[Phil_M]

With summer approaching, I'm focusing more on lighter/more drinkable beers. The thread on APAs gave me a few ideas, so I think I'm going to try brewing one.

What I need help on is malt selection.

For now, assume that base malt is going to be 6.5 lbs of Briess 2-row pale malt.

Right now I'm aiming for an OG of 1.038, though I may bump that up some. (Yes, I know it's not to BJCP style.) I could treat it like a British bitter and just add some 60L crystal and call it a day, but I'd like to up the toasty/bready/biscuity flavors a bit. I don't want a toast bomb, just some depth, especially with it being such a low gravity beer. Thinking about Briess Victory or Munich, or both.

But how much? I've brewed with Amber malt before, ended up with a much stronger flavor than I was aiming for.

[HoosierBrew]

Lately I've been using Maris Otter for a mild toasty character in place of biscuit or victory, which can seem strong and harsh if you use too much.  I used ~ 15% MO in the last APA I made, along with 78% 2 row, and 7% C40 IIRC. Worked really well.

[Phil_M]

Lately I've been using Maris Otter for a mild toasty character in place of biscuit or victory, which can seem strong and harsh if you use too much.  I used ~ 15% MO in the last APA I made, along with 78% 2 row, and 7% C40 IIRC. Worked really well.

That was my first thought, but one of the goals for this beer (that I neglected to mention) was 100% American malt/hops.

[HoosierBrew]

Lately I've been using Maris Otter for a mild toasty character in place of biscuit or victory, which can seem strong and harsh if you use too much.  I used ~ 15% MO in the last APA I made, along with 78% 2 row, and 7% C40 IIRC. Worked really well.

That was my first thought, but one of the goals for this beer (that I neglected to mention) was 100% American malt/hops.

Well if you use Victory on a beer of that low OG, I wouldn't use over 1/4 lb (per 5 gallons) .  That should work fine.

EDIT - The Briess Munich would give some malt depth to a session beer, too. Maybe 20% would work great.

[Phil_M]

From what I'm learning on here, seems like Munich is used in more than a few styles. Might go with that one just to try it out, I've never brewed successfully with it before. (Tried it in a pseudo-lager that failed miserably.)

Briess Victory is a lot like Amber malt correct? Really tasty, but very potent and overwhelming?

Played with numbers a bit, if I go the Munich route I'll try 6 lbs pale malt and 1.5 lbs Munich. (80/20) Maybe use some black patent to bump the color up a little.

[HoosierBrew]

From what I'm learning on here, seems like Munich is used in more than a few styles. Might go with that one just to try it out, I've never brewed successfully with it before. (Tried it in a pseudo-lager that failed miserably.)

Briess Victory is a lot like Amber malt correct? Really tasty, but very potent and overwhelming?

Played with numbers a bit, if I go the Munich route I'll try 6 lbs pale malt and 1.5 lbs Munich. (80/20) Maybe use some black patent to bump the color up a little.

Victory doesn't have the light roastiness that Amber has but it has the toasty character - and it's good as long as you don't overdo it. Munich is just pure rich maltiness, a little bready. Great stuff.

[HoosierBrew]

Maybe use some black patent to bump the color up a little.

In an APA, why not use some crystal to bump your color ?  5 - 7% C40 or C60 would give you nice color and crystal character without being too sweet. Plus it would boost body given the low OG .

[BrodyR]

I've become a big fan of just 85% Marris Otter/Pale Ale Malt/or US 2row & 15% flaked oats in my APA's. Got the oats in a pale idea from a local brewery and while it may be unconventional and results in a haze it adds a great character.

[Phil_M]

Maybe use some black patent to bump the color up a little.

In an APA, why not use some crystal to bump your color ?  5 - 7% C40 or C60 would give you nice color and crystal character without being too sweet. Plus it would boost body given the low OG .

There's an easy answer to that...I hadn't thought of it!  Still learning how to build a good recipe, this is still only the second time I've tried this. Sometime when I have the time and funds I really want to go to the LHBS (1.5ish hrs away.  ) and smell/taste as many varieties of malt as I can.

[HoosierBrew]

Maybe use some black patent to bump the color up a little.

In an APA, why not use some crystal to bump your color ?  5 - 7% C40 or C60 would give you nice color and crystal character without being too sweet. Plus it would boost body given the low OG .

There's an easy answer to that...I hadn't thought of it!  Still learning how to build a good recipe, this is still only the second time I've tried this. Sometime when I have the time and funds I really want to go to the LHBS (1.5ish hrs away.  ) and smell/taste as many varieties of malt as I can.

Phil, it's a learning curve for anybody. When I started I was more into tinkering with recipes than being sure my system was reeled in tightly, in terms of volumes and good pH (info was spotty then). No coincidence - some beers were great, others good, some not so. You're on the right track - smell and taste malts, obviously using less than more specialty malts at first is best, then you can adjust up. You're on the way !

[Phil_M]

My first recipe creation had 2 lbs of amber malt in what was supposed to be a best bitter. Ended up being a happy accidental brown ale. I was on the dark end of the Bitter color range on purpose, ended up being just about dark enough to be a brown. Diacetyl problems in that beer made me join this forum…and it ended up being pretty tasty. I'll brew it again, and maybe steer it a little more in the brown ale direction malt wise.

Munich it is then, ordered 5 lbs that should hopefully arrive before the next weekend.

For yeast, I hope to reuse some of the WLP007 yeast cake from my currently fermenting Stone Levitation clone or US-05 dry yeast. (They're what I've got on hand.)

For hops, I'm not sure what I want to use. I've got simcoe, crystal, amarillo, columbus and cascade on had. I'm thinking bittering with columbus, and using the cascade as an aroma/dry hop? I'd like to add a third hop, but I'm not sure what to use. I want this beer to be balanced and drinkable, so I don't want a hop bomb.

[morticaixavier]

My first recipe creation had 2 lbs of amber malt in what was supposed to be a best bitter. Ended up being a happy accidental brown ale. I was on the dark end of the Bitter color range on purpose, ended up being just about dark enough to be a brown. Diacetyl problems in that beer made me join this forum…and it ended up being pretty tasty. I'll brew it again, and maybe steer it a little more in the brown ale direction malt wise.

Munich it is then, ordered 5 lbs that should hopefully arrive before the next weekend.

For yeast, I hope to reuse some of the WLP007 yeast cake from my currently fermenting Stone Levitation clone or US-05 dry yeast. (They're what I've got on hand.)

For hops, I'm not sure what I want to use. I've got simcoe, crystal, amarillo, columbus and cascade on had. I'm thinking bittering with columbus, and using the cascade as an aroma/dry hop? I'd like to add a third hop, but I'm not sure what to use. I want this beer to be balanced and drinkable, so I don't want a hop bomb.

The amarillo will accentuate and bump up the citrus aspect already there from the cascade while the simcoe will add that catty tropical fruit thing for a different direction. haven't used crystal but I've heard good things.

[Phil_M]

I think I want a more floral/perfumy hop character with a citrus accent, if that makes sense. More floral than citrus. I'm interpreting that goal to by cascade flavor, and crystal for aroma.

To that end, here's my current plan:

OG 1.040

75% 2-row pale malt
20% Munich 10L
5% Crystal 60L

Hops, aiming for about 35 IBU:

0.5 oz Columbus at 60 minutes
0.5 oz Cascade at 20
0.25 oz Crystal at 20
0.5 oz Crystal at flameout
0.25 oz Cascade at flameout

Thinking I'll dry hop with 0.5 oz of crystal and 0.25 ounces of cascade for 5 days.

[a10t2]

Looks good. I'd brew it.