First American Pale Ale Recipe- Critique

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ButterBar

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Hey all!

I've decided to try my hand at creating my first recipe. I'm going for an American Pale Ale recipe with a lower IBU content (for the wife), but with a noticeable citrus hop flavor and aroma. Recipe created on BeerSmith2

Batch Size: 5 gal
OG: 1.052
SRM: 7.8
IBU: 34.9

Mash @ 150 for 75min


  • 9 lbs: 2-Row
  • 12 oz: Munich- 10L
  • 8 oz: Caramel/Crystal- 60L
  • .25 oz: Simcoe @ 60min
  • .25 oz: Simcoe @ 35min
  • .25 oz: Citra @ 20min
  • .25 oz: Citra @ 10 min
  • .5 oz: Citra @ flameout
  • 1 pkg: Safale US-05

Any suggestions would be highly appreciated. Thanks!
 
Looks drinkable to me.

I'd throw some dry hop in there as well, but that's me.
 
I might drop the 35 min addition and move it to 10 or less minutes.

I also am not a huge fan of S05 personally. But looks good.

Can you explain your thought process there? I kind of thought the same, but looked at the such low IBUs he was getting with the 60 min addition, I think you need to have that mid boil addition to balance it out. If the bittering charge was larger, I'd move that to later in the boil as well.

Probably just preference, but I'd like to hear your ideas here.
 
Can you explain your thought process there? I kind of thought the same, but looked at the such low IBUs he was getting with the 60 min addition, I think you need to have that mid boil addition to balance it out. If the bittering charge was larger, I'd move that to later in the boil as well.

Probably just preference, but I'd like to hear your ideas here.

Agreed on the low IBU, I suppose I should've mentioned I would also recommend upping the bittering addition if that was done. I just don't like 30 minute additions. I feel like most, if not all, of the flavor is gone and if you're not going to get any flavor you might as well just up the bittering addition and use less of the hop.

On my APAs I like to have a FWH or a 60, then a 10 and a 1 minute addition. That gives me a good mix of smooth bittering, nice flavor, and aroma. They also don't overpower the malt.
 
I've also been thinking of adding 12oz of Cara-Pils and bring the 2-row down to 8.5lbs; in order to get some better head retention and keep a similar ABV.
Thoughts?

I might drop the 35 min addition and move it to 10 or less minutes.

I also am not a huge fan of S05 personally. But looks good.

What are you thoughts on moving the 35 min addition up to a 45 minute addition? What would the change about the hop profile, besides slightly more IBUs?
 
Agreed on the low IBU, I suppose I should've mentioned I would also recommend upping the bittering addition if that was done. I just don't like 30 minute additions. I feel like most, if not all, of the flavor is gone and if you're not going to get any flavor you might as well just up the bittering addition and use less of the hop.

On my APAs I like to have a FWH or a 60, then a 10 and a 1 minute addition. That gives me a good mix of smooth bittering, nice flavor, and aroma. They also don't overpower the malt.

I got ya. I've actually gone back to putting in a 30 minute addition. I didn't like the singular note bitterness I was getting. So I try to get 10-15 ibus with a 30 min addition as I think it give a bit more bite than just a sixty, and adds to the overall complexity.
 
I've also been thinking of adding 12oz of Cara-Pils and bring the 2-row down to 8.5lbs; in order to get some better head retention and keep a similar ABV.
Thoughts?



What are you thoughts on moving the 35 min addition up to a 45 minute addition? What would the change about the hop profile, besides slightly more IBUs?

You would get even less flavor out of the hops. I would move it towards the end of the boil not closer to the beginning.

Carapils is not a bad route at all. That sounds like it would be fine.

I got ya. I've actually gone back to putting in a 30 minute addition. I didn't like the singular note bitterness I was getting. So I try to get 10-15 ibus with a 30 min addition as I think it give a bit more bite than just a sixty, and adds to the overall complexity.

I have been a fan of FWH ever since I started doing it rather than a 60. Maybe I will throw a 30 min addition in to my next APA and see how it treats me. Wouldn't be the first time I had moved away from a method only to go back to it and realize I like it better.
 
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