Epic Pale Ale Clone

[John G]

I'm having a hankering for some hoppy session beer in the house so tomorrow I'm brewing the CYBI Epic Pale Ale clone with some mods based on ingredient availability. Below is my recipe:

OG 1.052
FG 1.013
Colour 8.2 SRM
IBU 23 (actually more but program won't calculate whirlpool steeping)
Mash Efficiency 82%
90 minute boil
Finished Volume 18.9L

Fermentables
Ingredient Amount %
UK Pale Ale 3.863 kg 79.8 %
Belgian Caravienne 0.494 kg 10.2 %
US Crystal 30 0.323 kg 6.7 %
US Carapils 0.162 kg 3.3 %


Hops
Variety Alpha Amount IBU Form When
US Cascade 6.9 % 7 g 7.4 Loose Pellet Hops 75 Min From End
US Cascade 6.9 % 14 g 8.0 Loose Pellet Hops 30 Min From End
US Cascade 6.9 % 34 g 7.6 Loose Pellet Hops 10 Min From End
US Cascade 6.9 % 42 g 0.0 Loose Pellet Hops At turn off
US Cascade 6.9 % 42 g 0.0 Loose Pellet Hops After 10 min whirlpool, hold for 10 more minutes
US Cascade 6.9 % 57 g 0.0 Loose Pellet Hops Dry-Hopped near end of ferment for 5 days
US Cascade 6.9 % 57 g 0.0 Loose Pellet Hops Dry-Hopped after cooling for 5 days

I'm going to be lazy and just use US05 dry yeast on this one.

[mr x]

That looks really good.

[moxie]

I always have a batch of EdWort's Pale Ale going for this very reason, basically a good highly drinkable and economical session beer. Never had an issue with US-05. 10 days from pitch to keg, ready to drink in 3 weeks. I might give this recipe a go at some point this Summer to change up the pipeline a little bit. Wouldn't mind trying a Sierra Nevada clone at some point, too.

[John G]

I just transferred this one to a 2nd keg after plugging the dip tube with Cascade hops Gotta get one of those hop bags.

I have it at 2ºC at the moment, so a bit too cold to comment much on flavour and aroma, but first sample is nice. There is a light caramel taste with a low bittering hop flavour, and then you're hit with the Cascade dry hops which really stand out in this relatively low OG beer. Can't wait to try it at serving temp with proper carbonation. My mash pH was too low, so I think the bittering hops didn't come through as much as they should have, but I'll fix that next time - that's the best thing about homebrewing. Halifax water is crazy soft for hoppy beers and I didn't add enough minerals to compensate.