I'm happy to say that while I can't really tell you if the result was close to an actual Epic Pale Ale, I AM quite happy with the beer. Even 6 weeks after bottling, the beer is still very hoppy and refreshing. The calculated IBUs are also, as I suspected, a poor representation of the actual perceived-bitterness for the beer - the long whirlpool additions likely contributed more bittering units to the beer than my beer software could account for.
Appearance: Pours with a moderate-large, white fluffy head. Slowly recedes to 1/2-finger. Body is a dark, burnished gold, with very good clarity.
Aroma: Very prominent citrusy hop aroma. Even 6 weeks after bottling, the hops are really coming through. There is some sweetness coming through from the Crystal malt, but there’s no doubt this is a really hoppy pale ale. No diacetyl.
Taste: A bit of sweetness comes through right away, but is followed and dominated by the citrusy Cascade hops. Finishes fairly dry, with moderate bitterness. No diacetyl. No real flaws detected.
Mouthfeel: Medium-light bodied, with moderate carbonation.
Overall: A really tasty APA; I’d love to have an Epic Pale to compare, especially a fresh one, but that’s pretty unlikely. Regardless of how close it is, it’s an APA I would brew again. Next time I’ll probably try the Wyeast 1272 recommended by the Epic brewer.
There's nothing better than a nice, hoppy Pale Ale. I try to have one on tap at all times, though I've hit a bit of a gap in my pipeline and don't have one on currently.
ReplyDelete1272 is a great yeast for pretty much any American style. Over the past year, it's become my house yeast. My house Pale Ale that I'm brewing this weekend will be using a pitch of 5th generation 1272.
I would have loved to be more true to the recipe and use the 1272, but NG doesn't seem to keep it regularly in stock, and I didn't have the 3-4 weeks to wait for it to be ordered, unfortunately.
DeleteWhat would you say the main difference(s) is/are with it, compared to 1056 or US-05?