The Pale Ale is a popular type of beer known for its hoppy aroma and balanced flavor profile. It's characterized by a golden to copper color, a moderate alcohol content, and a refreshing bitterness.
Pale Ales originated in England in the 18th century. They were brewed using pale malts and a generous amount of hops, giving them a lighter color and a more pronounced hop character compared to traditional brown ales. As British brewers began to export Pale Ales to India, a stronger and more heavily hopped version was developed to withstand the long journey. This style became known as India Pale Ale (IPA).
American Pale Ale is a popular and versatile beer style that offers a wide range of flavors. The bitterness of the hops is balanced by the sweetness of the malt, and the beer can have a variety of other flavors, including citrus, pine, tropical fruit, and caramel.
The Pale Ale brew kit by iGulu is more closely representative of American Pale Ale, however with slight tweaking of yeast strains, brew ingredients, and fermentation times, the Pale Ale brew kit can be used as a base to create other Pale Ale variations.
iGulu Pale Ale Brew Kit Breakdown:
-
CBW Pale Ale DME, by Briess, USA | Net Wt.: 1lb
A pure malted barley extract made from a blend of malt and water. It can be used for production of all beer styles. Color, flavor and gravity can be adjusted when brewing all grain beers.
CBW® Pale Ale DME is produced from 100% Briess Pale Ale Malt, a fully modified high extract, low protein malt that is not just a darker Brewers Malt. The proprietary malting process for Briess Pale Ale Malt involves careful monitoring of the kiln drying process and specialized temperature rests that result in the development of its unique flavor. Briess Pale Ale Malt is produced in the U.S.A. from AMBA/BMBRI recommended 2-Row malting varieties.
Advantages include: boosted gravity, great color, improved body and head retention, etc.
Briess Malt & Ingredients Company is the only vertically integrated malting company in North America. That means you are assured of receiving only the fullest flavored, freshest, pure malt extracts for top brewhouse performance.
-
Dry Brewing Yeast 01, by Lesaffre Et Compagnie, France | Net Wt. 0.07oz
The 01 is a Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. chevalieri that has been specifically selected for the production of low and/or non-alcoholic beverages (<0.5ABV). This yeast does not assimilate maltose and maltotriose but assimilates simple sugars (priming sugar & DME) and is characterized by a subtle aroma profile. Yeast with a medium sedimentation: forms no clumps but a powdery haze when resuspended in the beer.
The Lesaffre Dry Brewing Yeast is best used in direct pitching:
Add the yeast directly in the iGulu keg on the surface at or above the fermentation temperature. Progressively sprinkle the dry yeast into the mixture ensuring the yeast covers all the surface available to avoid clumps.
-
Natural Hops Bitter Extract-25, by Lesaffre Et Compagnie, France | Net Vol. 0.067 fl oz
Made using fresh organic hop flowers, iGulu carefully selects and meticulously processes their hops to ensure the highest quality extracts.
- Natural Hops Aromatic Extract - Mosaic, by Lesaffre Et Compagnie, France | Net Vol. 0.07 fl oz
-
Priming Sugar Packets, by LD Carlson Co., USA | Net Wt. 1oz
There are several distinct importances to adding the priming sugar packets included in your brew kit. Priming sugar will help carbonate your beer and also influencer the flavor, sweetness, color, and most notably, provides food for the yeast during fermentation.
-
Pale Ale Flavoring
The flavor of an APA is determined by the type of hops used, the amount of hops used, and the brewing process. By experimenting with different flavoring varieties and brewing techniques, you can create an APA with a unique flavor profile that is sure to please your taste buds.
Here are some specific flavoring techniques that you can use to create different flavors in your APAs:
- Dry hopping: Dry hopping is a technique in which hops pellets are added to the beer after fermentation. This allows the hops to add their flavor and aroma to the beer without adding bitterness. Dry hopping can be used to create a variety of flavors, including citrus, pine, and tropical fruit and enhance the hoppy, bitter character of the beer.
- Fruit: Adding fruit or fruit peels to your APA can add sweetness and tartness. Some common fruits used in APAs include citrus fruits, berries, and tropical fruits.
- Spices: Spices can add a variety of flavors to your APA. Some common spices used in APAs include cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
- Herbs: Herbs can add a variety of flavors and aromas to your APA. Some common herbs used in APAs include rosemary, thyme, basil, and even tea leaves.
- Honey: An in-house favorite, the iGulu family prefers the addition of honey into the pale ale flavoring process. The honey adds a slight sweetness while providing strong hints the honey aromas. Various types of honey carry slightly different profiles. Our current favorite is using Logan Honey.
No matter what flavoring techniques you use, the most important thing is to experiment and have fun. With a little creativity, you can create an APA that is uniquely your own.
How to brew American Pale Ale with the iGulu F1 in 3 easy steps:
- Pour in the iGulu Pale Ale ingredients from the Pale Ale brew kit
- Scan the RFID provided in the brew kit. OR Select Pale Ale from the pre-set menu. Tap Brew.
-
Wait for brew process to complete and enjoy!
Note: Due to differences in taste preference and ambient brewing temperatures, additional fermentation time may be needed.
