tried an extract APA based loosely on Tasty's APA

[jimlin]

Was away for a week on vacation. I dry-hopped before leaving. Took a gravity reading just now (monday) and got it at 1.010-.011. Tasted the sample. Bitter and plenty of hop aroma (perhaps more than typical for a PA). The color is much lighter than anything I've brewed prior, likely due to the use of the 2 lb of pilsen DME and a pound of wheat DME.

The bucket warmed up to around 75-76 while I was away (had a bit of a heat wave here compared to the past month). Probably a good thing in that I fermented in the low-mid 60s for the 1st week, then it warmed up to clean things up. I hope I can bottle tonight, but not sure I'll have the time. At 1.010, I can't imagine it needs much more work.

[jimlin]

Bottled the APA yesterday. 20 days in the bucket total. FG was 1.010, just like it was when I tested earlier in the week. Still unsure about the OG given my super late (during cool down of wort) addition of the 3.3 lb of LME. My reading was expected to around 1.055 but I got 1.045. Still unsure if the LME had simply not been well mixed and was sitting in the bucket below the level I took the sample from or not.

Regardless: the color is light (far lighter than any others I have done) thanks to the use of 2 lb of pilsen DME, 1 lb of extra light DME, and .5 lb of wheat dme. Nice hop aroma and flavor, but a bit more bitter than I had hoped for. Likely due to not hitting the expected OG, and now my IBU is probably too high by comparison.

Labeled the caps as "HPA" for "hoppy pale ale" and hoping that they might be ready in 3-4 weeks. Used about 6 bomber bottles, which meant less bottling work, but still... someday I hope to jump to kegging (but not yet, due to the cost, and I want to get my process down better as well as move to AG first)