First shot at a session beer....

[GundyGang1]

Cohesion Amarillo Countdown Session Ale

Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.65 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage
Est. ABV 4.2%
IBU: 38-40
Est. OG: 1.042
Est. FG: 1.010

Water Prep
1.00 Items Campden Tablet (Mash 5.0 mins) Water Agent 1 -

Mash Ingredients
6 lbs 4.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US 70.9 %
2 lbs Munich 10L (Briess) 22.7 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L 5.7 %
1.0 oz Carafa III 0.7 %

Mash Steps
Mash In Add 11.62 qt of water at 167.5 F 152.0 F 60 min
Batch sparge with 2 steps (Drain mash tun , 5.45gal) of 168.0 F water

First Wort Hops
0.50 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - First Wort 15.0 min Hop 6 12.5 IBUs

Boil Ingredients
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 7 -
1.00 oz Amarillo [9.20 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 8 16.1 IBUs
1.50 oz Amarillo [9.20 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 9 9.7 IBUs

Steeped Hops @ 170f
2.00 oz Amarillo [9.20 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 30.0 min

Fermentation Ingredients
London Ale Yeast (Wyeast Labs #1028)

Fermentation
26 May 2015 - Primary Fermentation (7.00 days at 68.0 F ending at 68.0 F)
02 Jun 2015 - Secondary Fermentation (3.00 days at 72.0 F ending at 72.0 F)

Dry Hop
3.00 oz Amarillo [9.20 %] - Dry Hop 3.0 Days Hop 12 0.0 IBUs

 

[JKaranka]

Looks good to me! Maybe I get banned if I'd suggest to lower the dry hop to 2oz? I find that lots of hop flavour can make a light ale taste thin and sharp, but it's tasty none the less.

Ps: Just noticed you brewed it already. What was it like?

 

[GundyGang1]

Looks good to me! Maybe I get banned if I'd suggest to lower the dry hop to 2oz? I find that lots of hop flavour can make a light ale taste thin and sharp, but it's tasty none the less.

Ps: Just noticed you brewed it already. What was it like?

I have not brewed it yet, that must be the last date I tweaked the recipe in BS.

 

[brewcat]

I kind of wonder about using some adjunct like flaked corn or rice and less munich. Personally I would back off on the hops unless you're going for a session IPA. Maybe not boil the 2.5 oz Amarillo and just whirlpool the 2.0 oz.

 

[GundyGang1]

I kind of wonder about using some adjunct like flaked corn or rice and less munich. Personally I would back off on the hops unless you're going for a session IPA. Maybe not boil the 2.5 oz Amarillo and just whirlpool the 2.0 oz.

Session IPA was the idea. Are you thinking the rice or corn would add some body?

 

[sportpak]

I would add some flaked barely for body and head retention.

 

[brewcat]

Session IPA was the idea. Are you thinking the rice or corn would add some body?

Both actually lighten the body. They also lighten color. Of course a session IPA probably may need extra body to balance hop bitterness.

 

[JKaranka]

You'll have to compromise between bitterness, malt profile and hop flavour / aroma in a session beer. With that amount of hops, what about dropping the fwh addition entirely? Also, you could try to use a grist of 3lb pale malt and 3lb munich, drop the carafa and up the crystal. It will definitively have enough body on its own but you can't expect it to outcompete all the hops. Maybe add 4-6oz wheat malt or flaked barley for body if you are worried about heads and stuff.

Most session beers have compromises, they aren't just scaled down 'big beers'. Look at modern dark milds, they really shine in their own way and you couldn't really 'scale up' their subtle and complex flavours without ruining their character.

 

[GundyGang1]

You'll have to compromise between bitterness, malt profile and hop flavour / aroma in a session beer. With that amount of hops, what about dropping the fwh addition entirely? Also, you could try to use a grist of 3lb pale malt and 3lb munich, drop the carafa and up the crystal. It will definitively have enough body on its own but you can't expect it to outcompete all the hops. Maybe add 4-6oz wheat malt or flaked barley for body if you are worried about heads and stuff.

Most session beers have compromises, they aren't just scaled down 'big beers'. Look at modern dark milds, they really shine in their own way and you couldn't really 'scale up' their subtle and complex flavours without ruining their character.

Yea, I've never liked session beers, which is why I'm giving it a shot. Just want to make a drinkable, low abv pale/ipa with some malt flavor without it being too watery...

 

[stpug]

I think this post sums up the basics of creating a session, hoppy beer (IPA-style):

Just wanted to chime in on this discussion. I am working on a session ipa recipe for the brewery that I work for. I also went to brewschool in the UK, work for an american craft brewery and have gained a pretty good understanding of how to brew quality session beers. Many of my suggestions have already been discussed, and these are just a collection of my thoughts and discussions with our brewmaster.

-Mash high, 154-156
-Blend some more dextrinous malts with your normal base (Marris Otter/Golden Promise) something like 25-50% of your base.
-Don't scimp on the character malt, add some munich/vienna, some low to mid level crystal, and something for aroma/flavor (Victory/Melanoiden).
-Select hops with higher oil contents for hopbursting, dry hopping, hopstanding or whatever other tricks you guys normally do with your hoppy beers.
-Select a less aggressive yeast strain, some of the less estery british strains would be appropriate or maybe something like northwest ale if you are determined to go american. If you have good temp control you could ferment slightly cooler or even try a hybrid yeast.
-Many of the british session ales use some wheat, generally torrified but sometimes malted. For my own personal taste I would skip the wheat but it would be appropriate I think.

This style has really been gaining momentum lately, and several major breweries have recently released session beers or made existing ones year round. I think the imperial movement was great, but I am glad american brewers are starting recognize the value of quality session beers. Some of the best session beers I have ever had came from breweries in the UK like Thornbridge, and some of the London breweries (Beavertown, Kernel, Weird Beard, BBN, Fullers etc...). I hope this trend continues and we are able to take a page out of the british brewing tradition. I hope this is coherent enough to follow and helpful to some. Cheers.

 

[GundyGang1]

Good advice there!