Blonde ales are not only one of the easiest beers to make but one of the most approachable styles. Thank you for always inspiring so many of us in the brewing community with your expertise and passion. Merry Christmas to you and your growing family!!
Love me some blonde ales!!! Definitely an underrated style but a good one to give out to people that are not craft beer drinkers! Very approachable and easy to drink, cheers Steve 🍻Enjoy the holidays as a new dad!!!!
Blondes are great, by themselves or with some additions. The one we make is with coffee from a local roaster. It plays almost like a white stout, light caramel notes, maple syrup, coffee, clean on your palette. Nice video!
Love your content man. Been watching your channel for more than a year, and now that I’m producing my own homebrew content I have a new found appreciation for your work. Much love, and thanks for the inspiration that sparked my hobby into a passion!
Great easy drinking style! Made a few blonde ales this summer along with some other light golden lagers. I trided a few smash beers and well.... I love Triumph Hop as a SMASH Blonde Ales bright aromas of orange, lime, peach pit, stone fruit After a few batches, i was picking up a faint pink bubble gum after taste Triumph's parentage is very interesting. It consists of East Kent Goldings, Brewers Gold, Nugget, and Hallertau Mittelfrüh Anything overdone can overpower this style of beer, so keep the hops limited. Triumph over done Turns this ale more into a fruity ale with this style hop then Is in a typical blonde ale so hop on the lighter side with this varietal. There are ton of different varieties that compliment this style of beer. We grow over eighty different varieties in our hop yard and use blonde ales as a Good sensory style to really let the hops shine through. Triumph has a bunch of applications in different styles, but i love this hop for Blondes 😊
I make a beer similar to this recipe, but all the hops I use are Amarillo. I also use Cyro hops at 5 mins left to boil and flame out. As well as to dry hop.
love cascade hops made a all Belma hop pale ale with dry hoping with the Belma hop. At a week after kegging I didn't like it but after curing in the keg for 2 weeks its great
The last beer I brewed was a blonde ale with Gambrinus ESB malt, Saaz and Barbe Rouge. I wanted something simple for my friends that usually just drink PBR and it was an absolute crowd pleaser!
I did a dank IPA with experimental hops during the summer. After dryhopping, I racked the 5 gallons to another bucket. Then I cleaned and sanitized the first bucket and racked half of it back and put about 3 pounds of (frozen/thawed) raspberries on top. I tasted it about every 12 hours for about 2 1/2 days till I got the taste I wanted. It tasted like tart raspberry as opposed to a sour IPA. I took both versions to October Fest and lots of compliments and conversations about both.😁🍻
I see that Vevor name everywhere. I ordered a Vevor 5 gallon kettle to add to my small batch arsenal. That growler looks tempting to get as well. That blonde ale looks promising. It is an underappreciated style. Is a blonde beer basically an "extra pale ale"?
Hey Steve! My Hoppy Holidays sweater is coming in this week! Looking to brew my first batch within a few months. Always appreciate the knowledge and recommendations in the videos. Going to consider this brew when I start! Congrats on having your child!
Oh man! You got me excited with this one! I have been making this beer for thirty years, except I normally use all Cascade and whirlpool the late addition. I like Briess 2-row base, Briess 20L crystal fermented with a Chico strain for this, but I always use what I have on hand. This is a great one to do as a no-chill. This is my beautiful blonde low- maintenance girlfriend in a pair of faded jeans. I am always glad to see her! This is also a good SMASH with Maris Otter. I'm gonna leave work early and brew one tonight!
Just made this one using your recipe from Brewfather. Looking to keg it this weekend. Would love to see your spin on a Japanese rice lager. Spent 8.5yrs in Japan and consumed my fair share of Asahi beer.
Couldn't figure out what I wanted to brew next but I think I know now.. also would be nice to use the Cellar Science California Ale yeast I got for free from Morebeer about a year ago. Thanks for the great content and the inspiration
Funny shit. I was helping a fellow brewer put his recipe for a Blonde (Centennial) in Brewfather. So I was going with a Christmas Amber Ale once I got home. Looked at Brewfather and started putting all the grain in the bucket for grinding. Once I got done and looked at the grain bill. And thought to myself, "self", there's no Munich or Carmel malts for color. You guessed it, I didn't look at the title in Brewfather. Yep, guess I'm brewing a Blonde 😅😅 Was an easy brew. Merry Christmas, Steve. 🎁 🎄 🎅 🧑🎄
Wow, if any sort of ale is a lawnmower beer, you guys have it pretty good in USA. I assumed everywhere, a go to lawnmower beer was a macro lager, the lighter the better.
Really good video! Been using similar simple pale ale base for single hop testing, big whirlpool additions. Using voss kveik for yeast tho, been working nicely. Merry Xmas Steve to you and family!
Given the recent surge in popularity of pilsners (at least in my area), I wouldn't be too surprised to see blonde ales make a comeback as well. As much as I enjoy show-stopper beers, it's nice sometimes just to have a beer with dinner and not have to worry about it wrecking my palette.
Blonde ales are highly underrated IMO. They are supposed to be "break-through" beers for non craft beer drinkers. Hogwash! You don't need to have 7 ounces of 6 varieties of hops to have a good beer. Most people I know, and most people in the world, want to have multiple beers that taste great. There are different beer styles for different reasons and nobody should feel that by brewing a blonde ale you are making something inferior to the latest juicy mango hop bomb, it's just a different style. Craft breweries are trend chasers and blonde ales are not very trendy. I've been home brewing since 1977 and blonde ale is still on my beer calendar for summer. Thanks for the video Steve.
They can definitely be gateway beers to more flavorful styles but I agree, they are not supposed to be over-the-top with flavors. Just a gentle touch with some hops and good quality malt character is all you need.
I can't say if I really prefer one over the other, they both have their strengths and weaknesses. The Clawhammer can do higher OG beers and its easier to move around, but the blichmann controller is amazing and the system is set up to do everything without ever disconnecting a hose, which is great too
@TheApartmentBrewer Those Vevor growlers are nice. I was lucky enough to get my hands on the red 270oz and use a Sodastream tank after getting the adapter from Amazon.
Those later adds are high for a blonde me thinks. 0.7 @15 and flameout would do the trick. Also would consider a bump in mash temp a degree or two. 1.005 is a bit too dry IMO.
Great blond ales are hard to make. The yeast really stands out and a crappy fermentation will really evident. Kveik at high temps is not a replacement if you want really neutral blond ale. replacement. I usually just add some whirlpool hops in low amounts to add a little aroma. Its easy to go overboard into session IPA with low ibus. I am gonna brew one next week now. Love it.
Usually I don't because I really don't need to. There's enough space in the kettle to do a full volume mash and I still can get 70% efficiency with a good crush so 9 times out of 10 I will skip the step
Blonde ales are not only one of the easiest beers to make but one of the most approachable styles. Thank you for always inspiring so many of us in the brewing community with your expertise and passion. Merry Christmas to you and your growing family!!
Thank you so much and the same to you all!
Love me some blonde ales!!! Definitely an underrated style but a good one to give out to people that are not craft beer drinkers! Very approachable and easy to drink, cheers Steve 🍻Enjoy the holidays as a new dad!!!!
Very well said, by one amazing brewing innovator! Keep doing amazing things.
Yup, one of the best gateway beers to more flavor! Cheers and happy holidays to you and your family as well Brian!
No one on YT is clearer in their presentation than you. I appreciate how much you've taught me! I'm gonna make this for sure!
I really appreciate that! I'm really glad you've learned from the channel, thats what its all about. Cheers and happy brewing!
Blondes are great, by themselves or with some additions. The one we make is with coffee from a local roaster. It plays almost like a white stout, light caramel notes, maple syrup, coffee, clean on your palette. Nice video!
Love your content man. Been watching your channel for more than a year, and now that I’m producing my own homebrew content I have a new found appreciation for your work. Much love, and thanks for the inspiration that sparked my hobby into a passion!
I'm really glad you enjoy the channel! Its definitely a lot of work but a labor of love. Best of luck with your content!
@@TheApartmentBrewer thank you bubba! Prost!!!🍻
Great easy drinking style!
Made a few blonde ales this summer along with some other light golden lagers.
I trided a few smash beers and well....
I love Triumph Hop as a SMASH Blonde Ales
bright aromas of orange, lime, peach pit, stone fruit
After a few batches, i was picking up a faint pink bubble gum after taste
Triumph's parentage is very interesting. It consists of East Kent Goldings, Brewers Gold, Nugget, and Hallertau Mittelfrüh
Anything overdone can overpower this style of beer, so keep the hops limited. Triumph over done Turns this ale more into a fruity ale with this style hop then Is in a typical blonde ale so hop on the lighter side with this varietal.
There are ton of different varieties that compliment this style of beer. We grow over eighty different varieties in our hop yard and use blonde ales as a Good sensory style to really let the hops shine through.
Triumph has a bunch of applications in different styles, but i love this hop for Blondes 😊
Very interesting, I haven't actually ever brewed with that hop before, I'll have to try it out!
big fan of the American Blonde, and balanced beers in general. I also probably go a little heavy on the late hops. Cheers!
I make a beer similar to this recipe, but all the hops I use are Amarillo. I also use Cyro hops at 5 mins left to boil and flame out. As well as to dry hop.
Sounds great!
love cascade hops made a all Belma hop pale ale with dry hoping with the Belma hop. At a week after kegging I didn't like it but after curing in the keg for 2 weeks its great
Sounds great! I have yet to try belma
Brewed this one a few weeks back, great lawn mowing beer as it goes down smooth, easy drinking for sure. Cheers 🍻
That's great!!
The last beer I brewed was a blonde ale with Gambrinus ESB malt, Saaz and Barbe Rouge. I wanted something simple for my friends that usually just drink PBR and it was an absolute crowd pleaser!
That sounds quite delicious!
I did a dank IPA with experimental hops during the summer. After dryhopping, I racked the 5 gallons to another bucket. Then I cleaned and sanitized the first bucket and racked half of it back and put about 3 pounds of (frozen/thawed) raspberries on top. I tasted it about every 12 hours for about 2 1/2 days till I got the taste I wanted. It tasted like tart raspberry as opposed to a sour IPA. I took both versions to October Fest and lots of compliments and conversations about both.😁🍻
That is a really interesting experiment, glad it worked out great!
Congratulations on you new addition to the family and happy holidays. 🍻
Thank you very much and the same to you!
I see that Vevor name everywhere. I ordered a Vevor 5 gallon kettle to add to my small batch arsenal. That growler looks tempting to get as well.
That blonde ale looks promising. It is an underappreciated style. Is a blonde beer basically an "extra pale ale"?
Hey Steve! My Hoppy Holidays sweater is coming in this week! Looking to brew my first batch within a few months. Always appreciate the knowledge and recommendations in the videos. Going to consider this brew when I start! Congrats on having your child!
Excellent! I hope you enjoy it, and thank you for the kind words! Cheers and hoppy holidays!
Great vid as always! Can you do a watch collection video at some point? Haha
I JUST brewed a blonde cascade ale. I'm diggin it, reminds me of a British pub ale.
I wonder what this would have turned out like if I used English yeast, next time!
Oh man! You got me excited with this one! I have been making this beer for thirty years, except I normally use all Cascade and whirlpool the late addition. I like Briess 2-row base, Briess 20L crystal fermented with a Chico strain for this, but I always use what I have on hand. This is a great one to do as a no-chill. This is my beautiful blonde low- maintenance girlfriend in a pair of faded jeans. I am always glad to see her! This is also a good SMASH with Maris Otter. I'm gonna leave work early and brew one tonight!
Its a great beer to brew over and over!
Just made this one using your recipe from Brewfather. Looking to keg it this weekend. Would love to see your spin on a Japanese rice lager. Spent 8.5yrs in Japan and consumed my fair share of Asahi beer.
That's a style I have yet to try out!
Couldn't figure out what I wanted to brew next but I think I know now.. also would be nice to use the Cellar Science California Ale yeast I got for free from Morebeer about a year ago. Thanks for the great content and the inspiration
Glad to help solve that problem!
Funny shit.
I was helping a fellow brewer put his recipe for a Blonde (Centennial) in Brewfather.
So I was going with a Christmas Amber Ale once I got home. Looked at Brewfather and started putting all the grain in the bucket for grinding. Once I got done and looked at the grain bill. And thought to myself, "self", there's no Munich or Carmel malts for color. You guessed it, I didn't look at the title in Brewfather. Yep, guess I'm brewing a Blonde 😅😅
Was an easy brew.
Merry Christmas, Steve. 🎁 🎄 🎅 🧑🎄
Haha I've swapped recipes once or twice myself, it happens to all of us! Merry Christmas!
lol, done that myself. What do you get when you want to make a stout but then realize you have no 'black' malts? Yep, blonde.
@@cidmontenegro8225 😁
Wow, if any sort of ale is a lawnmower beer, you guys have it pretty good in USA. I assumed everywhere, a go to lawnmower beer was a macro lager, the lighter the better.
I think any easy drinking beer could be a lawnmower beer. Doesn't have to be macro lager at all
Enjoyed this one. Happy Xmas with the family
Same to you!
Just ordered the ingredients! I'm subbing the honey malt out for real honey, though. Hopefully it turns out. Love the content, keep it up.
Might be a bit dry finishing but should still be quite tasty. Cheers!
Looks great!!!!!!
Now I’m thirsty!
😎👍🏻🍺🍺 cheers buddy.
That's the idea! Cheers and glad you enjoyed it!
Really good video! Been using similar simple pale ale base for single hop testing, big whirlpool additions. Using voss kveik for yeast tho, been working nicely. Merry Xmas Steve to you and family!
Can't beat simple recipes sometimes! The same to you!
Given the recent surge in popularity of pilsners (at least in my area), I wouldn't be too surprised to see blonde ales make a comeback as well. As much as I enjoy show-stopper beers, it's nice sometimes just to have a beer with dinner and not have to worry about it wrecking my palette.
It is an awesome gateway beer to more flavorful types of beer, and certainly one that works well in almost any occasion!
I just brewed a blonde! Used Nottingham yeast. Turned out great!
That's a great yeast choice. Fully finished with some slight fruity esters. I wish more people gave Nottingham a try. It's also good for ciders!
Agreed, notty is definitely a solid choice for this style!
Hugs from Brazil!
Blonde ales are highly underrated IMO. They are supposed to be "break-through" beers for non craft beer drinkers. Hogwash! You don't need to have 7 ounces of 6 varieties of hops to have a good beer. Most people I know, and most people in the world, want to have multiple beers that taste great. There are different beer styles for different reasons and nobody should feel that by brewing a blonde ale you are making something inferior to the latest juicy mango hop bomb, it's just a different style. Craft breweries are trend chasers and blonde ales are not very trendy. I've been home brewing since 1977 and blonde ale is still on my beer calendar for summer. Thanks for the video Steve.
They can definitely be gateway beers to more flavorful styles but I agree, they are not supposed to be over-the-top with flavors. Just a gentle touch with some hops and good quality malt character is all you need.
Great content! And congratulations!!
Thank you!
I ve done Blonde ales but just as a base to add fruit, cheers
Great idea!
I don’t mind a little extra color to my blondes. I often get them 5-6 srm range and just call them Sandy Blondes 😂
Love your videos. I’ve been thinking about using bry-97 but have been scared off due to reports of long lags. How do you like it compared to us05?
I really like it, very comparable to US-05 but I didn't have any lag issues either time I used it.
Do you prefer the Clawhammer or the Blichmann system?
I can't say if I really prefer one over the other, they both have their strengths and weaknesses. The Clawhammer can do higher OG beers and its easier to move around, but the blichmann controller is amazing and the system is set up to do everything without ever disconnecting a hose, which is great too
@TheApartmentBrewer
Those Vevor growlers are nice. I was lucky enough to get my hands on the red 270oz and use a Sodastream tank after getting the adapter from Amazon.
They are!
Good job, I dont miss a video.
Thanks for watching!
What's your burst carb schedule look like?
Less a schedule and more like just set the regulator at 30 psi for a 1-3 days depending on the carb level and temp
Those later adds are high for a blonde me thinks. 0.7 @15 and flameout would do the trick. Also would consider a bump in mash temp a degree or two. 1.005 is a bit too dry IMO.
Id also axe the honey.
The style is definitely wide open for interpretation - there are many different ways to make it!
Try Vic Secret with blonde ale ;D
could i use this water profile with spring water? or just use spring water with no water additions?
You could certainly do that but I don't know that this would result in the same flavor. I'd encourage you to try adding the minerals to that water.
@@TheApartmentBrewer maybe a gram of calcium chloride ? and a gram of gypsum?
@@paulschroeter4987 nothing wrong with a lighter water profile
Great blond ales are hard to make. The yeast really stands out and a crappy fermentation will really evident. Kveik at high temps is not a replacement if you want really neutral blond ale. replacement. I usually just add some whirlpool hops in low amounts to add a little aroma. Its easy to go overboard into session IPA with low ibus. I am gonna brew one next week now. Love it.
As with all lighter styles there is certainly less to hide behind. I agree if using kveik to keep it on the lower end
First! Love your videos!
Hey Steve. I notice you never sparge. Well maybe you do but not in the videos I’ve seen. What’s your reason behind this?
Usually I don't because I really don't need to. There's enough space in the kettle to do a full volume mash and I still can get 70% efficiency with a good crush so 9 times out of 10 I will skip the step