First tima APA, have some hops so wanna make it count.

[MaliBane]

Greets! First topic here on forum

Here is my idea of a recipe:
I can't get rolling boil in my big kettle, temp on top is arround 98-99 C or 210 Fahrenheit and I don't wanna risk low hop utilization on this much of a hoppy brew so I made it smaller.

12 liters
OG - 1.057 @ 65% efficiency, been using BeerSmith
IBU - 42
Color - 20.8 EBC
ABV - 6.2 %

60 min boil
65'C mash for 75 min

Grain bill:
3 kg Pale malt
0.2 kg Munich
0.2 kg Caramunich

[been thinking about adding some abbey or biscuit malt?!]

4g Summit - 60 min
10g Citra - 10 min
10g Amarilo - 10 min
5g Amarilo - 5 min
5g Citra - 5 min
5g Summit - 5 min
10g Simcoe - 1 min

5g Amarilo - 0 min
5g Citra - 0
5g Summit - 0

10g Summit - dryhop for 5 days
5g Amarilo - dryhop for 5 days
5g Citra - dryhop for 5 days
5g Simcoe - dryhop for 5 days


Ferment using 1/2 packet of US-05.

What do you think about this? I planned putting all dryhops together at once. Is there too much hops and do these mix well? As much as I read I need an opinion of someone with experience

Regards!

 

[MaliBane]

I really need just a few opinions, nothing too detailed, just few ideas about what needs to go out and what needs to be changed...hope for an answer
Greets!

 

[Brewmex41]

I like simcoe citra and amarillo together. Never used summit before, can't say anything about that hop.
I did a blonde ale last summer using those 3 hops. I plan on doing it again but using nelson Sauvin in place of the citra because I've gotten a little tired of citra myself.

 

[DarthCitra]

I love simcoe and citra together cant go wrong with either!
Thats a lot of hops for 12 liters though, cut it and make two hopped up brews!!


Cheers!

 

[Yooper]

I'm not at all good with metric but I would generally like to see something like this for an APA:

14 grams bittering hop (or to about 25 IBUs with just this addition) 60 minutes
15 grams flavor hop 15 minutes
15 grams aroma hop 5 minutes
15 grams aroma hop 0 minutes
Dryhop if desired

You could use any combination of those hops. I love amarillo and simcoe in combination. I'm not a huge citra fan, but it would go nicely in there if you like it. I'd probably simplify a bit and not use four different varieties in the beer. Sometimes you can get a muddled result.

As far as the grainbill, that looks fine.

If you want to use more hops (quantity, not type!) you could go up to an IPA and increase the bittering a bit and the flavor and aroma hops.

 

[Falcon3]

Grain billl looks great to me- nice and balanced with a little biscuit from the Munich-
Is the pale malt you're using the 3-4L or just the standard 2L 2-Row? I really like the 3-4L Pale Malt- adds a little more color and body than 2-row.

Hop sched looks great-
How many IBU you calculating from the 60min addition? It looks like you're only going to get around 12? if my calculations are correct. I might up that a little bit to maybe 20-25.

Another great experiment for you would be:
1. Do this hop sched-
2. Do this hop sched, except take the 10min additions and add them as First Wort Hops- I love the taste you get with FWH
2. then do an identical brew where you take all the 10 minute and lower hops and wait to put them in until whirlpool- I did this recently with 4oz whirlpooled at 160degrees and it was spectacular.

Overall, it looks pretty nice- I'm going to try to get my hands on some Summit hops- from the description they sound awesome- Need to get rid of the 4 lbs of Columbus, Cascade, Chinook, and Citra I've got right now......

 

[DarthCitra]

i was thinking ounces not grams, too early and no coffee :cross:! haha i agree with yooper, too many hops strains wont let any of them shine.

 

[MaliBane]

Well, I read a bit and I remmoved all the Summit hops exept the bittering one, which I upped to 5 grams. Those left i cut back to 5 grams except simcoe, I left him at 10 grams. Less Aroma and flavour and left the big one there for bittering. Brewersfriend and Beersmith both give me 34 IBU with this combination. I couldn't get my hands on munich so I changed grain bill a bit:
2.85 kg Pale Ale - Weyerman, German.
0.1 kg Biscuit - Castle Malting, Belgian.
0.1 kg Caramunich 1 - Weyerman, German.
Mashed at 66C.
A bit less, because I'm calculating at 65% efficiency, and may end up a bit bigger since I changed my mill settings, so I'm expecting better eff.

I'm certianly gonna make another one with a bit different hop sched and an IPA certanly. Hopped up brews are next on my list

Thanks a lot for input mates!