Specialty malt for apa

Iliff Avenue Brewhouse

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I rarely brew pale ales and am looking for recommendations for crystal or specialty malts. I don’t use much crystal malt in my beers. Any thoughts? Should I just keep it simple with some crystal 60 or something similar?

91% pilsner
9% crystal?

bittering hops
1 oz hops 20 min
1 oz hops 10 min
1 oz hops 2 min
3 oz hops dry
 
I also use very little Crystal and usually only in beers that I have some way to balance whatever sweetness it brings (IPA"s or Porters). In my APA's I like to add Munich and believe that will add all the sweetness I need. I suppose if this was an Amber Ale, I would add some Crystal...but I also suppose that's why I don't brew Amber Ales. :)

Bittering/Hopping is tricky because one person's Pale Ale is another's IPA so that's a personal choice IMO.

You'll nail it I'm sure. Good luck!
 
I also use very little Crystal and usually only in beers that I have some way to balance whatever sweetness it brings (IPA"s or Porters). In my APA's I like to add Munich and believe that will add all the sweetness I need. I suppose if this was an Amber Ale, I would add some Crystal...but I also suppose that's why I don't brew Amber Ales. :)

Bittering/Hopping is tricky because one person's Pale Ale is another's IPA so that's a personal choice IMO.

You'll nail it I'm sure. Good luck!

Thanks. I’m pretty much in the same boat as you. I do have Munich and was considering using that as my first thought. The hops were basically just placeholders until I figure what I want to use.
 
Hard to beat Crystal 60L in an APA.
Can't argue with that. It's pretty classic to the style (even if its not for me.)

I'd be curious to hear from @BOB357 who is a big Pale Ale brewer, I believe. He's a Sierra Nevada fan as well so I think he would probably recommend Crystal. Apologies if I got this wrong Bob.

I think a little Biscuit or Victory could be a decent option as well.
 
Yeah I know snpa is two row and crystal 60 only which is why I know I can’t go wrong with that though that beer profile as a whole I’m trying to avoid.

May do a combo of biscuit and crystal. I guess I was curious if anyone used more irregular/unique malts in their pales.
 
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Interesting use on the steam lager Yeast.
Why not just use less of a darker crystal to hit your colour profile in that recipie like a crystal 120 or special B. I hear there is a Briess special W malt too...
You might just use the pilsner and special B and leave the victory out your call.
I like to bring some body with a dash of wheat malt too but that's personal.
Will be interesting where this goes cheers.
 
Interesting use on the steam lager Yeast.
Why not just use less of a darker crystal to hit your colour profile in that recipie like a crystal 120 or special B. I hear there is a Briess special W malt too...
You might just use the pilsner and special B and leave the victory out your call.
I like to bring some body with a dash of wheat malt too but that's personal.
Will be interesting where this goes cheers.

Yeast is m54 because I want to use mostly what I have on hand. Another batch is just finishing with that yeast so I will be reusing the slurry.
 
Yeast is m54 because I want to use mostly what I have on hand. Another batch is just finishing with that yeast so I will be reusing the slurry.
Why not. I'd mash high so reduce any chance that yeast will lighten the body on your pale. What do you think about the dark crystal it shouldn't come across so sweet then more raisin dark caramel but in the smidge you use maybe just a whisper?
 
I like to bring some body with a dash of wheat malt too but that's personal.
Will be interesting where this goes cheers.

+1

Disclaimer: I think that the recipe as is will definitely produce a great beer.

But I second the idea of bringing a little body to the beer, like Ben suggests. I like the use of Munich here, but wheat is a great suggestion. Even Rye, if you are looking for something a bit off the wall.

Good luck!
 
+1

Disclaimer: I think that the recipe as is will definitely produce a great beer.

But I second the idea of bringing a little body to the beer, like Ben suggests. I like the use of Munich here, but wheat is a great suggestion. Even Rye, if you are looking for something a bit off the wall.

Good luck!
Now there's a thought!
Still wondering what @BOB357 thinks like you said Megary we see a pale ale near every week out of this Man;)
 
I like your boys’ style! May still throw a pound of Munich or something on top of the other stuff.
 
Yeah I know snpa is two row and crystal 60 only which is why I know I can’t go wrong with that though that beer profile as a whole I’m trying to avoid.

May do a combo of biscuit and crystal. I guess I was curious if anyone used more irregular/unique malts in their pales.

I have a mix of grainbills I love for both APAs and IPAs. I have some APAs that lean more towards hoppy American ambers, and some others that are crisp and dry. I make a ton of IPAs and APAs so I have found that I like both types equally well- they are just different.

One of my grainbills for a hoppy IPA (but lower on ABV and hops, so more of an APA in stats) is 97% Briess two-row, and 3% British amber malt. I've also done that one with victory malt or biscuit malt. It's really good- not like crystal malt at all, but still a good base.

I've got one right now that is 85% two-row, 8% Munich, 4% crystal 40L, and the rest made up with cane sugar. It's extremely well hopped and is still pretty crisp and dry, but with some malt flavor.

And still a good standard base is 91% US two-row and 9% crystal 60L!
 
Unfortunately the brand new sealed bag of cascade had almost no aroma. Hopefully it’s not a big deal. The wort definitely had a very toasty character to it which is unlike most of the beers I brew. Hope I didn’t overdo the amber malt. Transferred on top of m54 slurry and it going crazy at 58f.
 
For my APA recipe, I use about 4% caramel 60, 4% aromatic, and 8% wheat. I like the wheat body and head retention, the caramel for color , and the aromatic to add just a bit of complexity. I like to dry hop with Cacade and Citra.

I’d like to see more breweries making APA’s. Parish Brewing here in Louisiana has an outstanding one that I have not yet been able to match.
 
It's all up to the yeast now you've done your part the description sounds tasty to me.
Maybe the hops have seen too much air or as I find in some HB stores arnt kept frozen.
Atleast you'll get the bitterness to ballance that malt.
 

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