Help with APA Recipe

[Bassman2003]

Hello,

I am a new member here and have been brewing for over 10 years. I mainly brew German and English style beers but I want to make an APA for my next beer. Last year I purchased a pound of Bravo hops for $9 so I thought I would make a beer to try them out. APA seemed like the best choice.

I do not really want a hop bomb, just a clean, pretty crisp but malty beer. One challenge is that I do not care for Crystal malt, so I am looking for a way to get the color between orange and light red. Sort of a little darker than a Mirror Pond Pale Ale.

Here is what I have so far:
80% Great Western 2-row
10% Vienna
7% Munich
? for Color
24 IBUs of Bravo Hops at 60min
6 IBUs of Bravo Hops at 5 min
WLP001 Yeast

Thanks for your suggestions.

 

[LexusChris]

For the color additions, you might want to check out Carafa III in a very small amount, and/or some Melonoidin malt.

The Carafa can lend a tiny bit of roastiness, but lots of folks add it to the end of the mash to minimize this. I like the slight roastiness, so just add it with my whole grain bill. Regardless, a pinch (~0.25 lb) of dark roasted malt will add some dark color like you described...

Good luck,
--LexusChris

 

[chuckstout]

Try home roasting your own malts. Barleypopmaker.com has a nice write up on home roasting grain. A nice dark amber roast will add nice color along with a great flavor malt. I think you should also add a hop along with bravo, like some C hops

 

[Bassman2003]

Thanks for your replies. I will see if my LHBS has Caraffa III. If they don't would chocolate malt be a good alternative? I don't want to use roasted barley as I think it lends a Brittish flavor which I like in other beers.

 

[inhousebrew]

Caraffa III, Briess Midnight Wheat or Breiss Blackprinz Malt should do the trick. Caraffa is the most likely to be found. Could use some chocolate if you need too.

 

[Yooper]

One of my favorite IPA recipes uses amber malt in a tiny amount. It's nice, and dry. If you can't find amber malt, victory malt is great with the "toasty" flavor it brings.

I wouldn't use carafa or chocolate malt in an APA. There is a degree of roast that would come through.

for my DFH clone, I use 13 pounds of two-row and 6 ounces of Thomas Fawcett amber malt, and it's just about right in flavor although light in color. Victory malt would make it a tiny bit darker.

 

[Cranny04]

Another vote for either victory or amber malt. The flavor added goes great with an APA.

I also use some C120. Maybe 2-3 oz. I know you said you don't like crystal malts, but at that level the flavor is hardly perceptible.

 

[Bassman2003]

Good stuff. Thanks. I am sure my LHBS will have a few of the suggested malts. I like toasty compared to roasted.

What do you think about the Vienna and the Munich? I thought I would divide and have a llittle of both.

 

[PJoyce85]

I recently made an APA with some biscuit malt and will never make another APA without it. It was the recipe from Two Brothers Brewing for their The Bitter End

 

[Bassman2003]

Kind of old thread but wanted to say thanks for the recipe help. I am enjoying my first APA attempt. Here is the recipe I went with:

78.6% Pale Malt
9.5% Biscuit Malt
9.5% Munich Malt 10L
2.4% Brown Malt
WLP 001

I did not make this overly hoppy and I like the flavor of the Bravo Hops.