Beer style

yegnal

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When putting together a recipe and in say beersmith for example, when I approach the upper limit of the alcohol content according to style, I'm reluctant to go past that.

What would happen if I did make a pale ale with an 11% alcohol content.
 
I'd think you'd need to back the high abv with more malt and/or hops to counteract the alcohol bite. Which would make it more a dipa or other style I guess.
Or you could call it an imperial pale ale...
 
You'd get drunk quicker. :p:D:D:D
Going a little over on ABV is no problem per se, but it has an impact on flavor, balance, body, etc. Your example of a pale ale at 11% would yield a beer with very strong alcohol notes in the flavor without big malt character to counteract it.
For homebrewing and enjoying your own beer, you can brew to any strength you want and stretch the guidelines in any way you feel will make an interesting beer. If you were interested in competition, staying closer to the guidelines will insure that judges won't find reason to take points off for things like harsh alcohol notes, over- or under hopping, out of place malt flavors, etc.
 
Exactly, experiment away!


But maybe make a small test batch first
 
Just make a full batch and let your friends drink it if you don't like it. ;)

Or be like me and probably have a kegged Russian Imperial Stout for over a year.
 
When putting together a recipe and in say beersmith for example, when I approach the upper limit of the alcohol content according to style, I'm reluctant to go past that.

What would happen if I did make a pale ale with an 11% alcohol content.
It would not be a pale ale, whether you take a hard or a soft approach to beer styles. You're getting into barleywine country at that alcohol level. There's no need for reluctance, ultimately since we're not brewing for customers it's our own tastes that determine whether our beer is "good" or not. And as mentioned above, you'll have to balance that much malt with hops.
 
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Awesome feedback, will save me from making unpalatable batches unnecessarily. Still learning and enjoying this hobby immensely. Thanks all for the responses...
 
The word balance was used and inferred by most of the replies. You just asked a very important question and BALANCE is your answer.
Brew On!!!
 

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