16 replies to this topic

[porter]

Hadn't brewed since November (mainly because my brewing location is unsettled at the moment). I thought to myself I hadn't brewed an APA or similar in a long time. 

 

9 lbs Pilsner malt (I've used pilsner as my base malt for everything for years)

2 lbs Munich malt (sounded interesting/malt building and I have a ton of Munich to use)

0.5 lbs Crystal 60 

 

30 minute boil, 30 IBU of Simcoe

4 oz Simcoe at 0 minutes

 

OG 1.050

SRM 8.2

IBU 30

 

US-05

 

Kegged tonight after two weeks and so balanced and good. I was thinking of dry hopping but this is perfect like it is. I love Simcoe, though this bag seems more citrusy and less piney than I've gotten in the past.

 

I got some Cascade on sale with my recent supplies order and might try a SNPA clone next.

[positiveContact]

why just pilsner malt?  I mean, I also use pilsner for APAs sometimes but I like to change it up and also use 2-row or GP sometimes too.  GP is one of my favs.

[HVB]

Simcoe seems to have changed a lot over the last few years.  I loved piney simcoe, my favorite hop, I still like it but it has changed like you described.

 

Did you DH any?

[positiveContact]

Simcoe seems to have changed a lot over the last few years.  I loved piney simcoe, my favorite hop, I still like it but it has changed like you described.

 

Did you DH any?

 

is it grown in different locations now or something?  a victim of climate change?

[HVB]

is it grown in different locations now or something?  a victim of climate change?

I assume it is a result of an early harvest.   Other hops, citra, went through the same change.  Citra was always "cat pee" early on and then the picking time change and it became OMG it is amazing-balls

[positiveContact]

I assume it is a result of an early harvest.   Other hops, citra, went through the same change.  Citra was always "cat pee" early on and then the picking time change and it became OMG it is amazing-balls

 

so a conscious decision by the growers/producers?  too bad because I agree that I like the pine.  good thing we can still do chinook/citra.

[HVB]

so a conscious decision by the growers/producers?  too bad because I agree that I like the pine.  good thing we can still do chinook/citra.

I believe that is the case.  I know some can say when they want it picked.  I know Hill Farmstead posted how they had three different picking times of the same hop coming in and they planned to experiment with the differences in each.  As the low man on the totem pole we just get the scraps.

 

I guess this is also why the bigger breweries get to go and select hops, get the character you want.

[positiveContact]

I believe that is the case.  I know some can say when they want it picked.  I know Hill Farmstead posted how they had three different picking times of the same hop coming in and they planned to experiment with the differences in each.  As the low man on the totem pole we just get the scraps.

 

I guess this is also why the bigger breweries get to go and select hops, get the character you want.

 

porter, sorry about this.  tell us to shut up at any time

 

so my brother gives me a lot of commercial IPAs.  many from stoneface which historically was pretty good but not one of the best.  I feel like even stoneface has really picked up their game now to the point where pretty much every IPA from them that he gives me is awesome.  better than most of my IPAs.  I really wish I knew what the secret was.

 

I can compete with the big boys on a lot of styles.  IPA is tough.  sometimes I really nail it but many times I don't.  I wish I knew what it was.  is it that my hops just aren't quite as good as theirs?  The hops I get from hop heaven seem really good to me.  very fresh and sticky.  is it my dry hopping technique?  I've tried a lot of things.  I'm not sure any of them would reliably get me to where I wish all of my IPAs were.

[porter]

I started buying just pilsner malt way back when, when I lived in an apartment and storage space was at a premium. I didn't want to try to store multiple base malts. I tried different ones and settled on the slightly cleaner flavor of pilsner malt for everything and adding specialty gains as needed. Maybe a little quirky. I have plenty of space now but still usually buy pilsner instead of 2-row out of habit.

Yeah, the Simcoe smelled great but different than I remember. One of the best beers I ever made was an all Simcoe DIPA with a pound of hops in 5 gallons. That would probably not be anything too unusual these days but seemed insane at the time. Basically I added all the hops in the last 10 minutes of the boil, no bittering or dry hopping (I didn't have a good system to do it at the time). Since Simcoe is such a smooth bittering hop to begin with, that was an insanely polished beer.

Eta: IIRC I may have done a reverse gimmick and added then all in the last 6 minutes and called it 6 minute IPA.

Edited by porter, 28 April 2021 - 06:05 AM.

[porter]

This turned out super nice all carbed up. Really great balance. This might be my go to pale ale. I really like the Munich malt, which I hadn't used in a PA before. I might cut the crystal malt just slightly - perhaps 6 oz. instead of 8 oz to cut the sweetness a smidge. I like the simple approach here with the 30 minute boil and all the late hops addition at once.

[HVB]

Maybe try a dh too? I think the munich is a nice addition.

[positiveContact]

I used to put Munich in my ipas sometimes. Now if I want to do something like that I use vienna.

[porter]

Maybe try a dh too? I think the munich is a nice addition.

What I'm going for in an APA doesn't really need dry hopping - to me this has the correct balance.

I used to put Munich in my ipas sometimes. Now if I want to do something like that I use vienna.

Should be the same concept, just more muted. What percent of grain bill do you use?

[positiveContact]

Hmmmm.... Probably 10-20%.

[HVB]

What I'm going for in an APA doesn't really need dry hopping - to me this has the correct balance.

 

I get that.  I just have a hard time not throwing in some DH in most ales.  I have problems

[positiveContact]

I get that. I just have a hard time not throwing in some DH in most ales. I have problems

Ha! The best kind of problems.

[neddles]

This grain bill is very similar to Zombie Dust with a lower OG. A well balanced pale ale if you aren't familiar. Anyhow, I can see where this would be delicious. Using pils instead of   the standard low kilned 2-row won't change a thing as I don't think anyone would know the difference anyhow in a strongly flavored beer like this.

 

Having pils as your house go-to base malt leaves you covered for beers where the base malt is a primary flavor component. Im thinking pilsener or helles, primarily. Keeps you moving fresh malt through the brewery too unless you are using a ton of both 2-row and pils. American 2-row in a beer where the base malt is a primary flavor component is pretty meh IMO. The use of Munich has long been known as a good way to get some backbone without going to a darker kilned pale ale malt, GP or MO.

 

tl/dr- looks awesome

Edited by neddles, 09 May 2021 - 10:07 AM.