Recipe Critique (House Pale Ale)

[Bert1097]

So I have some "extra" ingredients on hand and want to come up w/ a house pale ale. Not just b/c of the extra stuff but b/c american pale ale is currently my favorite beer style second only to IPA's. This is what I've come up with so far:

House Pale Ale
American Pale Ale


Type: Extract
Date: 2/11/2010
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Brewer: Bert1097
Boil Size: 5.72 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: My SS Boil Pot
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: -
Taste Notes:

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
6.50 lb Extra Light Dry Extract (3.0 SRM) Dry Extract 81.25 %
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 12.50 %
0.50 lb Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 6.25 %
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (Dry Hop 7 days) Hops -
0.75 oz Chinook [13.00 %] (60 min) Hops 33.3 IBU
2.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (15 min) Hops 18.6 IBU
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (1 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
1 Pkgs Pacman (Wyeast #1764) [Starter 125 ml] Yeast-Ale



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.058 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.010 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.014 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.005 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.79 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 0.65 %
Bitterness: 51.9 IBU Calories: 43 cal/pint
Est Color: 10.9 SRM Color: Color


Mash Profile



Steep grains as desired (30-60 minutes)



Mash Notes: -
Carbonation and Storage

Carbonation Type: Corn Sugar Volumes of CO2: 2.4
Pressure/Weight: 3.8 oz Carbonation Used: -
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 60.0 F Age for: 21.0 days
Storage Temperature: 62.0 F


I know the OG and the IBU's are pushing the limit of the style but I would like to hear what you guys have to say about it.

 

[Grizzlybrew]

The first thing I noticed... you are using a very proprietary yeast strain (only released twice in the past two years so far) for a "house" beer. I guess you can always capture from bottles...

Other than that, it looks fine. The crystal is a little high and dark for my tastes as are the IBU's. I don't think it will be bad, just not my taste personally.

 

[jjones17]

So I have some "extra" ingredients on hand and want to come up w/ a house pale ale. Not just b/c of the extra stuff but b/c american pale ale is currently my favorite beer style second only to IPA's. This is what I've come up with so far:

House Pale Ale
American Pale Ale


Type: Extract
Date: 2/11/2010
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Brewer: Bert1097
Boil Size: 5.72 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: My SS Boil Pot
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: -
Taste Notes:

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
6.50 lb Extra Light Dry Extract (3.0 SRM) Dry Extract 81.25 %
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 12.50 %
0.50 lb Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 6.25 %
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (Dry Hop 7 days) Hops -
0.75 oz Chinook [13.00 %] (60 min) Hops 33.3 IBU
2.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (15 min) Hops 18.6 IBU
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (1 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
1 Pkgs Pacman (Wyeast #1764) [Starter 125 ml] Yeast-Ale



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.058 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.010 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.014 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.005 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.79 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 0.65 %
Bitterness: 51.9 IBU Calories: 43 cal/pint
Est Color: 10.9 SRM Color: Color


Mash Profile



Steep grains as desired (30-60 minutes)



Mash Notes: -
Carbonation and Storage

Carbonation Type: Corn Sugar Volumes of CO2: 2.4
Pressure/Weight: 3.8 oz Carbonation Used: -
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 60.0 F Age for: 21.0 days
Storage Temperature: 62.0 F


I know the OG and the IBU's are pushing the limit of the style but I would like to hear what you guys have to say about it.

I like it man. I think I would enjoy that beer. Every time I have tried making an APA, I messed around with the crystal malts as a percentage of the grain bill. I must say, that EACH time I went under 10% I was dissapointed. This may be just because I like maltier beers with extra body, but what I have found is 10% is my magic 'number' of crystal malts for an APA or IPA. Over 10% should be good if not better (just not over 20%, that would be maybe too much). So, being way to wordy as I am, I like your recipe a lot. Your flavour hops are going to kick you in the mouth pretty good, I personally have not done that much flavour hopping in an APA before.

One thing (for me), is your FG. Its a bit low for my tastes, but JUST my tastes probably. I am a fan of 1.09+ FG, I like my beers with some residual sweetness. 1.04 is going to be DRY my friend. My last APA that finished at 1.06 was way too dry at first, but after 4 weeks of bottle conditioning I found it refreshing. (this is after a 3 week primary fermentation then bottling).

Hope that helps

 

[Bert1097]

I like it man. I think I would enjoy that beer. Every time I have tried making an APA, I messed around with the crystal malts as a percentage of the grain bill. I must say, that EACH time I went under 10% I was dissapointed. This may be just because I like maltier beers with extra body, but what I have found is 10% is my magic 'number' of crystal malts for an APA or IPA. Over 10% should be good if not better (just not over 20%, that would be maybe too much). So, being way to wordy as I am, I like your recipe a lot. Your flavour hops are going to kick you in the mouth pretty good, I personally have not done that much flavour hopping in an APA before.

One thing (for me), is your FG. Its a bit low for my tastes, but JUST my tastes probably. I am a fan of 1.09+ FG, I like my beers with some residual sweetness. 1.04 is going to be DRY my friend. My last APA that finished at 1.06 was way too dry at first, but after 4 weeks of bottle conditioning I found it refreshing. (this is after a 3 week primary fermentation then bottling).

Hope that helps

Jj.....thanks for the approval. It's always nice when someone agrees with what you are or are planning on doing. I must apologize for Beer Smith though since it puts in the same measured OG and FG until the consumer (me in this case) changes it. Obviously I haven't changed it but I will once I take a reading. I think that I will go ahead with this beer and report back once done.

As far as the proprietary yeast goes, it is released direct from Wyeast only once or twice a year but is available from Wyeast's distributors year round.

 

[KingBrianI]

If it were me, I'd drop the biscuit malt completely. I know some people seem to like it but I think they are probably delusional. Substitute it with something similar, but actually good. Like amber malt, special roast, toasted, a little brown malt, a little pale chocolate, etc. You'll get a nice toasty flavor, but skip the suck.

And you might want to double check your info on pacman being available year round from distributors. Once it sells out, it's gone.

 

[DavidSteel]

If it were me, I'd drop the biscuit malt completely. I know some people seem to like it but I think they are probably delusional. Substitute it with something similar, but actually good. Like amber malt, special roast, toasted, a little brown malt, a little pale chocolate, etc. You'll get a nice toasty flavor, but skip the suck.

And you might want to double check your info on pacman being available year round from distributors. Once it sells out, it's gone.

Why is biscuit malt not wanted?

 

[KingBrianI]

Why is biscuit malt not wanted?

I've never really liked a beer that's used it. It sticks out in the flavor profiles without blending into the whole. It's an attention-whore, even when used in small amounts. It dominates the other flavors like a bad bully. Darker, roastier beers seem better able to keep it in check, but even they don't particularly like the little brat. There are much better malts available for achieving that toasty flavor profile. I really don't understand what the proponents of biscuit/victory malt are thinking. Especially when used in amounts of >0.5 lb/5 gal.

 

[DavidSteel]

I've never really liked a beer that's used it. It sticks out in the flavor profiles without blending into the whole. It's an attention-whore, even when used in small amounts. It dominates the other flavors like a bad bully. Darker, roastier beers seem better able to keep it in check, but even they don't particularly like the little brat. There are much better malts available for achieving that toasty flavor profile. I really don't understand what the proponents of biscuit/victory malt are thinking. Especially when used in amounts of >0.5 lb/5 gal.

lol I just used 12oz of victory in my (I)IIPA, hope it entwines well.
recipe here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/time-brew-some-big-beer-i-iipa-feedback-suggestions-welcome-161458/

 

[Grizzlybrew]

And you might want to double check your info on pacman being available year round from distributors. Once it sells out, it's gone.

My understanding is that Rogue releases the yeast directly to the homebrewer (in a sense) and that Wyeast is not allowed to distribute to anyone other than homebrewers and HBS's (obviously no commercial breweries).

The last time it was released was ~two years ago. If you are able to buy it constantly, I would check the date on the packages carefully.

 

[Bert1097]

My understanding is that Rogue releases the yeast directly to the homebrewer (in a sense) and that Wyeast is not allowed to distribute to anyone other than homebrewers and HBS's (obviously no commercial breweries).

The last time it was released was ~two years ago. If you are able to buy it constantly, I would check the date on the packages carefully.

I thought the same thing until I read this post.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/rogue-pacman-yeast-158818/

Read the 4th post down.

 

[Grizzlybrew]

I thought the same thing until I read this post.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/rogue-pacman-yeast-158818/

Read the 4th post down.

When I look at different suppliers, I see some of them advertising the yeast as limited and some that just list it normally. As it is definitely available right now, it's hard to see who carries it year-round. But, I did find this on Wyeast's website:

http://www.wyeastlab.com/vssprogram.cfm?website=2

Even they say it is available only through March of this year. It seems odd that they would then turn around and sell to 1 "Secret" distributor who can continue selling throughout the year...

 

[Bert1097]

So I thought this was interesting. Read the description on the Pacman yeast. I guess we found our "mystery distributor"?

http://www.baderbrewing.com/store/home.php?cat=261