Youngs American Pale Ale (APA)

[mc88]

Has anyone brewed this kit before and if so, would you recommend it? I've currently got the Youngs American IPA in the FV (my first ever brew) but am planning my next brew now. I've heard the APA is meant to be similar to Sierra Nevada Pale Ale which is one of my favourites, hence the reason I'm interested.

 

[Poshlloyd]

It's a nice kit. I fermented too hot and it still came out great.
It is a very forgiving kit.
I bought it for the same reason, as at the time SN was my favourite. It is similar, as the kit used similar hops, but the fact it is a kit you never really get that close!
Wait till you move onto AG, you can actually make clones that are better than originals.

 

[Poshlloyd]

Also if you search on here, the Youngs APA features on lots of posts.

 

[Hopping_Mad]

I think there are a few reviews in the Beer Kit Reviews section too.

It's awesome! Like most higher alcohol kits though, it benefits from longer conditioning. My last bottle was drunk after 4 months. I wish I had waited that long to drink all of them.

Full on US hop assault - if you like that sort of thing (...which I do!)

 

[foxbat]

After a discussion with the very knowledgeable chap in colchester homebrew I bought this one and started it yesterday now that ambient temps in the UK are hovering at a good level for fermentation.

The claimed 5.6% ABV is obtained by adding 650g (included) of brewers sugar to the mix. I didn't fancy it that strong so I added all but 100g and got an SG of 1.050. They claim fermentation should stop at 1.008 but in my experience I never get less than 1.012 no matter how long I wait so I ought to get about 5.0% before secondary fermentation in the pressure barrel.

60g of Centennial/Columbus hops are provided for dry hopping at the end of fermentation and a tip I was given was to only use 1/3 to 1/2 of the bag otherwise it comes out very citrus. I quite like pale citrus beers so I think I'll add 1/2 the bag and see how it comes out.

The waiting time begins...

 

[foxbat]

14 days in the FV and my APA is down to 1010-1012 and looked to have stopped bubbling. I added 2/3 of the beautifully citrus smelling hop packet, gave it a stir and that's kicked off some more bubbling so I reckon maximum another week and then it'll be time for the pressure barrel.

 

[foxbat]

I barrelled mine today with 80g of the supplied priming sugar. FG was 1010 so 5.25% now and maybe 5.5% if the priming sugar ferments. I added a sachet of beer-brite because I want this one to be crystal clear.

You can see from the attached photo that this is indeed going to be a very pale ale and I've got to say it smells AMAZING and even tastes good already. The fruity citrus aromas from the hops are just intoxicating. Maybe I'll get something akin to Ape Ale (Blue Monkey). That would be a result.

 

[Yeastmaster]

Have just cracked open my second bottle of this. In primary for 4-5 weeks due to holidays, then bottled and conditioned for about 6 weeks (which is quite short for me). Pungent hoppy aroma with nice malty sweetness. 10/10. One of the best kits I've done, maybe even the best.

I've decided I'm only doing Young's American kits and wine kits for the foreseeable future; maybe the odd coopers stout kit. These Youngs kits are AMAZING and way way way better than even the two can kits like Wherry etc in my opinion.

 

[foxbat]

Well, what are now? 9 weeks since I posted my barrelling update and today I can report that she's clear as a a bell and ready for drinking. My barrel is a King Keg with a bottom tap so I have to wait until the beer is clear to the bottom until I can draw a clear pint and today I got that. She's as a clear as a bought bottle, beautiful to hold up to the light and behold.

This is a bitter man's bitter. Pale and hoppy, bitter to taste, fruity and IPA-ish on the tongue and a lovely lip-smackingly fresh and hoppy after taste. ABV feels like the 5.5% I thought I'd get. You need to like hops and IPA to appreciate this bitter. If you're a malt fan, this is not for you.

For comparison it does not taste like the Blue Monkey beers that I hoped it might emulate - not enough Citrus for that. It's more like a cross between Kelham Island Pale Rider (a real favourite of mine with similar body to this one) and Shepherd Neame Green Hop Ale. As the weeks go by this beer is only going to mellow and get even more enjoyable, I think a blurry Christmas beckons.

Tips for anyone doing this one?

1. Control your starting gravity to your taste. Remember that you'll get +0.5%-ish ABV from the secondary fermentation.
2. You don't need to add the entire hop bag. I added 2/3 to mine and it's plenty bitter enough.
3. Patience. I waited 9 weeks for mine to be ready and crikey it's worth it. This is fantastic kit.

 

[terrym]

I have just started to drink my Young's American Pale Ale. It has been about 8 weeks in bottle and has now come into its own. I had a problem with the kit yeast at the start (it wouldn't get going) and had to substitute a John Bull kit yeast which is all I had at the time. Following my experience with the Youngs AIPA, I had brewed short to 21 litres expecting a vigorous start (with the original yeast) but this didn't happen and so what I got was a pretty standard fermentation from about 1.057 to 1.016 which is about 72% attenuation, about right for the substitute yeast.
It is now crystal clear with a golden colour, and although it loses its original head after a few minutes there is lacing down the glass. The hops really come through well (I used the whole 60g Columbus and Centennial dry hop quantity) and rather than citrus I am reminded of lychees. The highish FG hasn't resulted in a overly sweet taste it may have only highlighted the 'fruity' taste of this beer.
Anyway I can recommend this kit ( provided the yeast works) and in my opinion it is an equal to the Youngs AIPA which I have also done.

Note to Moderators
We don't appear to have a review for this kit listed in the sticky A-Z Beer Kit Reviews. Could we please add this to the list.
Ta

 

[wfr42]

DiD anyone have an eggy smell from this one?

On day 3 and it smells like a cider which is going cost me husband points having negotiated a space I the spare room for winter brewing....

 

[terrym]

DiD anyone have an eggy smell from this one?

Not particularly.
If you have your FV in a confined space with no ventilation, then I would have thought you will notice the yeasty smell carried by the CO2 that is driven out of the wort during the first stages of the primary. Perhaps that's what you have noticed. I sometimes get this in my garage, which is to all intents and purposes sealed in the area where my water bath/FV set up is located.
That said, you should recover any lost points and perhaps gain some should you choose to share your APA with the giver of points :wink:. Its a crackin pint.

 

[foxbat]

All kinds of smells during the fermentation. All of them beery and therefore all of them good.

Just finished drinking mine. It lasted 2 months and tasted absolutely cracking. It took a lot of time (~6 weeks) in the pressure barrel before it became perfect. Strong too. I'm not used to feeling squiffy after 3 pints.

 

[Graz]

Just bought one of these kits. Looking forward to making it now having read this. Think I'll make up the other kit I have first so that this one gets longer to mature :)

Beer never seems to stay around for long in my house :drunk:

 

[terrym]

Just bought one of these kits. Looking forward to making it now having read this. Think I'll make up the other kit I have first so that this one gets longer to mature :)
Beer never seems to stay around for long in my house :drunk:

In my experience this beer is definitely better when drunk earlier rather than later, simply because the hop flavours start to diminish.
I also noticed this with the Youngs AIPA.
So don't wait, do it next!

 

[Graz]

Ok boss :)

 

[Cqr]

Gutted after trying the sample I was very impressed
So I removed the lid fully to start transferring to the bottling bucket
And my ������������������������ nail varnish remover fell from a shelf strate in
Lucky f'ing sink
Moan over

 

[wfr42]

First up I think this is a great pint.

However despite sometimes a week in the fridge my bottles still have really "loose" yeast and I end up with a cloudy pint.

Having moved to BIAB, I may only do this again and stick this in a PB (I have one good one and one that is OK) which may actually help with the loose bottle yeast.

Anyone else found that this needs a really careful pour?

 

[chuffer]

First up I think this is a great pint.

However despite sometimes a week in the fridge my bottles still have really "loose" yeast and I end up with a cloudy pint.

Having moved to BIAB, I may only do this again and stick this in a PB (I have one good one and one that is OK) which may actually help with the loose bottle yeast.

Anyone else found that this needs a really careful pour?

Yes, mine is quite cloudy!

 

[chuffer]

I took this brew up to show some mates at the weekend, all impressed with the flavour (even had one comment to say it was the best pint of the night he'd had after we'd been out drinking all evening).....but it's cloudy as be-jesus this brew and I was quite careful avoiding sediment