Batch 11

American pale ales (APA) are usually very fresh and delightful, so why not make another one? The SMASH I did in Batch 6 was really good, but this time I did a recipe with a bit more advanced malt and hops scheme.

With the heavy stout as my last batch fresh in mind, I didn’t want to make another one just yet since making something that heavy on alcohol meant I needed to make adjustments so I wouldn’t end up with the same full kettle like last time, making a big mess. The problem with making those adjustments isn’t that I would get a lower alcohol beer, but less liters of finished beer which wasn’t what I was looking for this time.

This time I aimed for something that would fit nicely for the upcoming summer, something that is fresh and a real thirst quencher, but importantly a bit lower on alcohol so I would get enough bottles for it to last a while. There’s multiple styles that would fit this description, but I had to pick one so why not do another APA.

With the finished beer in hand, I’ve to say that I picked the right one. It’s really refreshing but still down to earth, not exaggerating anything, a bit tart and smells wonderful from all the aroma dry hopping. It turned out just as I’d hope, or even better yet!

For this batch, I had made an addition to the labeling by adding another label behind it to include more information like a small description, three separate circles visualizing body, hops and color. I think it enhances the experience and makes it a bit more enjoyable.