No.015 ・ Citra Amarillo XPA
Verdict: Very easy drinking but not particularly interesting. Nice fruity aroma, pillowy white head with outstanding retention. Appears golden and hazy due to chill haze. Tastes fairly one dimensional. Fruity notes as to be expected with Citra and Amarillo, little to no malt character.
Recipe
Vol: 10L (Half batch)
Mash: 60 min @ 65°C
Yeast: Safale US05
Targets:
| OG | FG | ABV | IBU | EBC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.051 | 1.013 | 5.2% | 28 | 11.7 |
OG
1.052
FG
1.013
ABV
5.2%
IBU
30
EBC
12
1. Mash
| Grain | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| American Ale Malt | 1900 g | (77.2%) |
| Wheat Malt | 460 g | (18.7%) |
| CaraMunich | 100 g | (4.1%) |
2. Hop Boil
| Hop | time | weight (g) | AA % | IBU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus | 15 | 10 g | 9.7 | 13.5 |
| Amarillo | 5 | 18 g | 9.7 | 5.4 |
| Citra | 5 | 18 g | 11.1 | 6.2 |
| Amarillo | 5 | 12 g | 8.5 | 4.8 |
| Citra | dry hop | 20 g | 11.1 | |
| Amarillo | dry hop | 10 g | 8.5 |
3. Ferment
Brew Log
Boil
30 min long boil. Hops additions at 15m and 5m (w/ whirlfloc). Flame out. Ice bath. Cooled within 45 min. Pitched at room temp. Dumped most of trub into fermenter.
Fermentation
Brew Day (3/10) - 13.5 Brix @ pitching. Fermented at 18°C (from memory) for 10 days.
Day 1 (4/10) - Clarity ferm added.
Day 6 (9/10) - 7.2 Brix = 1.012 gravity.
Day 10 (13/10) - Raised temp to 20°C to deal with any potential diactyl (even though fermentation complete). No cold crash. Bottled on Day 18 (21/10).
| OG | FG | ABV |
|---|---|---|
| 1.052 | 1.012 | 5.3% |
Tasting Score
3/5
Appearance - Pale to golden in color. Pours hazy due to chill haze. White pillowy head with outstanding retention.
Smell - Medium intensity. Sweet, fruity aroma.
Taste - Clean fermentation (finally! I’ve had some difficulty with US05 throwing peachy notes) with no perceivable off flavors. No interesting malt character. One dimensional in flavor. As one would expect from a Citra or Amarillo SMaSH type beer.
Mouthfeel - Light and smooth. Easy drinking, drinks like a lager.
Overall - Would serve it to friends and drink this over a big commercial beer. However, there’s nothing particularly remarkable or notable about this beer. If I ordered this at a bar expecting an interesting craft beer I would be sorely disappointed.