. Also, it is prone to fusel alcohols in the higher end, it can render a batch undrinkable of fermented just a bit too warm (don't ask me how I know...).

If you want that strain, you'd better go with Imperial yeast pub, which is a derivate of the same strain, but behaves much better. It is an excellent yeast for an English bitter, but I wouldn't use it for an APA. If you want to go English, you can try s04, which is easy going and makes a great IPA and apa, verdant which is marvellous as an apa and IPA and of course Nottingham. 007 should also work, but I have not tried it myself.

I've always wanted to try Imperial Pub.
Is there anywhere in the Eurozone when I can buy it or would I have to order from The Malt Miller in the UK or one of the shops in Denmark?
Their website with an overview of suppliers in Europe is totally outdated.

 

[HM-2]

007 should also work, but I have not tried it myself.

007/1098/Whitbread Dry makes a fantastic American style IPA.

 

[Dgallo]

Hazy ipa
65% 2row or pils
20% oats
15% wheat or spelt

West coast
75% Pilsner
12% Vienna
5% wheat
8% crystal 10

Modern West
94% Pilsner
6% carapils

Pale ale
80% 2row
10% wheat
10% Munich or Vienna
*if you want more malt use 5% biscuit somewhere

 

[Miraculix]

I've always wanted to try Imperial Pub.
Is there anywhere in the Eurozone when I can buy it or would I have to order from The Malt Miller in the UK or one of the shops in Denmark?
Their website with an overview of suppliers in Europe is totally outdated.

I've always ordered it from malt miller I'm afraid ...

 

[DonT]

Don't. This yeast is not for the beers above 4.5%. it will leave too much sugar behind. Also, it is prone to fusel alcohols in the higher end, it can render a batch undrinkable of fermented just a bit too warm (don't ask me how I know...).

If you want that strain, you'd better go with Imperial yeast pub, which is a derivate of the same strain, but behaves much better. It is an excellent yeast for an English bitter, but I wouldn't use it for an APA. If you want to go English, you can try s04, which is easy going and makes a great IPA and apa, verdant which is marvellous as an apa and IPA and of course Nottingham. 007 should also work, but I have not tried it myself.

Hmmm.... Interesting. I read somewhere (can't remember where, can't find it now) that it made a good pale, so I bought some. I did notice the attenuation is only 70%... I do have some S-04 and Notty, maybe I'll use one of those. I think I have some verdant too.

 

[Miraculix]

Hmmm.... Interesting. I read somewhere (can't remember where, can't find it now) that it made a good pale, so I bought some. I did notice the attenuation is only 70%... I do have some S-04 and Notty, maybe I'll use one of those. I think I have some verdant too.

Keep the 002 for a lower abv ale and use one of the others for your apa. But keep the temperature below 20 c with 002! I'd probably ferment that at 18c.

 

[Miraculix]

I mean you obviously also could tweak your mash and grist in a way that promotes attenuation. 10-15% sugar and a long and medium low temperature mash would aid fermentation and would make 002 possible to work for an APA. But you would need to take this into account and might end up with a higehr fg than anticipated anyway....

 

[HM-2]

002 does a good hazy pale or lower ABV end of a hazy IPA, where you want lots of residual sugar.

70% attenuation is perfect for a 6.5% hazy IPA with an OG around 1.070. Lands you around 1.020 which is a good place to be IMO.

 

[G_robertus]

For pale ales I prefer pale ale malt (preferably GP), but for IPA I've turned to pilsner and Vienna (9:1; 95:5). I haven't tried GP in an IPA yet, but pilsner works better for me than MO. Crystal malts are reserved for bitters and Imperial stouts for me.