Take a look at my Galaxy/Citry/Amarillo APA recipe?

[merriman44]

All grain, BIAB light bodied beer profile. This is an American Pale ale. I'm going for a fruity, crisp and refreshingly bitter finish. I'll be using wyeast 1056 and fermenting at 66 degrees. This will yield about 6.5 gallons of wort. The hop schedule is a touch complicated, but I'm attempting to blend the aromas and flavors of the three fruitiest hops I could get my hands on. I have an ounce of each (and I'll be using up my leftover Challenger as it supposedly has some fruity notes and is said to blend well. Thoughts on the recipe?

Galactic Domination Ale

Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.0 %
Bitterness: 50.7 IBUs
Est Color: 7.5 SRM

Calories: 165.2 kcal/12oz
Grain:
12 lbs maris otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 2 90.1 %
8.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 3 3.8 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 4 3.8 %
5.2 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 5 2.4 %


Hop Schedule:
0.40 oz Amarillo [8.80 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 6 9.5 IBUs
0.40 oz Challenger [7.50 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 7 8.1 IBUs
0.40 oz Citra [12.50 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 8 13.5 IBUs
0.10 oz Galaxy [15.00 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 9 4.0 IBUs
0.20 oz Amarillo [9.20 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 10 2.7 IBUs
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 11 -
0.40 oz Citra [12.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 12 4.4 IBUs
0.20 oz Galaxy [15.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 13 2.7 IBUs
0.50 oz Galaxy [14.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 14 3.4 IBUs
0.20 oz Amarillo [8.80 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 20.0 min Hop 15 1.3 IBUs
0.20 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 10.0 min Hop 16 1.1 IBUs

 

[CadillacAndy]

I recently brewed an APA with a similar grainbill and I thought it has too much crystal malt. Mine actually used the exact same amount of c40 and c60. If I had to do it again I would totally cut out the crystal and use like 6oz of Victory and maybe some flaked wheat to add some complexity without it being caramel/candy-like.

 

[khidr9]

I did a somewhere similar apa recently, though I traded out some of the Maris doing 8 Maris 4 Vienna and 1 of crystal 20. I thought it had a great body and phenomenally clarity, though it was a little lighter in color than your target. I also used only galaxy at 60 for bittering, and saved the amarillp for a 10 minute whole leaf add. Personally I think the Citra will compete with the galaxy as both are distinctive and want the spotlight but the Amarillo will complement either. I definitely think you could reach your goal by paring down a bit.

 

[merriman44]

I'll kill some of the Crystal, thanks for the suggestion. I understand what you are saying with the Citra and Galaxy but I've seen more than a few that say Galaxy is best blended. Citra and amarillo being close seemed like complimentary companions. Also, I wanted Citra to FWH as Galaxy isn't really ideal for early additions due to it's large Cohumulone content (adds some flavors that I don't really desire). That's why I used so little of it, and may omit it altogether in the early boil.

Further thoughts gents?

 

[merriman44]

Here's an update. This brew turned out amazing but I drastically altered the hop schedule. Take a look:

0.50 oz Citra [12.50 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 6 15.9 IBUs
0.40 oz Amarillo [8.80 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 7 9.0 IBUs
0.40 oz Challenger [7.50 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 8 7.6 IBUs
0.10 oz Galaxy [14.00 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 9 3.6 IBUs

0.60 oz Galaxy [14.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 40.0 min Hop 11 8.5 IBUs
0.30 oz Amarillo [8.80 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 60.0 min Hop 12 3.1 IBUs
0.30 oz Amarillo [8.80 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 40.0 min Hop 13 2.7 IBUs
0.30 oz Citra [12.50 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 60.0 min Hop 14 4.3 IBUs
0.30 oz Galaxy [14.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 60.0 min Hop 15 4.9 IBUs
0.20 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 40.0 min

It's not as complicated as it seems. I performed the various whirlpools to accentuate extraction of the various hop oils that largely get driven out of the boil.

The beer turned out to be delicous. The FWH imparted lots of flavor but mostly a very smooth and lingering bitterness. THE AROMAS- When I bottled the beer smelled a little like fruit mixed with old socks. By the time the beer was carbonated however, this was replaced by a delicate floral/tropical smell that really lends to the flavor.

In conclusion, though multiple folks told me not to mix the hops that I did, it turned out better than expected, in large aspects I think, to the way the hops were utilized. If I were to do it again, I would probably dry hop with one of the fruitier hops for a stronger aroma.