Smiling Sky Pale Ale was our first keeper, and the initial batch of this delicious pale ale will always have a special place in our hearts. First born in our minds as a Citra pale, the Citra hops turned out to be elusive, so some replacements needed to be chosen. Instead, small amounts of Simcoe would provide the smooth bitterness while more Simcoe in addition to Cascade and Centennial dry hopping would provide a complex, clean, and sweet aroma of strong citrus, floral, and subtle pine characteristics. Maris Otter makes up the base of this recipe's grain bill, almost equaled by American 2-Row. Dashes of Vienna malt and Crystal 20 make up our specialty grains and give this pale just a hint of nutty maltiness underneath the wonderful hop bouquet. Coming in at 36 IBUs and 5.5% ABV (OG: 1.053, FG: 1.011), this pale is well balanced and flavorful. We intend to develop a pale for every season, with Smiling Sky only available during the summer time.
Ingredients:
Grains and specialty malts: Maris Otter, American 2-Row, Vienna, Crystal 20
Bittering and flavoring hops: Simcoe
Aroma and finishing hops: Cascade and Centennial
Dry hopping: Simcoe, Cascade, and Centennial
Yeast: White Labs WLP001 - California Ale
