How does this pale ale recipe look?

[arnobg]

First extract recipe made from scratch, had some leftover Centennial from a kit left over so someone at a LHBS helped me put this together. testing in one gallon batch first. Did I mention I'm a noob so I could use honest opinions.

OG: 1.053
FG: 1.010
ABV: 5.6%
IBU: 51

1lb 4oz Light Dry Malt Extract
1.0 oz UK Crystal 60L
0.10 oz Centennial @ 60 min
0.10 oz Centennial @ 20min
0.20 oz Centennial @ Flameout Hopstand
0.50 oz Centennial Dry Hopped @ 7 days until bottling
5 g US-05 Yeast

1 week primary
1-2 week secondary

 

[Gavin C]

First extract recipe made from scratch, had some leftover Centennial from a kit left over so someone at a LHBS helped me put this together. testing in one gallon batch first. Did I mention I'm a noob so I could use honest opinions.

OG: 1.053
FG: 1.010
ABV: 5.6%
IBU: 51

1lb 4oz Light Dry Malt Extract
1.0 oz UK Crystal 60L
0.10 oz Centennial @ 60 min
0.10 oz Centennial @ 20min
0.20 oz Centennial @ Flameout Hopstand
0.50 oz Centeinnial Dry Hopped @ 7 days until bottling
5 g US-05 Yeast

1 week primary
1-2 week secondary

Do it all in the primary. Absolutely no need for a secondary here. Just pop the dry hops into the primary once fermentation is completed. Bottle 7 days later.

I'd increase the crystal malt to 3 oz. Will make it a little darker, add some flavor and head retention. Overall a more interesting beer. Just my 2c

Otherwise looks fine. I like your hopping schedule. Looks very tasty

 

[arnobg]

Do it all in the primary. Absolutely no need for a secondary here. Just pop the dry hops into the primary once fermentation is completed. Bottle 7 days later.

I'd increase the crystal malt to 3 oz. Will make it a little darker, add some flavor and head retention. Overall a more interesting beer. Just my 2c

Otherwise looks fine. I like your hopping schedule. Looks very tasty

Thanks for your input. I will give the crystal malt increase thought and also stick to primary fermentation only.

 

[inflictor-of-grimness]

I wouldn't increase the crystal, but that's just my taste. I do not like crystal malt in my hop forward beers. I wouldn't go over 2 oz for sure.

 

[kh54s10]

I am one that also likes a little malt flavor in my APAs. I would use a little crystal. I didn't put it in a calculator to see the percentage but I would stay at 15% or lower. It also will help with head retention.

 

[arnobg]

I wouldn't increase the crystal, but that's just my taste. I do not like crystal malt in my hop forward beers. I wouldn't go over 2 oz for sure.

Thanks for an alternate opinion. Any thought on the rest of the recipe? I am going to brew this today and only have the original amount of crytstal listed above.

 

[kh54s10]

Thanks for an alternate opinion. Any thought on the rest of the recipe? I am going to brew this today and only have the original amount of crytstal listed above.

I like the recipe as is!

 

[arnobg]

Okay thanks, so this should taste good then right!? First recipe I've put together without copying one so I have little experience with that.

 

[Biscuits]

Brew it and make adjustments after you taste it, depending on what you prefer.

 

[Gavin C]

Thanks for an alternate opinion. Any thought on the rest of the recipe? I am going to brew this today and only have the original amount of crytstal listed above.

It looks good. If you've got 1oz of crystal that will still be very tasty.

Best of luck with the brew.

 

[arnobg]

Due to not much head room in the gallon carboy, would it be okay to rack to a secondary if I wanted to add orange or grapefruit peel during dry hopping? Would this taste good with this recipe?

Also, when would I want to do this? Maybe after 7 days primary rack onto orange peel and dry hop for 7 more days, followed by a cold crash for a few days?

 

[Gavin C]

Due to not much head room in the gallon carboy, would it be okay to rack to a secondary if I wanted to add orange or grapefruit peel during dry hopping? Would this taste good with this recipe?

Also, when would I want to do this? Maybe after 7 days primary rack onto orange peel and dry hop for 7 more days, followed by a cold crash for a few days?

yeah course you could do that. Just add the fruit and dry-hops to the secondary one fermentation is completed and the beer has dropped clear. make sure there is no head space in the secondary.

Another option would be not to add orange/grapefruit peel owing to the extra steps and variables and risk of infection that this could bring. Instead, to get that nice fresh zesty aroma and flavor add a slice of orange to your glass of beer when you serve it.

Just a thought. For a 1 gallon batch it just seems like a lot of extra work with possible oxygenation issues in secondary for little to no benefit. You of course my completely disagree with my pessimistic outlook.

 

[Psylocide]

I wouldn't secondary or add any fruit peels. If you want grapefruit aroma, dry hop with some Amarillo and simcoe.

Otherwise, the beer will be just fine as is. I don't like much crystal in my pales, but that's personal taste. I keep it to 8% at the absolute max.

 

[arnobg]

Thanks for the advice, I'll keep it simple.

 

[arnobg]

I just wanted to report that I bottle this beer a week and a half ago and cracked one last night.

I have to say it is a really fantastic pale ale for such a simple recipe. Only change I would make is slighty more dry hopping. I ended up dry hopping 05 oz for 5 days. I'm just starting to get into BIAB and I think I'm going to step this up to 5 gallons and all grain.

Any suggestions for that? Was just going to do the original recipe stepped up replacing DME with 2 Row. Would I need anything else like Carapils? I am unexperienced with this question.

 

[Gavin C]

I just wanted to report that I bottle this beer a week and a half ago and cracked one last night.

I have to say it is a really fantastic pale ale for such a simple recipe. Only change I would make is slighty more dry hopping. I ended up dry hopping 05 oz for 5 days. I'm just starting to get into BIAB and I think I'm going to step this up to 5 gallons and all grain.

Any suggestions for that? Was just going to do the original recipe stepped up replacing DME with 2 Row. Would I need anything else like Carapils? I am unexperienced with this question.

Multiply everything by 5.5 and use Maris Otter/2 row/Vienna as your base in stead of the DME

~10-11lb MO, 1lb crystal 60 and your hops to your liking and you'll have a great beer. 2 row will also work well but MO is more flavorful IMO. I'm guesstimating the recipe for an approximate BH efficiency of 70%. You can probably get a lot higher but starting out it is reasonable place to start from. A recipe like that is great as if your a bit high or low you'll still have a great beer on your hands true to what you wanted assuming all else is done well.

If you're looking for a great APA recipe, check out Da Yooper's Haus Pale Ale. It's marvelous. You can tweak it to your heart's desire. An interesting combo of MO/Vienna and Munich I believe with some crystal.

On the carapils. I never use it. I don't see the point to be honest. If I want crystal in the recipe I use crystal. If I want body there are plenty of other ways to get that without carapils. Each to their own of course, I just don't see the benefit.