Sessionalbe Pale ale

[spiderwrangler]

I think I had 3.5 oz during the boil, all late addition, and 2.5 oz dry hop. About 64 CIBU.

Perhaps some real onion and garlicky Summit to go with the dill?

[TastyMcD]

Tasty has been talking about a flavorful low gravity pale ale. Just wondering if there has been any recent developments as far as a recipe?

Because of other brewing needs (CYBI), I had to temporarily stop my recipe development on my hoppy session pale. Here’s my last malt bill.

55.6% Pale Malt(2-row Rahr)
22.2% Pilsner Malt (Belgium)
8.3% Crystal 15L
8.3% Carapils
2.8% Crystal 40L
2.8% Wheat Malt

This recipe goes against the normal convention that if you have too much crystal the beer is going to be sweet or candy-like. For some reason, the large amount of Pilsner in the base makes the beer attenuate extremely well. In fact, like the Tasty APA, I have to mash this beer at 154F or else it would finish too low and I wouldn't get as much body as I'm looking for.

I’m trying to give the beer as much body as possible. The thinking being that this will allow me to hop the beer aggressively while keeping the beer in balance. Well hopped, low body light beers taste like hop tea to me.

I’ve brewed this beer at both 1.054 and 1.047 OG, 32 and 26 IBU’s. Both were well attenuated with only a trace of candy-like flavor which played well against the hops. I’ve brewed the 1.054 version with as much as 11% Crystal 15L (less two-row) and the sweetness was minimal with even more body. I intend to try even more C15.

I’m optimistic that I can brew a 4.2% – 4.5% beer that can be both hoppy and satisfying (filling).

Tasty

[spiderwrangler]

Is that 15L from Great Western?

[siwelwerd]

I have been toying with a recipe along similar lines. Last time I brewed it, I did

75% Domestic 2-row
10% Carastan (34L)
10% Vienna
5% Munich

to an OG of 1.046, FG of 1.010 for 4.7% ABV (somewhere around 35 IBU--the late hops were homegrown, so no telling how much they contributed). I find using Carastan instead of a comparable Lovibond american crystal helps dry it out like I want (don't ask me why). I brewed another incarnation of this recently, that one was

65% Domestic 2-row
20% Vienna
10% Carastan (34 L)
5% Wheat

Unfortunately, I can't tell you which one I prefer yet as this one is just now finishing fermenting (Dry hops need to go in this weekend).

[Hoser]

Kelsey McNair's West Coast Bitter is a pretty good example of a sessionable pale ale....IMHO...

[SamGamgee]

I think using UK pale malt is the key. I've used both Simpson's pale ale and golden promise and always get a nice malt flavor and good body with only a minimal amount of or no crystal malt. 100% golden promise brewed to about 10P makes for a really nice UK golden ale/session APA type beer that is a great base for lots of aroma hops, but I agree that you don't really want to push the bitterness much past 40.

Mixing 15-20% munich helps north american malt manage some decent flavor, but I still like UK malt more.

[ACESFULL]

Anyone tried the Founders All Day IPA? I know its not quite the style as a typical pale ale but its 4.7% and roughly as many IBU's but its damn tasty!! I think all the crystal that Tasty spoke about holds true with the hops. You still get sweetness and a nice bittering flavor.

http://www.foundersbrewing.com/the-lineup/all-day-ipa

[spiderwrangler]

Yeah, the ADIPA would be a great $7-8.99 6pk... $10.99 is an expensive session beer...