8 replies to this topic

[Big Nake]

On August 2, I made my MLPA which I have made many, many times in the past.  The recipe calls for one pound of crystal 60 which I did not have at the time.  The recipe ended up having 8 ounces of C60, 6 ounces of C40 and 2 ounces of C80 which you would think would get you in the zip code of the pound of C60.  However, this beer (now on tap) has the most beautiful color to it.  It's a bit lighter but still has this deep amber-orange color to it.  Every time I tap a glass of it, I marvel at the color of it.  So is it the mash up of crystal malts?  I remember hearing at some point that using a combination of various crystal malts was better than using just one.  Or... is it the fact that this is the first batch of MLPA where I had good control over mash, sparge and kettle pH?  According to Kai, keeping the kettle pH right will help keep beer color truer as opposed to a kettle pH that is too high which can dull and darken the color.  Thoughts?

[positiveContact]

the lighter color makes sense.  you'd want to have done 4 oz each of c40 and c80 to get a similar color.  otherwise yeah - maybe the mash pH is helping you out.

[Beerbecue]

Can you show us a pic of this marvelously colored beer please?

[neddles]

Can you show us a pic of this marvelously colored beer please?

This.

 

Also I think your pH has to get pretty darn high (like in Kai's example) before it starts to darken.

 

With this being the first batch under full pH control do you notice a difference in the flavor or mouthfeel?

[Big Nake]

I will take a shot of it tonight. The beer came out very nice and the flavor and mouthfeel are good all the way around. I'll try to snap a pic and then post an older MLPA pic for comparison but I don't know how the pics will compare to seeing the beer in person. Also, before I got into pH, I really have no idea what the pH of my sparge and kettle wort was so my guess is that some darkening of the wort was happening prior to getting the meter and closely monitoring everything. Cheers.

[Big Nake]

This will not translate here as I don't think the picture does the beer justice but anyway, here's the 2014 batch of MLPA...And here is an older shot of it...The first one just looks lighter and less clear (although it's pretty clear). Still not sure if it's the grains being different or the better pH control keeping the color of the beer lighter.

[SchwanzBrewer]

Ken I've had MLPA come out that light before.

[Big Nake]

Ken I've had MLPA come out that light before.

I'm sure it's a combination of the grains I used and the pH control. I also realize that not all C60 (or any crystal) is created equal and some variables exist. My very pale beers have been noticeably lighter since I got the pH thing down and clarity is better all the way around.

[Beerbecue]

Wow, that bottom one really is beautiful, nearly copper. Looks delicious too.

I like off-pale ales.