Pliny the Elder American Pale Ale

[3 Dawg Night]

Last year, I brewed a PtE clone according to the MoreBeer! recipe (which Vinnie Cilurzo supposedly consulted on), and it turned out really nicely. I'd like to try turning it into a similar recipe for an APA. Can I accomplish that by reducing the base malt to get an APA-level OG, dial the character malts back to maintain the percentages, then reducing/eliminating the bittering hops? Here's what the two recipes look like:

Pliny the Elder DIPA clone (MoreBeer! recipe)
12 lb 2-Row
1 lb Carapils
6 oz Caramel 40L
1 lb Corn Sugar
2 oz Cascade (whole) mash
2.7 oz Magnum 90 min
1 oz Simcoe 45 min
1 oz CTZ 30 min
2 oz Centennial 0 min
1 oz Simcoe 0 min
3 oz CTZ 5 day dry hop
1 oz Centennial 5 day dry hop
1 oz Simcoe 5 day dry hop
WLP001 Cal Ale yeast

Pliny's Midlife Crisis APA (3 Dawg Night recipe)
8 lb 2-Row
.75 lb Carapils
4 oz Caramel 40L
.75 lb Corn Sugar
2 oz Cascade (whole) mash
.5 oz Simcoe 45 min
.5 oz CTZ 30 min
2 oz Centennial 0 min
1 oz Simcoe 0 min
3 oz CTZ 5 day dry hop
1 oz Centennial 5 day dry hop
1 oz Simcoe 5 day dry hop
WLP001 Cal Ale yeast

 

[hopfenstopfen]

Last year, I brewed a PtE clone according to the MoreBeer! recipe (which Vinnie Cilurzo supposedly consulted on), and it turned out really nicely. I'd like to try turning it into a similar recipe for an APA. Can I accomplish that by reducing the base malt to get an APA-level OG, dial the character malts back to maintain the percentages, then reducing/eliminating the bittering hops? Here's what the two recipes look like:

Pliny the Elder DIPA clone (MoreBeer! recipe)
12 lb 2-Row
1 lb Carapils
6 oz Caramel 40L
1 lb Corn Sugar
2 oz Cascade (whole) mash
2.7 oz Magnum 90 min
1 oz Simcoe 45 min
1 oz CTZ 30 min
2 oz Centennial 0 min
1 oz Simcoe 0 min
3 oz CTZ 5 day dry hop
1 oz Centennial 5 day dry hop
1 oz Simcoe 5 day dry hop
WLP001 Cal Ale yeast

Pliny's Midlife Crisis APA (3 Dawg Night recipe)
8 lb 2-Row
.75 lb Carapils
4 oz Caramel 40L
.75 lb Corn Sugar
2 oz Cascade (whole) mash
.5 oz Simcoe 45 min
.5 oz CTZ 30 min
2 oz Centennial 0 min
1 oz Simcoe 0 min
3 oz CTZ 5 day dry hop
1 oz Centennial 5 day dry hop
1 oz Simcoe 5 day dry hop
WLP001 Cal Ale yeast

Sounds like a fun idea! Maybe posted expected OG, FG , & predicted IBUs?

 

[3 Dawg Night]

Sounds like a fun idea! Maybe posted expected OG, FG , & predicted IBUs?

DIPA
OG 1.072
FG 1.011
ABV 8.5%
IBU 200

APA
OG 1.049
FG 1.007
ABV 5.5%
IBU 58

 

[DBhomebrew]

This is clearly a vastly different style, but here's Weikert's approach to scaling a RIS to a session stout.

https://beerandbrewing.com/amp/little-raspy-recipe/

 

[maryc27182]

You may have already seen this, but if you haven't, it's a really nice Russian River APA. Row 2 Hill 56 Clone by Jukas

 

[3 Dawg Night]

You may have already seen this, but if you haven't, it's a really nice Russian River APA. Row 2 Hill 56 Clone by Jukas

That sounds yummy as well. This is really experiment to see if I can take a really good IPA and turn it into a really good APA.

 

[505-Brewer]

Great idea! Post results.

 

[DuncB]

Having just watched these two youtube videos.

Seems ditching the crystal is the way to go.





Might get some tips for the APA version as well. Although a lot of old IPA recipes would be APA now anyway.

I picked up a few tips from watching both of them.

 

[505-Brewer]

Was just in Windsor. I get ditchin crystal for shelf life but gotta say had a couple Plinys. Not nearly as good as it used be.

 

[DuncB]

Was just in Windsor. I get ditchin crystal for shelf life but gotta say had a couple Plinys. Not nearly as good as it used be.

Never tried it.
Scope to recreate the originals as he mentioned the first crystal percentage.

 

[Grimstar_]

What is your mash time? One hour, 90 minutes?

 

[3 Dawg Night]

What is your mash time? One hour, 90 minutes?

When I brew it, I'll probably use my normal APA mash: 152F for 60 min. I'm not going for high fermentability like in the DIPA version.

 

[ihavenonickname]

I like this idea!

Vinnie has been especially open about the PTE recipe lately - definately all base malt and dextrose now which I’m a big fan of for DIPA.

But for a pale I’d go slightly different. I’d drop the dextrose completely and stick with a little bit of crystal like you have it, but probably 3-5% light Munich would be better imo. Love your hopping plan, sounds like an excellent “modern” pale ale with classic hops! And I love that!

 

[redrocker652002]

You may have already seen this, but if you haven't, it's a really nice Russian River APA. Row 2 Hill 56 Clone by Jukas

Sorry to revive an older thread, but wanted to give a shout out to this one. I brewed and kegged it a while ago, and it was really good. It will be on my regular play list for sure.

 

[redrocker652002]

Also, when I put this into Brewfather I get 80 IBU's. Not sure why the difference, but just saying. Gonna try it as is and see. Not a huge fan of PTE, but what the heck.