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Author Topic: APA Recipe - Looking for Feedback  (Read 3270 times)

Offline son_of_buncrana

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APA Recipe - Looking for Feedback
« on: August 31, 2013, 10:16:12 pm »
Brewing my first APA this week using the recipe below (5 gal all grain). Interested in any feedback or suggestions.

Grains
9.5 lb American Pale 2-Row
0.5 lb Caramel/Crystal 20L
0.5 lb Caramel/Crystal 40L
0.5 lb Munich Light 10L
0.5 lb Victory
0.25 lb Carapils

Hops
0.5 oz Columbus @60 min
0.5 oz Cascade @10 min
0.5 oz Centennial @10 min
0.2 oz Cascade @flameout
0.2 oz Centennial @flameout
0.2 oz Columbus @flameout
0.5 oz Cascade 7 days dry hop
0.5 oz Columbus 7 days dry hop

Yeast
White Labs WLP001 California Ale

Mash = 16 qt @154 degF 60 min
Sparge = 3.25 gal sparge water @168 degF
Boil = 6 gal @60 min

Est OG = 1.056
Est FG = 1.014
Est IBU = 37.79

Offline guido

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Re: APA Recipe - Looking for Feedback
« Reply #1 on: September 01, 2013, 02:29:50 am »
I've been ditching the crystal in my APA's and IPA's.  At the very least, ditch the 20L.
Well...I woke up this morning and I got myself a beer

     -"Roadhouse Blues,"  Jim Morrison

Offline dmtaylor

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Re: APA Recipe - Looking for Feedback
« Reply #2 on: September 01, 2013, 06:16:55 am »
Looks good.  I've got a similar comment -- ditch the Carapils.  It's not doing anything for you.  The Crystal 20 is alright IMHO but the Carapils is essentially a waste of space.  One or the other anyway.
Dave

The world will become a much more pleasant place to live when each and every one of us realizes that we are all idiots.

Offline son_of_buncrana

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Re: APA Recipe - Looking for Feedback
« Reply #3 on: September 01, 2013, 07:47:40 am »
Ok, I think I'll simplify...drop the Crystal 20, Victory and Carapils (replace all with 1.25 lb 2-row)

Offline scottNU

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Re: APA Recipe - Looking for Feedback
« Reply #4 on: September 01, 2013, 08:44:01 am »
I like the look of this recipe!

I am curious about the differences between Munich and Crystal malts (and maybe Vienna). If the color (say all are 20L) is the same, what is the difference?

Offline garc_mall

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Re: APA Recipe - Looking for Feedback
« Reply #5 on: September 01, 2013, 10:06:00 am »
I like the look of this recipe!

I am curious about the differences between Munich and Crystal malts (and maybe Vienna). If the color (say all are 20L) is the same, what is the difference?

Here is a quick primer on Crystal/Caramel vs Munich/Vienna.

In the production of crystal, a maltster takes green malt, and in a wet environment, brings it up to rest temperatures, all of the starch is converted to sugar inside the kernel. Then, the kernels are heated up to caramelization temperatures and held there for a certain period of time (more for darker Crystal). This is what gives crystal malt its distinct color and crystallized appearance. It is also why crystal malt is less fermentable than base malt.

When making munich malt, a maltster takes green malt and toasts it, accomplishing the drying process and giving more toasted flavors to the malt. This malt still has starches, and must be converted. It will also not provide extra sweetness to the beer.

This is all from my memory, so it may not be 100% accurate, but it is the general idea.

Offline bobberdc

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Re: APA Recipe - Looking for Feedback
« Reply #6 on: September 08, 2013, 07:55:35 am »
In my opinion, you should keep the victory and/or add/replace it with melanoidin, which is also in the 20L range. Carapils will add body without adding sweetness or color (typically used in very light beers); the crystal also adds color and sweetness along with body. They also give the beer a better head (as does flaked wheat) Whether or not you want those characteristics in your beer is up to you. I like having a little sweetness to balance the bittering hops. I also like a certain maltiness (hence the victory and melanoidin) because I don't want my beer to simply be hop water.

In the end, brew for what YOU like to drink. If you find your APA is too malty/sweet or not enough, you can make adjustments next time.

Offline Three

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Re: APA Recipe - Looking for Feedback
« Reply #7 on: September 08, 2013, 08:40:06 am »
In the end, brew for what YOU like to drink. If you find your APA is too malty/sweet or not enough, you can make adjustments next time.

+1 here.  If you don't brew this and taste it you will never know.  Your recipe is fine for an APA.  It's the whole process not just the grains.  Mash temp comes into play as well.  If it ends up too sweet, has too much body, etc.  Then adjust it for your next APA.


Some grain stuff.....


CaraPils
Another malt used to increase foam, head retention, and body.

Crystal malt and Caramel malt
The terms Crystal malt and Caramel malt are used interchangeably to describe a type of grain that undergoes a special stewing process during malting resulting in a crystalline sugar structure inside the grain's hull. These grains give a sweet, caramel flavor to the finished beer and can almost always be used as steeping grains by extract brewers. This type of specialty grain can be easily made at home from any base malt.

Munich
Munich Malt has a malty sweet flavor characteristic and adds a reddish amber color to the beer. It has enough diastatic power to convert itself, but needs help from another malt, such as 2-row malt, to convert other grains.

Vienna
Vienna Malt is a kiln-dried barley malt darker than pale ale malt, but not as dark as Munich Malt. It imparts a golden to orange color and a distinctive toast or biscuit malt aroma to the beer.

Victory
Toasted malt that adds a "Nutty", "Biscuit", "Baking Bread" and/or toasted flavor to English ales.

Anyone who sings a tune so sweet is passin by........