One in a Melon Blonde Ale recipe critique

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jdubdvdt

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My friend has a daughter who is turning one this summer and he asked me to make a beer for their "One in a Melon" party. I suggested a Watermelon Gose, but was asked to do a Blonde or Pale Ale. I figure this is a good enough blend to get in between. Not wanting to add any artificial watermelon flavors just yet. Definitely not looking to add real watermelon since there's not really much real flavor in watermelon itself besides sugar.

Overall Stats:
Batch Size: 6.5 gallons (fermenter)
BH Effiency: 75%
IBU: 23
OG: 1.050
FG: 1.008
Color: 4.6 SRM

Grain:
4.5lb Rahr Pale Ale (3.1L)
4.5lb Rahr 2 Row (1.9L)
2.5lb Weyermann Barke Vienna (3.4L)
0.5lb Flaked Wheat

Hops:
0.5oz El Dorado 11.6% AA at 30 min, 13IBU
0.75oz Anchovy 12% AA at 5 min, 5IBU
0.5oz Huell Melon 7.5% AA at 5min, 2IBU
0.25oz El Dorado 11.6% AA at 5 min, 2IBU

Dry Hop:
1oz Anchovy @ high krausen
0.5oz Huell Melon @ high krausen

Yeast:
Omega Sundew Ale

Target Water Profile:
Ca 56, Mg 5, Na 8, Cl 76, SO4 55, pH shooting for 5.35-5.45

Option2 I am considering for hops to increase hop flavors with reducing as much grassy flavors from dry hopping
Total IBU ~22
Hops:
0.5oz El Dorado 11.6% AA at 30 min, 13IBU

Whirlpool Hops 15 min at 176F:
1oz Anchovy 12% AA, 4IBU
0.75oz Huell Melon 7.5% AA, 1.9IBU
0.5oz El Dorado 11.6% AA, 1.9IBU

Dry Hop:
0.5oz Anchovy @ high krausen
0.25oz Huell Melon @ high krausen


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AI generated label.
 
It looks good, but what's "one in a melon"? One what in a melon? And what does it have to do with a first birthday party? Is it some kid's TV show the baby is into?

I've had some pretty good commercial beers that added melon flavor, whether watermelon or musk melon, but I'd never try making them at home, so I think you've got a good approach trying to get the melon flavor with hops. I like Huell Melon, but I've never had Anchovy before, so I can't comment on that.
 
It looks good, but what's "one in a melon"? One what in a melon? And what does it have to do with a first birthday party? Is it some kid's TV show the baby is into?

I've had some pretty good commercial beers that added melon flavor, whether watermelon or musk melon, but I'd never try making them at home, so I think you've got a good approach trying to get the melon flavor with hops. I like Huell Melon, but I've never had Anchovy before, so I can't comment on that.
Thanks. Anchovy is new and I have not tried it, but I am willing to take a chance on a SMASH Blonde with it prior to making this One in a Melon Blonde.

One in a Melon is a play on words on "One in a Million". One for a One year old. Melon for Million. Fun baby stuff for people who are more creative than I am, hahaha.

Our daughter's first birthday was "First Birthday Party" hahaha. We did some googling found a theme for our daughter's second birthday "Two Wild" because she was definitely TOO wild. Some people do "Wild One" or "Wild and Three".
 
Thanks. Anchovy is new and I have not tried it, but I am willing to take a chance on a SMASH Blonde with it prior to making this One in a Melon Blonde.

One in a Melon is a play on words on "One in a Million". One for a One year old. Melon for Million. Fun baby stuff for people who are more creative than I am, hahaha.

Our daughter's first birthday was "First Birthday Party" hahaha. We did some googling found a theme for our daughter's second birthday "Two Wild" because she was definitely TOO wild. Some people do "Wild One" or "Wild and Three".
I wish it was called something other than Anchovy, though. I know it's supposed to have melon-like flavors, but it just makes me think I'm gonna get canned anchovies in my beer. I can only guess they didn't name it after the fish but after one of the locations with the name "Anchovy."

If you really like melons, I guess "One in a Melon" works as a theme. Personally, I prefer your "First Birthday Party" theme. Less limiting. "Wild," though. Well, most two year olds are pretty wild, so that's the theme whether it's in the name or not.

The SMaSH Blonde idea is an excellent one to figure out whether it'll work. Huell Melon does have a melon-like flavor, but I sometimes wonder with these kinds of hops whether they'll be enough for regular beer drinkers who aren't super into craft beers. Like, you give someone a tropical hop beer and one person might be like "It tastes like guava, passionfruit, and papaya!" while another won't get any of that.
 
I wish it was called something other than Anchovy, though. I know it's supposed to have melon-like flavors, but it just makes me think I'm gonna get canned anchovies in my beer. I can only guess they didn't name it after the fish but after one of the locations with the name "Anchovy."

If you really like melons, I guess "One in a Melon" works as a theme. Personally, I prefer your "First Birthday Party" theme. Less limiting. "Wild," though. Well, most two year olds are pretty wild, so that's the theme whether it's in the name or not.

The SMaSH Blonde idea is an excellent one to figure out whether it'll work. Huell Melon does have a melon-like flavor, but I sometimes wonder with these kinds of hops whether they'll be enough for regular beer drinkers who aren't super into craft beers. Like, you give someone a tropical hop beer and one person might be like "It tastes like guava, passionfruit, and papaya!" while another won't get any of that.

I hear the guy who named it is just a character.

I am hoping the SMaSH Blonde works out to really get a grasp of this new(er) hop.
 
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