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Author Topic: Who makes "clean" pale ales?  (Read 3029 times)

Offline Village Taphouse

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Who makes "clean" pale ales?
« on: November 28, 2015, 11:46:15 am »
I say 'clean' as in 'not fruity' like what you get when you use Amarillo, Citra, Mosaic, Galaxy, etc.  I make an Amarillo-Citra Pale Ale pretty often but I occasionally like to make something with some nice late-hopitude but with cleaner hops like Santiam, Glacier, Mt. Hood, Liberty, etc.  I'm looking for some other ideas and I generally stay away from Cascade and Chinook.  I may bitter with Magnum, Horizon, Nugget or Columbus and then add late hops anywhere from 15 to flameout plus a whirlpool and/or dry hop.  Who does something like this and what hops do you use?  Maybe I'll be inspired to use some new & different hops.  Cheers.
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Offline brewday

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Re: Who makes "clean" pale ales?
« Reply #1 on: November 28, 2015, 12:11:05 pm »
I think that Crystal is both an awesome and highly underrated hop for APAs.  It's especially good as a late addition flying solo.

Offline Village Taphouse

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Re: Who makes "clean" pale ales?
« Reply #2 on: November 28, 2015, 12:33:18 pm »
Oh yeah, great idea and a hop I hadn't used in a very long time.  I have a "hoppy blonde" kegged right now where I added a bunch of late Liberty after remembering that they are a sort of American Hallertau Mitt and that I used them in the past but then forgot about them because so many new hops come out all the time.  Crystal falls into that same category and I haven't used it for a long time.  Ultra may be thrown into that mix as well.  Cheers.
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Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Who makes "clean" pale ales?
« Reply #3 on: November 28, 2015, 12:39:15 pm »
+1 to Crystal, it's a very nice hop. Since the fruity hops and C hops are off the table, noble varieties or their offshoots like Crystal, Liberty, Mt Hood, Santiam, etc. would seem to be the best fit.
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Offline erockrph

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Re: Who makes "clean" pale ales?
« Reply #4 on: November 28, 2015, 12:47:01 pm »
Are English Pale Ale's an option? If so, Fuggles, Target, Northdown, Challenger, EKG, etc. are all fair game.
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Offline Village Taphouse

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Re: Who makes "clean" pale ales?
« Reply #5 on: November 28, 2015, 12:53:55 pm »
Are English Pale Ale's an option? If so, Fuggles, Target, Northdown, Challenger, EKG, etc. are all fair game.
Yes, I will grab some 1028, 1099, 1469 or 1968 and use English malt along with Northdown, Target, etc. and then late hop those beers with mostly EKG or the occasional Whitbread Golding, US Golding or even Styrian Golding (which has been coming in at a robust 1.9% lately!).  I will also make a "British Blonde" or "English Summer Ale" along these lines as well with the grain bill bringing the beer into the 5-6 SRM as opposed to the 9-10 SRM range.  Good ideas peeps.  Any other clean hops out there that I have overlooked?  Earlier this year I had a nice "clean" pale ale that has Glacier in it and I had never used it.  Really nice character when used late. 
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Offline erockrph

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Re: Who makes "clean" pale ales?
« Reply #6 on: November 28, 2015, 01:00:15 pm »
Sterling is a nice hop of noble heritage. It can get a bit of a lemonade note if you start to push the hopping level, but at lower hopping rates it is pretty clean. Ultra is another clean one, very Saaz-like.
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Offline PORTERHAUS

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Re: Who makes "clean" pale ales?
« Reply #7 on: November 28, 2015, 02:01:13 pm »
I made a simple Pale Ale with homegrown Sterling but I also mixed in some Cascade and Centennial. I always liked Willamette. If you ever had anything from Lagunitas they use that hop a lot...maybe not late in the boil but a lot in the middle additions. Ever tried Ahtanum? Its a nice very underated hop as well. Its fruity and earthy with slight citrus. Kind of earthy but clean and mellow.

Offline denny

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Re: Who makes "clean" pale ales?
« Reply #8 on: November 28, 2015, 02:12:36 pm »
I think that Crystal is both an awesome and highly underrated hop for APAs.  It's especially good as a late addition flying solo.

Check out Rogue's Brutal IPA, formerly Brutal Bitter.
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Offline brewday

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Re: Who makes "clean" pale ales?
« Reply #9 on: November 28, 2015, 02:25:28 pm »
I think that Crystal is both an awesome and highly underrated hop for APAs.  It's especially good as a late addition flying solo.

Check out Rogue's Brutal IPA, formerly Brutal Bitter.

Good call Denny, that's exactly what I had in mind.  And local options for Village (and me) would include Ale Syndicate Municipal or Revolution Crystal Hero.

Offline duboman

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Re: Who makes "clean" pale ales?
« Reply #10 on: November 28, 2015, 03:20:30 pm »
I did a series of pales this year, each bittered with Warrior and then all late additions of the following: Saphir, Saaz and Perle, each one for a separate batch.they all got nice reviews and where very enjoyable

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Offline Village Taphouse

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Re: Who makes "clean" pale ales?
« Reply #11 on: November 28, 2015, 04:17:03 pm »
Saphir, Perle and Willamette are all great suggestions.  I have used them all but not as a pale ale addition.  For some reason I have certain hops that I use but then overlook and I really need to come back to them.  Good stuff Beerheads.
Ken from Chicago. 
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Offline majorvices

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Re: Who makes "clean" pale ales?
« Reply #12 on: November 28, 2015, 07:46:14 pm »
I think that Crystal is both an awesome and highly underrated hop for APAs.  It's especially good as a late addition flying solo.
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Offline Village Taphouse

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Re: Who makes "clean" pale ales?
« Reply #13 on: November 28, 2015, 08:32:44 pm »
I think that Crystal is both an awesome and highly underrated hop for APAs.  It's especially good as a late addition flying solo.
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They can be tricky to find sometimes too, right?  Last time I had them they checked in at about 4% or so.  I'm going to hook up with an online supplier and grab some Willamette, Crystal, Perle, maybe Ultra and Saphir too.  Woot!  :)
Ken from Chicago. 
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Offline Stevie

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Re: Who makes "clean" pale ales?
« Reply #14 on: November 28, 2015, 08:46:55 pm »
My current stock of Crystal is 2.2% AA. Only good for late additions.