Finally got to brewing again. Decided that since it is getting warm, it’s time to start brewing some pale ales. I like my beers on the hoppy side so this might be on the border of what some would consider a pale ale and others would consider an IPA. The recipe is as follows:

10 lbs of American Pale Ale malt 8 oz of Crystal malt 0.5 oz of 15.8 alpha Warrior for 60 minute addition 0.5 oz of 15.8 alpha Warrior for 15 minute addition 2 oz cascade for dry hop

I mashed with 3.5 gallons of water at 151 degrees for about an hour and 15 minutes. I was a bit worried because the mash took longer than usual to start tasting sweet (I usually taste a bit during my stirrings, which I do every 15 minutes). I’m guessing the American Pale Ale malt is less modified than the Maris Otter malt I usually use. In the end it sweetened right up (I should really do the starch test with iodine, but since I have yet to have issues with full conversion, I never do). I ended up sparging with 6 gallons more of water. After a boil of about an hour and a half, I ended up with 5 gallons of wort with a starting gravity of 1.051. I decided I was going to be happy if I could get it above 1.045 so this is very good news. This beer will be served during the drivers rodeo after party and also during the western mass beerfest I am hosting.