AG#7 Blonde Bombshell

[Kyle_T]

Howdy folks,

Another Monday brewday with some **** poor performances on my part but still managed to get the end result and numbers I was after. Decided to try a Blonde Ale for the summer time rather than the darker beers I've been having a go at.

Here she is:

Brew Length: 23L.
Efficiency: 75%
OG: 1.044
FG: 1.011 (Estimated).
ABV: 4.4%
IBU: 25
SRM: 4

Grain Bill:
Marris Otter Pale Malt - 4Kg.
Wheat Malt - 440g

Strike Temp 74 deg/c.
90 minute mash at 68 deg/c.
Sparged at 80 deg/c.
90 minute boil.

Hops:
21g Challenger Hop - AA 9.3% - 90 mins.
18g Cascade Hop - AA 7.5% - 10 mins.
10g East Kent Golding Hop - AA 6.5% - Flameout, 20 minute steep.

Boil Additions:
3g Irish Moss - 10 Minutes.

Yeast: Safeale S-O4 Yeast 11g.

The samples were very interesting to me, a lovely golden/yellowish beer with a good malty nose, not at all dominated by the hop as I was expecting, its a very interesting smell with the combination of piney/floral and citrus aromas going on, well bittered but not past my taste and incredibly clear appearance. Could see the hops at the bottom of my boiler. First for me. Some very nice crisp flavours to boot.

Now sitting at 20 deg/c for a 7 day ferment, maybe up to 10 days if she's not quite finished.

Cheers

Kyle

 

[marksa222]

Looks good, I might have a go at a similar beer myself. I haven't got cascade in, so may substitute for Amarillo.

I was going to do a Hobgoblin clone, but seeing you put a summer beer, it may have changed my mind. I've a stout in the fv that I made on Saturday, so a nice golden beer would be good for the warmer weather :)

 

[Kyle_T]

I would have posted a picture of the samples but I kept drinking them. I used Cascade as I had some knocking about but I'm also thinking of another pale with Amarillo and Cascade.

 

[marksa222]

Yes, they go well together. I made one a while ago which turned out nicely. It was made as an apa and dry hopped with cascade.

If I were to do it again though, I'd just use a clean, high AA bittering hop (Warrior looks suitable) and a mix of the two as late additions, and dry hop again with cascade. The one I had wasn't bitter enough for the style (american IPA) but was very flavourful. It seems a waste of really tasty hops to use them in large quantities for bittering.

If you're interested, the grain bill was lager malt, a little wheat and some caramalt... wouldn't change the grain bill as that was spot on.

 

[Kyle_T]

I have been tempted to try an APA but I'm not so hot on my American varieties of hops yet, still working on the English ones. Got the choice of a brown ale or an IPA next. But I shall certainly give the APA a go sometime.

 

[Kyle_T]

Just a little update, fermented for 10 days and transferred to secondary, remembered to take some pictures so here they are:









Very crisp and clear cut flavours, not over bitter at all and it has a pronounced pine aroma with background hints of the Cascade and EKG.

 

[Oakers73]

This looks great.... interested to know how it ends up.!

 

[Kyle_T]

Well the end result after 4 weeks in the bottle is a fresh, easy drinking thirst quencher, took some to the festival and it received good opinions but had some advice on changes to make it that every bit better, have changed the hop amounts for the next time I brew it and may also increase the priming amount to get a better head. Retention was good and carbonation lasted until the last drop.