3 Brewers, Take #2 (New Hops)

Sometimes a recipe develops without much thought, like it was meant to be.  A couple months ago I was asked to brew with a couple of buddies at the last moment, with no brewing software available I quickly came up with this recipe sitting in my car in front of my LHBS. (Hear are my Tasting Notes, if you want the details.) The malt bill was spot on for everything I wanted in a Pale Ale.  The only exception was the amount of bittering hops, and this is just me being picky.  I overshot the amount of bittering on the first batch.  The bitterness on the first sip was overpowering.  Now, this faded with time but needed to be looked at when I brewed this again.  I feel like this has been a issue with some of my traditional beers.  Personally liking a very low amount of bittering hops, I tend to focus on the floral whirlpool additions.  So when brewing a classical-ish style Pale Ale or IPA I over shoot the bittering to compensate.

My IPA and Pale recipes have become predicable lately, most containing 2-Row with Pilsner malt and Rye evenly split.  (Hey I love the spice the rye brings in small amounts) The adaption is in the specialty malts.  I seem to be lowering the amount of Crystal in each batch.  I've really started to crave a very attenuated Pale Ale.  The Crystal malts are just getting in the way.  (Normal recommendation is under 15% of the total grain bill, and I tend to stay way under that.)  This recipe is around 4% not counting the Acidulated (Acid) Malt used to lower the pH and showcase the hop aromas.  A couple of ounces of Carafa III giving the beer some needed color that I love in Pale Ales



Thinking this might be my future go to malt bill, I wanted to test it.  The best way to do that is by changing the hop additions to see if the malt on its own can stand up to a different hopping approach.  Since the first batch was a solid blend of great aroma hops, I wanted to toss in some Nelson Sauvin as a late addition and a dry hop.  Letting it contribute some Cabernet flavors to the finished beer.  I also dropped the Simcoe since it has such an aggressive presence my thought is that it may fight with the Nelson.  Letting Centennial and Amarillo work together.  

Recipe:
 

3 Brewers Pale Ale #2

American Pale Ale

Type: All Grain	Date: 4/14/2013
Batch Size (fermenter): 6.00 gal	Brewer: Chris Lewis
Boil Size: 6.86 gal	Asst Brewer: Sisco, Alex, Danny, Eric
Boil Time: 60 min	Equipment: Lewys Tower
End of Boil Volume 6.24 gal	Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Final Bottling Volume: 6.00 gal	Est Mash Efficiency 72.0 %
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage	Taste Rating(out of 50): 41
Taste Notes: Please see my "Tasting Notes" for this recipe.
Ingredients
Ingredients Amt Name Type # %/IBU 9 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 73.5 % 1 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 8.2 % 1 lbs Rye Malt (4.7 SRM) Grain 3 8.2 % 9.6 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 4 4.9 % 8.0 oz Acid Malt (3.0 SRM) Grain 5 4.1 % 2.4 oz Carafa III (525.0 SRM) Grain 6 1.2 % 0.50 oz Bravo/Chinook Blend [15.50 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 7 28.0 IBUs 1.20 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 8 - 0.50 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 9 6.0 IBUs 1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Aroma Steep 0.0 min Hop 10 0.0 IBUs 0.50 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Aroma Steep 0.0 min Hop 11 0.0 IBUs 0.50 oz Nelson Sauvin [12.00 %] - Aroma Steep 0.0 min Hop 12 0.0 IBUs 1.0 pkg Edinburgh Ale (White Labs #WLP028) [2Gen, Racked off Dawn To Dusk] Yeast 13 - 0.50 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Dry Hop 6.0 Days Hop 14 0.0 IBUs 0.50 oz Nelson Sauvin [12.00 %] - Dry Hop 6.0 Days Hop 15 0.0 IBUs 0.30 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Dry Hop 6.0 Days Hop 16 0.0 IBUs 1.00 oz Nelson Sauvin [12.00 %] - Dry Hop 3.0 Days Hop 17 0.0 IBUs
Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.052 SG	Measured Original Gravity: 1.058 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.012 SG	Measured Final Gravity: 1.011 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.2 %	Actual Alcohol by Vol: 6.3 %
Bitterness: 34.0 IBUs	Calories: 192 kcal/12oz
Est Color: 11.4 SRM
Mash Profile
Mash Name: Temperature Mash, 1 Step, Full Body	Total Grain Weight: 12 lbs 4.0 oz
Sparge Water: 4.50 gal	Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F	Tun Temperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE	Mash PH: 5.20
Mash Steps Name Description Step Temperature Step Time Saccharification Add 15.31 qt of water at 162.5 F 151.0 F 60 min Mash Out Heat to 168.0 F over 10 min 168.0 F 10 min
Sparge Step: Batch sparge with 3 steps (Drain mash tun, , 2.57gal, 1.93gal) of 168.0 F water
Mash Notes:
Carbonation and Storage
Carbonation Type: Keg	Volumes of CO2: 2.3
Pressure/Weight: 10.59 PSI	Carbonation Used: Keg with 10.59 PSI
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 41.0 F	Age for: 30.00 days
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage	Storage Temperature: 41.0 F
Fermentation Notes
Primary Fermentation: Pitched a washed slurry of WLP028 yeast at 64 degrees, holding for 4 days.  Then rise to 69 over the next 5.
Created with BeerSmith I brewed this beer on Sunday, which happened to be my birthday.  My wife asked me what I wanted and I just told her that I wanted to brew, all day.  So a triple batch brew day it was.   Prost!  See, review and download the recipe on Beersmith