Grapefruit Green Tea Pale Ale Recipe

[MattD93]

Looking for input on a recipe I'm working on! I'm shooting for a fairly drinkable session type beer. I've heard that adding actual grapefruit leads to vomit flavors, so I was planning on steeping flavored tea instead and using "C" hops to get more citrus flavor.


"Across The Cs" Grapefruit Green Tea Pale Ale

Mash: 75 mins @ 156 degrees
11 lb Pilsner

OG Target: 1.049
IBU Target: ~40
Eff: 65%

Boil: 90 Min

90
0.25oz Columbus

15
0.25oz Columbus
0.25oz Cascade
0.25oz Citra
1 tsp Irish Moss

5
0.25oz Columbus
0.5oz Cascade
0.5oz Citra

0
0.25oz Columbus
0.25oz Cascade
0.25oz Citra

Cool Quickly to 170f
Steep 2oz Grapefruit Green Tea 3 mins
Whirlpool 15 mins

Pitch US-04

Dry hop:
Cascade 1oz 7 days

 

[MattD93]

Did the brew today, here is the recipe I ended up using

"Across The Cs" Grapefruit Green Tea APA

Mash: 75 mins target 155 degrees
11 lb 2-row
4 Peeled grapefruits, quartered (discard any white stuff)

OG Target: 1.049 (60% brewhouse efficiency)
IBU Target: ~40

Boil: 60 Min

60
0.25oz Cascade

15
0.5oz Columbus
0.5oz Cascade
0.5oz Citra
1 tsp Irish Moss

3
0.25oz Columbus
0.25oz Cascade
0.25oz Citra

0
0.25oz Columbus
0.25oz Cascade
0.25oz Citra

Cool Quickly to 160f
Dump 2 oz green tea (I used Ahmad Tea Loose Leaf)
Cool to pitch, rest 15 minutes

Pitch US-05 Culture (2nd gen, this washing has had great results so far)

Dry hops:
7 day, 1 oz Citra
4 zest of grapefruit


Brew notes:
-Actual mash temp was very low like 145, forgot to preheat tun
-Hit efficiency target spot on with 1.05 og
-Hop matter took a lot of wort, need a longer rest after cooling to let cold break drop out
-Pulled the sample from the top which had cleared, awesome clarity
-Tasted the sample, grapefruit was up front with the fairly malty green tea balancing out the hop bite. Obviously a lot of malty sweetness because no fermentation yet. This could end up being really good.


I will update with results

 

[MattD93]

Surprisingly good but a little grapefruit pulp got through the mash and into the finished beer. First few pours cleared all the pulp out, now it is very clear light golden colored.

Will definitely make again, although the tea flavor is a little weak and might need adjustment.

 

[daytraitors]

Can you taste the green tea with all that hops? I just did one with 1oz Willamette and about 4 oz of blended green tea (like 70% tea and 30% other). It seems to be about the right mix where I can taste the green teaness and balanced with the hops. I guess a 1:3 ratio of Willamette:Green Tea works for me.

 

[MattD93]

The hops are mostly late to get the grapefruit flavor, the tea is towards the finish in this one and fading a little with time. If you wanted a pure tea beer I'd double the tea and half the late hops.