21 replies to this topic

[Poptop]

Fellas,

I have a simple base recipe for when I make pale ales and I was wondering if you have a standard grain bill that you typically used with APA's, IPA's and the like.

My standard hits around 1.052, and I increase at the same percentages for bigger beers. I do sub out with stuff like Vienna or lower the 2 Row and increase the Munich or change the crystal etc... but the concept sorta remains the same.

10# 2 Row
1/2# each; Munich, White Wheat and crystal, usually 60.

To me this makes things very simple and holds a nice malty platform to experiment with different yeast and hop combinations.

Do you have as a standard go-to?

[positiveContact]

I do not.  I've tried all sorts of things.

[HVB]

Like Morty I have tried all sorts but over the last couple of years I seem to focus on one malt bill for my hoppy beers and experiment with hops.  The malt bill still gets tweaked from time to time, I will replace a portion of Pils with MO or Vienna or something along those lines but for the most part I know what the malt bill does and leave that as it is build my hops around it.

[Poptop]

Exactly. Like I mentioned I sub out this or that but the average poundage is pretty constant, along with a portion of the Munich or Vienna and Wheat. Sometimes I want more crystal than other times too. A good base is a perfect way to learn about yeast and hops...

[johnpreuss]

Pretty much roll with this:

19# two row / pale ale malt
2# c60
Mash 151-155

Hop accordingly.

12 gallons OG 1.048-50

I'll use crystal anywhere from Carahell Lovibond 8 up to C90.

Always finishes at 1.010-12 using 1056/001/US05/1272/1968/002

[Poptop]

Excellent JP, I like the simplicity.

[neddles]

I have used the same/similar malt bill as drez several times recently and like it a lot. I will continue to use it but occasionally try some others. For a summery grist I really liked 75%GP, 20% Red Wheat, 5% caravienne to 1.050 or 45% 2-row, 50% Red Wheat, 5%Aromatic to 1.054. For somethinga little more robust but simple I have liked 85% 2-row, 10% Munich, 5% C-60 to 1.056-1.063.

Edited by neddles, 07 December 2015 - 03:22 PM.

[positiveContact]

some pales/IPAs I go for really pale like drez typically does.  others I go for darker/sweeter/maltier with pale ale malt, munich and greater amounts of crystal malts.  depends on the beer.

[porter]

I haven't brewed a typical pale ale (in the 5-6% range) for a long time. For my IPAs I basically just do 25-30 lbs. of pale malt (my efficiency isn't great) and 1 lb crystal 20 for a 10 gallon batch. I don't like a lot of crystal malt complicating my pales. The crystal 20 adds a little bit of residual sweetness and body without adding too much malt character.

[Brauer]

It looks like I make a lot with ~5# of Pale Ale Malt, 5 oz of Amber, Victory, Aromatic or Biscuit and 2 oz of Carastan, Caramunich or Caraaroma. Sometimes I swap in 1 # of Mild or Munich Malt. Mash at 148-150 F & 158-162 F, No Sparge. Hop at 60 and steep with anything tasty. No Simcoe, ever. Sometimes throw in a 5' hop. 3.25 gal. 1.042-1.048 down to 1.008-1.010. 30-35 IBU.

[Poptop]

I guess it was a loaded question huh. Variety is the spice of life right? I am getting some great ideas from all of your input.

[positiveContact]

It looks like I make a lot with ~5# of Pale Ale Malt, 5 oz of Amber, Victory, Aromatic or Biscuit and 2 oz of Carastan, Caramunich or Caraaroma. Sometimes I swap in 1 # of Mild or Munich Malt. Mash at 148-150 F & 158-162 F, No Sparge. Hop at 60 and steep with anything tasty. No Simcoe, ever. Sometimes throw in a 5' hop. 3.25 gal. 1.042-1.048 down to 1.008-1.010. 30-35 IBU.

 

that's quite a bit of victory by %.  you don't find it to be overpowering?

[HVB]

that's quite a bit of victory by %.  you don't find it to be overpowering?

Just needs more Simcoe!

[denny]

92% pale malt
8% cararuby

[HVB]

Never even heard of Cararuby before.  From the description it is not what I would put in my version of an APA, personal preference, but I would not mind playing with that in a few other beers, sounds interesting.

[neddles]

Denny seems to have an affinity for the Chateau malts. Very few of their malts are readily available at my usual online retailers.

[Brauer]

that's quite a bit of victory by %.  you don't find it to be overpowering?

I think it might be if I used more Crystal Malt, but it adds a nutty character reminiscent of many British Pale Ales, that I like sometimes.

 

It's the equivalent of 8 oz in 5 gallons, which is probably about 4-5% for a lot of brewers. I think of character malts in terms of quantity, not percentage.  Still, that is probably the top end, for me. Sometimes I might halve any of those malts, or leave them out entirely, but 4-5 oz seems to be my default. It depends on what I think I'm going to want in a couple weeks.  Most often I switch between them depending on how subtle I want the contribution.

Just needs more Simcoe!

I couldn't find the "throwing something onto the compost pile" emoji, so picture that here.  

Never even heard of Cararuby before.  From the description it is not what I would put in my version of an APA, personal preference, but I would not mind playing with that in a few other beers, sounds interesting.

Maybe you're familiar with it from when it used to be called CaraVienne.

[HVB]

Maybe you're familiar with it from when it used to be called CaraVienne.

Is it really the same?  I use a lot of Caravienne but I do not get out of it the tastes that I see listed for CaraRuby.  Oh well, I take me statement back then if they are the same

[Brauer]

Is it really the same?  I use a lot of Caravienne but I do not get out of it the tastes that I see listed for CaraRuby.  Oh well, I take me statement back then if they are the same

It looks like I remembered it wrong. It was called Caramel Vienna. It does look like a few places are selling this and Belgian CaraVienna as interchangeable.

[positiveContact]

I think it might be if I used more Crystal Malt, but it adds a nutty character reminiscent of many British Pale Ales, that I like sometimes.

 

It's the equivalent of 8 oz in 5 gallons, which is probably about 4-5% for a lot of brewers. I think of character malts in terms of quantity, not percentage.  Still, that is probably the top end, for me. Sometimes I might halve any of those malts, or leave them out entirely, but 4-5 oz seems to be my default. It depends on what I think I'm going to want in a couple weeks.  Most often I switch between them depending on how subtle I want the contribution.

 

I think in 5 gallons I'd be more in the 2-3 oz range.  I once used closer to 8 oz and damn it was a lot.  too much of it kind of blew everything else out of the water.  I do like it in moderation though - adds a nice complexity.