Maeon Craft Workshop Recipe | CPA-001 | 2026-01-31 American Pale Ale | Single Hop Citra Bomb
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Style | American Pale Ale |
| ABV | 5.3% (actual) |
| IBU | 35 (Rager) |
| BU/GU | 0.69 |
| Color | 12 EBC |
| Batch | 25 L |
| System | Hopcat 65L |
| Category | Item | Value |
|---|---|---|
| GRAVITY | Pre-Boil | 1.044 (11°P) |
| OG | 1.051 (12.6°P) | |
| FG | 1.011 (actual) | |
| WATER | Mash Water | 25.46 L |
| Sparge Water | 11.08 L | |
| Total Water | 36.54 L | |
| Boil Size | 32.13 L | |
| Post-Boil | 28.13 L | |
| EFFICIENCY | Brewhouse | 75% |
| Mash | 81% | |
| MALT | Inter Pale Malt | 5.45 kg (95.6%) 4.3 EBC |
| Caramunich I | 250 g (4.4%) 101 EBC | |
| Total | 5.7 kg | |
| HOPS | 60 min - Citra 13.4% | 8.2 g → 13 IBU |
| 30 min - Citra 13.4% | 7.3 g → 7 IBU | |
| 0 min - Citra 13.4% | 45.5 g → 12 IBU | |
| ⭐ Hop Stand 65-70°C - Citra 12% | 120 g → 3 IBU | |
| Total Hops | 181 g → 35 IBU | |
| MASH | Mash | 65°C × 60 min |
| Mash Out | 75°C × 10 min | |
| YEAST | Fermentis Safale US-05 | 1 pkg (81% atten) |
| FERMENT | Temperature | 18°C |
| Duration | 14 days | |
| Carbonation | 2.4 CO2-vol |
- Heat mash water (25.46L) to 68-70°C
- Add grains slowly, stir to avoid clumps
- Target temp: 65°C
- Hold for 60 minutes
- Raise to 75°C
- Hold for 10 minutes
- Heat sparge water (11.08L) to 75-78°C
- Sparge slowly
| Time | Action |
|---|---|
| 60 min | Add 8.2g Citra |
| 30 min | Add 7.3g Citra |
| 0 min | Flame out, add 45.5g Citra |
- Cool to 65-70°C (lower = more aroma, same IBU)
- Add 120g Citra
- Whirlpool for 10 minutes
- Chill to 18-20°C
- Transfer to fermenter
- Pitch yeast US-05
- Ferment at 18°C for 14 days
- Check FG around day 10
Tropical Fruit Bomb: Orange, Mango, Passion Fruit
The 120g hop stand at 65-70°C gives 2.6x more aroma than standard 45.5g @ 80°C while keeping the same IBU!
- ⭐ Hop Stand temp is crucial - 65-70°C preserves volatile oils
- 🌡️ Keep fermentation stable at 18°C
- 🍺 Best fresh - drink within 2-3 months
| Temp | IBU from 120g | Aroma |
|---|---|---|
| 80°C | ~16 IBU | ⭐⭐ |
| 70°C | ~8 IBU | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 65°C | ~3 IBU | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Lower temp = less alpha acid isomerization = same bitterness with MORE aroma!
| Date | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-31 | Workshop brew day | First batch with Toto. OG 1.051 ✅. Hops increased to 181g (120g hop stand @ 65-70°C). |
| 2026-02-17 | Fermentation complete | FG 1.011, ABV ~5.3% |
| 2026-02-26 | Tasting (Day 26) | See tasting notes below |
| Attribute | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Carbonation | ✅ Good | ซ่าอยู่ |
| Caramel/Malt | ✅ Good | พอดี |
| FG | ✅ On point | 1.011 |
| Diacetyl | ✅ None | Clean |
| Bitterness | Oxidized beta acid (hulupone) — ขมแหลม กัดลิ้น ไม่ clean | |
| Aroma | ❌ Missing | ไม่หอม tropical fruit — กลิ่นใบชา polyphenol แทน |
| Mouthfeel | เผ็ด burn นิดๆ จาก polyphenol |
Diagnosis: Oxidized Citra hops
The Citra hops used were likely oxidized (stored improperly or old stock). Evidence:
- No tropical fruit aroma (myrcene, linalool, geraniol evaporated/degraded)
- Tea-leaf/polyphenol flavor (hop polyphenol extraction)
- Harsh, lingering bitterness (hulupone from oxidized beta acid)
- Slight peppery burn (astringent polyphenols)
Contributing factor: 120g oxidized hops in hop stand = ~3x polyphenol + hulupone extraction vs original 45.5g recipe.
Note: Lowering hop stand temp from 80°C → 65-70°C was correct technique — this did NOT cause the harshness. Lower temp actually reduces isomerization and preserves aroma. The problem was hop freshness, not temperature.
- ❄️ Cold crash 0-2°C for 3-5 days to drop polyphenol
- 🍺 Blend with fresh beer to dilute harshness
- ⏳ Time — harsh bitterness reduces slightly over weeks
- Smell-check hops before use — cheesy/no aroma = oxidized → discard
- Store hops in vacuum-sealed bags in freezer at all times
- Check crop year — hops >1 year lose 30-50% alpha acid
- Use HSI (Hop Storage Index) to calculate actual remaining alpha acid
- Increasing hop stand amount is fine IF hops are fresh 👍
Author: Toto (โตโต้) Source: Brewfather + Maeon Craft Oracle Last Updated: 2026-02-26
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