Specialty malt for pale ale

[jstringer1983]

Hey everyone,
So ive been tweaking my APA recipe for a while now and ive decided its lacking something. Not hops, but.........something lol....
It tastes really nice, but it almost has no malt to it, so id like to add a new flavor and see where it goes. Im newish to grains, so some guidance would be much appreciated. Please give your suggestions with a description of what flavors it will add to my brew. Here is how i make it as of now:
10 lbs pale 2 row
.5 lbs crystal 60
.5 honey malt
.5 oz cascade @ 60
.5 oz cascade and .5 citra @ 15
.5 oz cascade and citra at flameout
Dry hop with .5 of each for a week.

Im looking for a tad more complexity from my malt. What u think?😊

 

[GuldTuborg]

There are a number of ways you could go. Are there any commercial examples of the direction you'd like to take this?

I like adding some amber malt to APAs. A classic example of this is DFH 60 and 90 min IPA.

The other option is to try a different base malt. At 10lbs, it's far and away the largest contributor to your malt flavor. Use something different, mash higher, what have you. There are ways other than adding specialty malts, too.

 

[meatcleaver]

I second trying a different base malt. Munich has a deliciously malty flavor. You could simply sub some for your 2 row pound for pound. Marris otter might be good too.

 

[WouldBeBrewmaster]

You could also try an English base malt like Maris Otter.

 

[OleBrewing]

I would stick with what u have. Can't say much for the honey malt, as I hav never used it (but sparingly is what I've heard).
Also how much bitterness you want. 1/2 ounce of cascade seems light for an APA for your bittering charge. Assuming you are doing 5gal.

I trt to keep it simple 2 row, some crystal 40, nugget for bittering, and flavor hops near the end. I don't have my percentages of grains with me.

If you are new to grains I wouldn't suggest mixin a lot of different roasts crystals etc. In my opinion simple is best, and this would avoid a muttled beer.

 

[flyinhawaiian]

Got to agree with Ole, keep it simple. 2 row and some crystal, beef up your 60min hop addition and burn it down with 007

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[gratus fermentatio]

You might try adding a bit of Aromatic malt, maybe some Vienna too, both will boost your malt flavor & aroma.
Regards, GF.

 

[joshesmusica]

wait so, the guy says that his pale ale is missing something, what should he do to help it, and a couple of people suggest to... wait for it... "oh, just keep it the same."

 

[GreenGoatee]

i second trying a different base malt. Munich has a deliciously malty flavor. You could simply sub some for your 2 row pound for pound. Marris otter might be good too.

+1

 

[ChelisHubby]

Cut 3 lbs of 2 row and use 3 lb of veinna and mash it 3 degrees hotter. It will taste different then. But what flavor do you want just changing the mash temp will add malt taste.

 

[jstringer1983]

As far as commercial examples, i dont really have one in mind, i have thought about mashing hotter also, but im really happy with the mouthfeel/dryness it has at the moment so i was hoping to tweak the malt bill a bit to get some new flavors. As for munich, vienna, and marris what kind of beers use them? Maybe i could try a few to get an idea of what accents it will add.

 

[ejf063]

I like Golden Promise as a base malt. Ten pounds of that will lend a sweeter taste than the 2-Row.
You could also go nuts and do a pound-for-pound substitute of Vienna instead of the 2-Row.
There are a ship-load of base malts out there. Plenty of flavor descriptions all over the net, too. But, if you have a good recipe and you are trying to tweak it.... I agree tweaking it with a new base malt is the way to go. You already have a good idea of how the beer tastes as-is.... When you do your substitute of base grain, you may learn that the 2-row was the star and you didn't use enough of something else. And as suggested, you could mash higher to see if that adds more body.
I would be really curious to see what you decide to do, and hope you post what you picked and how it turned out.

 

[drunkEnough4U]

I agree, you could change your base malt or I'd personally add some vienna as well or or even do both just for fun. The best part is that it's YOUR recipe so you make the choices and think about what you want from it. If you're unsure about grains and what they add research about grain profiles, figure what you want and wing it. Always adhere to the KISS principle and work out your recipe, I'm always way more satisfied when I worked it all out for myself.

 

[stevedasleeve]

I suggest keeping it the same exactly but subbing MO for the 2-row. I love golden promise but only for small beers myself. The other option would be going something like 60/40 2-row & GP.

Cheers!
Steve da sleeve

 

[jtratcliff]

Look at Yooper's Haus Ale recipe here in the recipe database. It's a good base recipe to start tweaking from. Calls for both Munich & Vienna... Some crystal... And MO instead of plain 2-row. (Although I use 2-row w/ a little victory instead of MO)

 

[Shawn_Brewin]

I am a big fan of Maris Otter in My Pale Ales's. It adds a nice subtle bready, malty flavor to the beer. Great for pale ales were you want the malt to be there but the Hops to shine trough it. I also like going with Munich 20 if i don't use Maris Otter, about a pound subbing out for your Honey malt, gives it that nice Orange color and good flavor.

If you are from Kelowna you must have had Red Racer pale ale before right? that is a good example of a Maris Otter being used as a base malt in a beer.

 

[Owly055]

Munich or Vienna definitely. I use a lot of Munich in my beers. 100% Vienna or Munich 10 as a base malt gives a delicious flavor and a nice color. Another malt that gives a nice malty flavor is Red X.

By the way, it's nice to see someone brewing an APA that doesn't feel the need to punch the IBUs through the roof into and beyond the IPA range.

One thing that will help give a more malty flavor is selecting hops that don't mask it with fruity flavors. Hops described as "floral, spicy, earthy, etc..." Bitter with Northern Brewer, Nugget, etc........... flavor and aroma with something like Hallertau or Tettenanger, Willamette, etc... Look at hop descriptions..... there are countless choices. The citrus character will mask the malty flavors.... If you want malt to come through well, use the citrus hops with a light hand.


H.W.

 

[jstringer1983]

Thanks everyone,
I think ill order a few pounds each of maris and some vienna. Based on the descriptions, i think those will work nicely with what i already have going. Ill try each in a seperate batch and see what i get. I also never really thought about the citrus and fruit covering up the malt, but it makes sense. Im gonna have to up the malt bill tho because thise flavors arent going anywhere lol they taste awesome 😊

 

[m00ps]

I am a big fan of having a decent %age of wheat in my APA and IPAs. It really helps the hop character come across and juicy and scrumptious. Also aids in head retention. Win Win

 

[jstringer1983]

How big a %? Im interested in that idea, never brewed with wheat before

 

[z-bob]

Maybe I missed it in your original post (I've had a few beers tonight) but what yeast are you using? Maybe all you need is one that contributes a little flavor or attenuates less. Your grain bill looks fine to me.

You also might try different hops; Fuggles, EK Golding, etc.

 

[1977Brewer]

The APA I brewed and loved had a fill lb of Munich and 1/2 lb of C20. Mashed high but still finished at 1.009. It was great.

 

[jstringer1983]

Z-bob-im using US 05 for it, ive thought about trying some different yeasts also, but im set on adding a different grain first. I like everything about the beer but it seems like it could pick up a bit more dimension with a subtle malt boost.

 

[m00ps]

I usually do 20-30% wheat for my IPAs. Helps it keep a good body for how dry it is too