While this may look an awful lot like Alley Cat (it is close for sure!), this recipe (as well as the next 2 actually!) came as a spur of the moment purchase because the LHBS did not have the ingredients that I had originally wanted. So I quickly put this together to take advantage of what was available, while still keeping the Alley Cat (that I had wanted to rebrew) recipe in mind.
Buzzer Beater APA - brewed on: 1/21/2012 - Malturop 2-Row: 4 lbs - Weyermann Vienna: 2 lbs - Caravienne: 8 oz - Cascade pellets: 1 oz (.25 @ FWH, .25 @ 20, .25 @ 12, .25 @ 7) - Centennial pellets: 1 oz (same hop schedule) - Safale S-04
estimated @ 72% efficiency: OG 1.064 - IBU 42 - ABV 6.1% (just slightly over APA guidelines, but I wouldn't call this an IPA!)
okay, I don't necessarily want to blame the crush...but I might have to. actual: 67% eff - OG 1.058 - IBU 43 - ABV 5.7% while not AWFUL...this is the lowest efficiency that I have had in a while. and I even mashed longer (80 minutes at 152°). no worries, this should still turn into a nice pale ale with some solid hop character. although, I do question the freshness of these hops as well. they came in plastic baggies as opposed to the vacuum sealed foil that I have grown used to.
plan to ferment through 2/3 or 2/4 in the mid 60°s still up in the air as to kegging or bottling of this one ;-)
decided to keg this baby on 2/5/12 (more lazy than anything else...and I had already cleaed out the keg!). the sample at this time was awesome. for being a spur of the moment recipe, I am honestly quite excited for this beer. the malts and hops seemed to have balanced each other perfectly, and the citrusy nose and finish to the sip was all that I could have hoped for. for the sake of pale ale freshness, this keg might very well skip ahead of Smicky's in line for the next free Perlick!
it did jump in front of Smicky's (by all of a day), and was hooked up to the gas on my birthday: 2/15/12. carbonation should be just about completed by 2/24/12...so a QC sample will be mandatory! however, I am thinking that the sample will turn into a full pint (or 2!) as this APA should be juuuust about ready, and totally hoppy fresh. Until then...
2/26/12 - poured a nice gold with a touch or orange, bright white head that left lacing down the glass. the nose is faint citrus and peel/rind, leaning more towards grapefruit than orange. the taste follows the aroma and is like a combo grapefruit and a splash of orange juice with just a hint of orange peel and a bit of candy (caramel) sweetness. easy to drink for sure! very pleasant pale ale, and I don't have anything offhand that I can complain about with this beer. it is just a nice brew.
3/12/12 - the beer pours out hazy...not really showing any signs that it will clear up. eh, oh well! it seems like the past few pints have been a bit more orange-like in the flavor department. almost like biting through the unpeeled fruit itself. the taste starts with a rind/pith bitterness that gives way for the orange juice like flavor with a splash of the grapefruit mixed in. the caramel sweetness has also seemed a bit subdued. I also need to note that there is not a ton in the aroma either (a dry hop might/should solve that). however, I am not being critical, just noting some things happening here. it is still very drinkable! I wonder how different this beer would be if it had been brewed with US-05 instead? hmmmm...