2017 Category 18: Pale American Ale - Gold Medal

[mick02]

Got a gold medal for this American Pale Ale in 2017 Nationals. Scored 41 overall

2.4kg - Pilsner
1.81kg - Pale
320g - Crystal 40L
250g - Wheat Malt
15g Simcoe @ 90 min
16g Simcoe @ 30 min
20g Simcoe @ 0 min
20g Citra @ 0 min
30g Simcoe - Dry hop
30g Citra - Dry hop
US-05 yeast

[Qs]

Are your 0 minute additions just that or do you steep/whirlpool them?

[mick02]

Are your 0 minute additions just that or do you steep/whirlpool them?

No steeping/whirlpooling

[pob]

Any water treatments?

[mick02]

Any water treatments?

Nope, not needed down my neck of the woods. 

[Ciaran]

Got a gold medal for this American Pale Ale in 2017 Nationals. Scored 41 overall

2.4kg - Pilsner
1.81kg - Pale
320g - Crystal 40L
250g - Wheat Malt
15g Simcoe @ 90 min
16g Simcoe @ 30 min
20g Simcoe @ 0 min
20g Citra @ 0 min
30g Simcoe - Dry hop
30g Citra - Dry hop
US-05 yeast

Well done on the gold.   I had a can of Yellow Belly Citra Pale Ale at the weekend and pilsner and wheat came into my head - would you say it tastes similar to that beer?

[mick02]

Got a gold medal for this American Pale Ale in 2017 Nationals. Scored 41 overall

2.4kg - Pilsner
1.81kg - Pale
320g - Crystal 40L
250g - Wheat Malt
15g Simcoe @ 90 min
16g Simcoe @ 30 min
20g Simcoe @ 0 min
20g Citra @ 0 min
30g Simcoe - Dry hop
30g Citra - Dry hop
US-05 yeast

Well done on the gold.   I had a can of Yellow Belly Citra Pale Ale at the weekend and pilsner and wheat came into my head - would you say it tastes similar to that beer?

Hi Ciaran, thanks for the congrats. I had the Yellowbelly Citra myself at the weekend and I can safely say that my Pale Ale tasted nothing like the YB one. I think single hopped Citra beers have a very distinctive taste with the Citra giving a soft and fruity tone. I think the Citra lets the malt shine through more than other hops. This ale had a nice light body thanks to the Pilsner malt. The use of Simcoe gave this beer an earthier taste and sharpened the taste (if you know what I mean).

It is a lovely beer though. If you get the chance to brew it I don't think you'll disappointed.

[irish_goat]

Declan will give you the recipe for Yellowbelly Citra Pale ale if you drop them a tweet. It does have wheat as far as I remember.

[Ciaran]

Good to know, an excellent beer it is too.   I follow a couple of the lads from Yellowbelly there but I don't think I can private message unless they're following back unfortunately.

[vinyljunkie]

Are your 0 minute additions just that or do you steep/whirlpool them?

No steeping/whirlpooling

So you just threw in the 0min additions and chilled? Just interested in the different processes. Congrats on the Gold BTW.

[mick02]

That's it. The hops were in the kettle for as long as it took to cool it ivy the fermenter. I reckon about 10 minutes. Thanks for the congrats.


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[LASERBOY147]

Well done on gold medal! Awesome. 
What did they say you could improve on for the remaining 9 points?

[mick02]

Well done on gold medal! Awesome. 

Thanks you kindly!

What did they say you could improve on for the remaining 9 points?

That's a question I like to see! How can you make this recipe better!!!!!

Let's see, I got the following scores

Aroma

• 10/12
• 9/12

Appearance

• 3/3
• 3/3

Flavor

• 16/20
• 16/20

Mouthfeel

• 4/5
• 4/5

Overall Impression

• 8/10
• 8/10

Comments -
Very pleasant beer and brewed very well to style. Clean ferment with no off flavors. I think beer could do with a little more carbonation
Excellent representation of style! Well balanced beer with really lovely tropical hop aroma.

Based on this there is not a huge amount that I can improve upon ... more carbonation maybe?

[irish_goat]

More carbonation and/or perhaps a slight edit to the malt bill to change the mouthfeel. And if the beer maybe didn't have to wait 2 weeks between competition closing and judging you might have got some more aroma points. You're really working on the finer details there though.

[Leann ull]

Lads your not going to score higher than that other than with fresher hops, well done Mick top of the class!