483 replies to this topic

[BrianBrewerKS]

I've been drinking on my 1st MLPA for about a week now. It's good, and I'm fairly happy with it...but some thoughts;- remember, I used old grains with this one (grains had been cracked for over a year)...I also used old hops that had been in the fridge for over a year. I did compensate on the hops by calculating about how much % loss and adding more hops to make up for it though. But in drinking this batch...there's just some kind of off flavor that I've never had before...kinda, well, kinda like an 'old' flavor.- I dry hopped this batch with 3/4 ounce of Mt Hoods. I think I'll skip the dryhopping next time just to see what the base MLPA is like. The dryhopping did an awesome job for the aroma though.- My fermentation temperatures got into the mid 70s with this one. Next time I'll keep it in the high 50s to low 60s to cut down on any fusels.I won't have any problem going through this 5 gallons...it's plenty tasty...but the next MLPA should be even better.

[Big Nake]

Well, fresher is always better so hopefully the next one will come out better. I have kept grains laying around for awhile, but I don't know if I've had crushed grains (not base grains, anyway) for a year. It's possible that I have some hops in the freezer that are a year old, but this is probably not the recipe to use them in since it's only 1 hop addition. Cheers.

[Big Nake]

Possibly the clearest (and tastiest!) batch of MLPA I have made to date. Enjoying this batch today (watching some HS football & college, working in the yard too) and probably tomorrow for some NFL. Beautiful fall day today too... about 55° and sunny.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

very nice - mmmmm MLPA...

[passlaku]

My second keg of MLPA blew last night. I will have to brew another soon.

[Joe]

Hi all - first time post on this board.I just started homebrewing again after a 3 year sabbatical. I managed to work all of the kinks out of my brewing process last weekend with a 10 gallon batch of CJ's JPA (one of my all time favorites). After smelling all of those hops, I'm ready for more of a house/session beer and this really looks to fit the bill.I did have one question though - and this may just be my poor memory (which should make memory lapse ale really dangerous for me!). What is the difference between American 2-row and British 2-row? Can they be used interchangeably? Also, would this benefit at all from using Marris Otter? I seem to remember falling in love with MO and using that in most of my beers, but I'm not sure if that would upset the balance of this recipe. I would like to brew this as true to recipe as possible before I start experimenting - I just don't remember where the lines of interchangeability are.Thanks!Joe

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

Hi all - first time post on this board. I just started homebrewing again after a 3 year sabbatical. I managed to work all of the kinks out of my brewing process last weekend with a 10 gallon batch of CJ's JPA (one of my all time favorites). After smelling all of those hops, I'm ready for more of a house/session beer and this really looks to fit the bill. I did have one question though - and this may just be my poor memory (which should make memory lapse ale really dangerous for me!). What is the difference between American 2-row and British 2-row? Can they be used interchangeably? Also, would this benefit at all from using Marris Otter? I seem to remember falling in love with MO and using that in most of my beers, but I'm not sure if that would upset the balance of this recipe. I would like to brew this as true to recipe as possible before I start experimenting - I just don't remember where the lines of interchangeability are. Thanks! Joe

US 2-row is less malty. This beer is dangerously on the edge of not having enough hops so if I did this I might mash a little lower and maybe cut back every so slightly on the crystal.

[DaBearSox]

Possibly the clearest (and tastiest!) batch of MLPA I have made to date. Enjoying this batch today (watching some HS football & college, working in the yard too) and probably tomorrow for some NFL. Beautiful fall day today too... about 55° and sunny.

Did you watch my Wheaton Warrenville South Tigers take the Championship?

[SchwanzBrewer]

I tested my first bottle of MLPA tonight from my third batch and it is carbing nicely, but not quite there after only a week. Should be tasty as ever.Cheers,Rich

[Big Nake]

Hi all - first time post on this board. I just started homebrewing again after a 3 year sabbatical. I managed to work all of the kinks out of my brewing process last weekend with a 10 gallon batch of CJ's JPA (one of my all time favorites). After smelling all of those hops, I'm ready for more of a house/session beer and this really looks to fit the bill. I did have one question though - and this may just be my poor memory (which should make memory lapse ale really dangerous for me!). What is the difference between American 2-row and British 2-row? Can they be used interchangeably? Also, would this benefit at all from using Marris Otter? I seem to remember falling in love with MO and using that in most of my beers, but I'm not sure if that would upset the balance of this recipe. I would like to brew this as true to recipe as possible before I start experimenting - I just don't remember where the lines of interchangeability are. Thanks! Joe

I agree that English malt could make this beer too malty. If it's all you have, you could charge it with more hops (say 6 to 6.5 AAU), mash lower, etc. But earlier in this thread there were some realizations about the balance of this beer. When it's made right, the balance is good. But a number of issues could throw the balance to the malty side: Underattenuation, mashing too high, older hops that have lost their mojo, undercarbonation, using too many specialty grains, etc. Use 2-row if you can. Rcemech: Glad to hear it's looking good. Please post back when you have tried a bottle that is carbed up. Cheers.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I agree that English malt could make this beer too malty. If it's all you have, you could charge it with more hops (say 6 to 6.5 AAU), mash lower, etc. But earlier in this thread there were some realizations about the balance of this beer. When it's made right, the balance is good. But a number of issues could throw the balance to the malty side: Underattenuation, mashing too high, older hops that have lost their mojo, undercarbonation, using too many specialty grains, etc. Use 2-row if you can. Rcemech: Glad to hear it's looking good. Please post back when you have tried a bottle that is carbed up. Cheers.

I recently noticed (never really checked before) that my pale ale malt is slightly darker than standard us 2-row. Do you think this would be enough to mess with the recipe too much? I would think just a slightly lower mash temp would easily make up the difference.

[Big Nake]

I recently noticed (never really checked before) that my pale ale malt is slightly darker than standard us 2-row. Do you think this would be enough to mess with the recipe too much? I would think just a slightly lower mash temp would easily make up the difference.

It's hard to tell. For the record, I typically get standard domestic 2-row from manufacturers like Briess, Rahr, Great Western, etc. I think these are less malty than almost any other base malt you might find out there. I recently had an English Bitter lined up but ran out of UK Pale Malt so I used domestic 2-row and I notice the difference. The beer is lighter in body and flavor and doesn't have as deep of a base flavor as the Simpson's UK malt I normally use. Could you make MLPA with a maltier base grain and mash lower? I would say YES, but I have never tried it. Cheers Amigo.

[SchwanzBrewer]

I agree that English malt could make this beer too malty. If it's all you have, you could charge it with more hops (say 6 to 6.5 AAU), mash lower, etc. But earlier in this thread there were some realizations about the balance of this beer. When it's made right, the balance is good. But a number of issues could throw the balance to the malty side: Underattenuation, mashing too high, older hops that have lost their mojo, undercarbonation, using too many specialty grains, etc. Use 2-row if you can. Rcemech: Glad to hear it's looking good. Please post back when you have tried a bottle that is carbed up. Cheers.

I tried another bottle last night and it keeps getting better and better. I did the extract version and it turned out even better than last time which was deemed terrific by some pretty finicky connoisseurs (3rd time brewing MLPA as an extract). I'm gonna try bases loaded blonde on my new AG set up, then its the MLPA AG verison for the first time, and then hopefully a 10 gal batch for charity. Cheers! Rich

[Big Nake]

I tried another bottle last night and it keeps getting better and better. I did the extract version and it turned out even better than last time which was deemed terrific by some pretty finicky connoisseurs (3rd time brewing MLPA as an extract). I'm gonna try bases loaded blonde on my new AG set up, then its the MLPA AG verison for the first time, and then hopefully a 10 gal batch for charity. Cheers! Rich

Whoo hoo! Cheers RCEMECH!

[bigdaddyale]

I want to brew this beer next weekend.What's the current recipe?

[earthtone]

I want to brew this beer next weekend.What's the current recipe?

check page 1 there daddy-o, as far as I know nothing has changed in 16 pages.

[Big Nake]

check page 1 there daddy-o, as far as I know nothing has changed in 16 pages.

Geez, ET... where have you been? Did you fire up your own brewpub or something? Haven't seen you on here in a looooooong time, Amigo. Hope all is well.

I want to brew this beer next weekend.What's the current recipe?

The recipe is the same, unless you want to modify it. If you need an extract recipe (and there hasn't been one posted... I can't remember now), just ask and I'll post it. Cheers.

[chadm75]

Ken -Brewing some (modified) MLPA for Mardi Gras in about a month. Check out my modified recipe below and let me know your thoughts. I only had 7.5 pounds of 2-row left in the house! Poor planning on my part....I also wanted to hop it up a bit more hence the late addition.7.5 lbs. - American 2-row1 lb. - Munich Malt (10L)12 oz. - Crystal 60L12 oz. - Wheat Malt1 oz. - Cascade 7.5% @ 60 mins1 oz. - Amarillo 8% @ 5 minsThoughts about adding the Munich? Should be okay I would assume?

[Big Nake]

On the one hand, the Munich will make it maltier, but OTOH, the 7.5 AAUs plus the late addition should be more than enough to make up for it. Sounds very tasty, IMO. Hey Chad... save me a bottle of that, will you?

[chadm75]

On the one hand, the Munich will make it maltier, but OTOH, the 7.5 AAUs plus the late addition should be more than enough to make up for it. Sounds very tasty, IMO. Hey Chad... save me a bottle of that, will you?

It's in the mash at 151 right now! I'll let you know how it goes....