Feedback-Belgian APA

[Queequeg]

Hi,

I have been challenged by my friends to make a session-able beer, everything I makes normally is above 6% and this makes for some messy evenings

I want to keep the beer close to 4%, dry but with enough body and complexity to keep your palette entertained, nice and fruity for the summer.

So I settled on the idea of a Belgian APA. The Belgian yeast should be able to fill-out the beer whilst finishing dry. Its also significantly more interesting than a straight APA, at least imo.

Looking around wyeast 3522 seems to popular for these type of transatlantic styles. The flavors I hope to get from the yeast are pear, banana and bubblegum. The aim is to use a mixture of hops that will give lots of berry flavors that will blend well with the yeast.

Here is what I have in beersmith thus far. (apologies for the slightly off measure but its converted from metric)


Recipe: Belgian APA
Brewer: Queequeg
Asst Brewer:
Style: American Pale Ale
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.93 gal
Post Boil Volume: 6.60 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.75 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.28 gal
Estimated OG: 1.040 SG
Estimated FG: 1.008 SG
Estimated AVB: 4.3%
Estimated Color: 3.7 SRM
Estimated IBU: 19.9 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 64.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 70.6 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
4 lbs 6.5 oz Pilsen (Dingemans) (1.6 SRM) Grain 1 44.4 %
4 lbs 6.5 oz Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 2 44.4 %
1 lbs 1.6 oz Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM) Grain 3 11.1 %
0.49 oz Magnum [11.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 4 19.9 IBUs
0.99 oz Belma [9.80 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 60.0 m Hop 5 0.0 IBUs
0.99 oz El Dorado [15.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 6 Hop 6 0.0 IBUs
0.99 oz Pacific Gem [15.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool Hop 7 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg Belgian Ardennes (Wyeast Labs #3522) [12 Yeast 8 -
0.99 oz Belma [9.80 %] - Dry Hop 0.0 Days Hop 9 0.0 IBUs
0.99 oz El Dorado [15.00 %] - Dry Hop 0.0 Days Hop 10 0.0 IBUs
0.99 oz Pacific Gem [15.00 %] - Dry Hop 0.0 Days Hop 11 0.0 IBUs


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 9 lbs 14.7 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperature Step Time
Mash In Add 3.50 gal of water at 157.8 F 148.0 F 75 min

Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (1.85gal, 4.16gal) of 168.0 F water

I am looking advice on the yeast selection and the fermentation to get the flavours described above.

Also some pointers on hopping rates would be good, I don't want the hops to drown out the yeast character but at the same time its a APA.

I am fairly happy with the grain bill, but not certain on what water profile to use.

All advice welcome, I hope to brew this soon.

 

[cswis86]

3522 is a great yeast for Pale Ale. It has a relatively subdued Belgian character that allows the hops and malts to come through. I recently made a SMaSH pale ale with Belgian Pale malt and Southern Cross hops with this yeast. 4.5% ABV and I got a nice lemon flavor from the hops that made it taste a lot like a Saison. Don't know if you'll be able to get much pear, banana, and bubblegum but if you ferment between 70-75 degrees you might get some nice esters out of it. I think you should aim for 25-40 IBUs and maybe cut the dry hops to 1-2 oz. 3oz might mask the Belgian yeast character. Good luck!