APA Brewday

This is a remake of 73, which means that experiment was a whopping success. There are two differences with this version: this one is all grain, and this one ended up having a lower OG, mostly because I inadvertently spilled about two quarts of second runnings all over the floor. Color me smooth.

88. Single Hop American Pale Ale: Willamette
Mash:
8 lbs. Dingemans Pilsen
1 ½ lbs. Dingemans Pale Malt
1 lb. Muntons 2-row
½ lb. Dingemans Cara 20° (CaraVienna)
½ lb. Dingemans Biscuit Malt

Mashed @ 152° F (right on) for 60 minutes w/ 3 ¾ gallons of RO water (168° F)
Sparged @ 168° F (166° F actual) for 20 minutes w/2 gallons of RO water (188° F)

Added to brew kettle, brought to a boil (70 minute) and added:
w/70 to go: 1 ½ tsp. gypsum
1 ¼ oz. Willamette leaf 4.8% AA

w/15 to go: 1 tsp. Irish Moss

w/10 to go: 1 oz. Willamette leaf 4.8% AA

w/5 to go: 1 oz. Willamette leaf 4.8% AA

w/0 to go: 1 oz. Willamette leaf 4.8% AA

Cooled wort, racked to carboy, and pitched on Wyeast 1332 Northwest Ale

Brewed: 4/17/2011 @ 66° F
Secondary: 5/13/2011 @ 1.010
Bottled: 5/14/2011 w/ 3.25 oz. Turbinado cane sugar @ 70° F

OG: 1.038 (spilled at least 2 quarts of second runnings on the floor)
FG: 1.010

Tasting Notes: Pouring a hazy light copper brown reminiscent of bread crusts and with a prodigious white head, Single Hop Willamette has candy sweet malt nose mixed with a dry indistinct hop aroma—it is earthy and lightly spicy, but also rather minimal. There is also a slight fruit character in the nose—again, indistinct and minimal. Flavors start with biscuit and candy malt and a slight fruitiness—I’m not sure if it is malt or hop derived, but I’d guess yeast. There is some slight bitterness in the middle along with a touch of spicy hop flavor, but as an APA, the hop presence is mainly MIA in this beer—it works better as a ESB or a SOB, but not an APA. There is a touch of biscuit and caramel in the final third heading into the finish. That, coupled with a slighty creaminess and a faint touch bitterness, lets the beer finish easy and light. The body is light and balanced, and the mouthfeel is crisp and clean, but it is missing some of the intangibles that set the last version apart. A decent beer, but something of a let down compared to its predecessor. The last version was better. I know I shouldn’t take it personal, but I do.