http://beerdujour.com/Recipes/Tasty%20APA.html

Looking to brew a fairly sessionable APA. My last two brews were a robust porter (drinking some now, storing some for aging) and Tasty's JBA (which is almost 3 weeks in the bottle conditioning). The Porter is a little over 6% and the JBA came out a bit over 7%.

So I'm looking for something in the 5% range for the apa. When still doing extract brewing, I tried to make something close to Tasty's APA, and it was pretty darn good, but not the same recipe (no simcoe for instance). Seeing that I've done 4 AG batches now, and they seem to be gradually showing improvement in my brewing, I think the APA is worth another shot.

Recently got a good amount of hops for the freezer (Cent, Cascade, Amarillo, NBrewer, Chinook, Magnum) as I see myself brewing Tasty recipes and they call for several of those quite a bit. (My 2nd AG was his Amber and it was awesome) In looking at the Tasty APA recipe and cutting it in half (5 gal batches for me), The amount of Chinook would only be 0.25 oz as a mash hop. Is it worth doing given the small amount, or should I just make up for those IBUs with the 60 minute addition? (my recent purchases of hops were in 4 oz packets, so opening the Chinook for 0.25 oz has me hesitant)

Also, the Warrior amount is tiny (0.25 oz) as well. Seeing that I will still need to buy Simcoe and Columbus, can I just sub Columbus for the Warrior bittering charge?

Or, if I go with Chinook for a mash hop, can replace the Warrior with more Chinook?

I have brewed that recipe a few times, and I don't think changing out the Warrior will make that much difference. Neither would eliminating the mash hop. It won't be the same as Tasty's beer, but will be in the ball park.

FWIW, I would make it Tasty's way one time, then make it your way and see which turns out best.

The Tasty APA is about the malt bill and the resulting "beer backbone". Any 28-35 IBU hopping regimen should work fine. The published recipe, which I still sometimes brew exactly as stated, is the original and is based on my old Pliny The Elder recipe. I've made it with Chinook-Centennial-Cascade, Warrior-Simcoe-Centennial, and Warrior-Northern Brewer-Cascade. They all turned out great.

Tasty

Thanks for the feedback, Tasty and Dirk. My initial attempt, via extract, turned out really well and friends enjoyed it quite a bit. Like you said, the malt bill seems to be the big difference compared to the couple other pales I've brewed (one extract clone of Sierra Pale, and my first AG, from Jamil's BCS, which used Victory and Munich). Considering it was extract, it was the lightest color pale I've made, which I would have to assume is due to the use of the Pilsener. The head on it was that puffy, lingering kind that was brought on by the wheat? (I've noticed in the tester I poured of my JBA attempt had a great head and lacing too)

So, I think I will simply stick to your malt bill, and then work with the hops I have. I think I'll try Chinook for bittering charges (some in the mash, some at 60 min) and then work with some combination of Centennial and Cascade for flavor and aroma. I also have 4 oz of Amarillo that I may use in there as well. Would you recommend the Amarillo in place of the Cascade, or in conjunction?

BTW, bringing my robust porter and the JBA to a NYE house party. The JBA has be in the bottles for 4 weeks now. Chilling just enough to bring with me and leaving the remainder to continue conditioning.

picked up my grains and yeast yesterday at Border Brew in Salem, NH. Crushed it there. Also grabbed an oz of simcoe just 'cuz.

In looking through my hop stash, I found I had an unopened oz of Warrior, as well as nugget and willamette, that I didn't know I had. Also found that my recent purchase of 4 oz packets of other hops had one bag of chinook that must be punctured, as it wasn't vacuum sealed anymore. Need to get myself one of those ziploc vacuum bag kits.

got an ounce of leaf amarillo as well in addition to the 4 oz packet of pellets.

Hmm... decisions!

Haven't brewed with Warrior yet, so I might have a go with that to bitter, simcoe and centennial as late additions, and possibly some cascade or amarillo to dry hop. Is that just complicating things? Better to simplify with the hopping?

I think that used as a bittering boil addition, it doesn't make much difference witch bittering hop you use, ie:Warrior, Chinook, Magnum, Summit, Columbus whatever as long as you consider the amount according to it's AA value. I find that the difference between them is more realized when using them as later boil additions, flavor and aroma. Don't be afraid to try these in smaller amounts at flame out or dry hop, meaning pick one, to blend with your other hops if you like the place where dank meets pinegerine. Also on a side note, I did realize the true Centennial contribution by brewing my house IPA (Columbus, Cascade, Centennial, Warrior and Amarillo) and leaving out the Centenial (flavor addition) for the same amount of Cascade the last time I brewed it. It was an eye opener and although I like it better with it, I'm not sorry I did it cause now I know what it adds to the beer.

Have to say I love this beer! Just started brewing this year, and this one and Janet's (obviously ) were my two favorites.
Thanks for the recipes Tasty.

I've used Centennial in recent brews (both the amber and JBA have big centennial dryhopping) so I'm thinking about trying this APA w/o it. Should a simcoe and chinook combo provide the dankness and pine? Then some citrus from the amarillo.