Pale ale recipe suggestions critique

[Brew_4iT]

Recipe Type: Extract, Base & Specialty grains
Yeast: Irish Ale - Wyeast Labs #1084 (prior slurry)
Yeast Starter: Light DME
Batch Size (Gallons): 5
Original Gravity: 1.054
Final Gravity: 1.014
ABV: 5.3
IBU: 24 (plus coopers prehopped can 18) 42*
Boiling Time (Minutes): 45*, Extract last 15
Color/SRM: 7 Gold to Copper
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 10 Days at 68-75* degrees
Bottling/Conditioning (# of Days & Temp): 10-14 Days at 68-75* degrees

*Optimally would like fermentation temps around 68 but can't regulate my basement temps that well, fluctuates between these temps throughout summer.

The Yeast isn't common for this beer either I would think, but want to utilize a prior yeast slurry I have.

Batch Size: 5 gal
Boil Size: 4 gal
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:------------
Amount Item
3.75 lb Coopers Aus pale ale LME 42%
2 lb Pale Malt 2-row US 22%
2 lb Vienna malt 22%
1 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt 20L 6%
0.25 lb Biscuit Malt 3%

0.5 oz Centennial (40 min)
0.5 oz Centennial (15 min)
0.5 oz Cascade (5 min)
0.5 oz Cascade (dryhop carboy 10 days)

Single infusion mash at 155 degrees steep for 30 min. Sparge with 165 deg water bring up to 4 gallons. (*Probably wont need 60min boil for hops schedule), might suffer a little bit on the attenuation but atleast no risk of tannins, plus it is mostly extract.

I thought I would need centennial to bring up the bitterness more, but wondering if really need be. Better hop choices? Will half an ounce of cascade bring enough aroma and taste you think?

For grains any other additions that would work, or different amounts for listed? I think it seems pretty balanced shouldn't be too malty The Gravity/Hops Ratio chart has it at "slightly hoppy" (light green).

 

[Zen_Brew]

You can use the Irish ale yeast if you want, just be aware that it is going to throw some fruity and/or earthy esters that will not be appropriate to a typical Pale Ale.

As to your hops, it depends how much you like the danker hops. Chinook up front lays a good base, using it as a late addition will really push up the piney flavors in the finished product. You mentioned you had centennial, I would swap out your 10 minute chinook for a 10 or 15 minute centennial addition of about the same size. This will give you more of the floral/citrus typical of American Pale Ales. Again, nothing wrong with the chinook if you want that darker piney note to stand out. You may also want to add your fist chinook addition at 45 instead of 30 minutes and look for an IBU target around 40-45 total.

Your Malts look like they should work fine.

 

[Brew_4iT]

I read that about the chinook.. but yeah looking for nice aroma and taste for late addition hops so maybe the pineyness would be too much, other suggestions? I thought that the bitterness of the centennial would be a little much for a standard pale ale with the added 18 IBU's from the prehopped cooper's (although wonder how accurate that is if it has been sitting awhile).

 

[Zen_Brew]

Centennial is a very smooth floral/citrussy bitterness. It works very nicely in a pale ale if used lightly. The centennial bitterness would certainly be less than the chinook bitterness. Just swap the centennial in and the late chinook out is what I was suggesting

 

[Brew_4iT]

Ok, sounds good to me. So your saying add centennial 0.5 oz for 15 min and earlier at 40 min 0.5 oz ok? With the cascade additions would be around 42 IBU's total.

Thanks for the help! Still a lot for me to learn especially about hops.

 

[Zen_Brew]

Yeah, I think that looks good. That should lay you a nice hop profile with good aroma.

Cheers