Recipe No. 23
Recipe by Jaco de Waal
The history of the Blonde Ale finds its ancestors in the centuries old traditions of both Pale Ale and Kölsch. Modern Blonde Ales are now brewed across the world, each having its own slight variation on the same theme. It’s important to note that blonde does not just denote the colour of the beer. It is typically an easy-drinking ale, with a low but pleasing hop bitterness and light malty sweetness. It is a light to medium-bodied ale, which has a balance between light sweetness, spice and low to medium fruity ester flavours. Like all blondes, no matter where in the world they originate from, there’s more to a true Blonde than meets the eye.
Additional Information:
OG – Original Gravity
A gravity reading taken just prior to yeast being added, or pitched, is referred to as the original gravity (OG). The OG will provide the brewer with a good idea of the potential alcohol percentage for that particular beer.
SG – Specific Gravity
The Specific Gravity is a key measurement in determining when your beer or cider has completed the fermentation process and ready for bottling. The most commonly used tool to measure this is a Hydrometer.
FG – Final Gravity
If the fermentation is finished, the specific gravity is called the final gravity. For example, for a typical strength beer, original gravity (abbreviated OG) could be 1.050 and FG could be 1.010.
IBU – International Bitterness Units
International Bitterness Units are a chemical/instrumental measurement of the number of bittering compounds, specifically isomerized and oxidized alpha acids, polyphenols and a few other select bittering chemicals, that make your beer taste bitter.
EBC – European Brewery Convention
EBC Colour Units is the method established by the European Brewery Convention for assessing the colour of wort or beer.
ABV – Alcohol by volume
ABV is the standard measurement to assess the strength of a particular beer. The higher the ABV, the more alcohol that beer contains. Lighter beers range from 4-4.5% ABV, with percentages getting higher with heavier styles of beer.
PPG – Points per Pound per Gallon.
PPG relates the amount of gravity points, contributed by one pound in one gallon of water. It refers to the overall yield obtained from the mash in terms of the amount of wort collected.
AA – Alpha Acids
Alpha Acids are a compound in hops that add bitterness to a beer. This measurement tells you how much bitterness will be attributed to the beer by a particular hop strain. The AA is typically given as a percentage and can vary based on hop strain and crop year.
PLEASE NOTE:
All recipes are used at your own risk. Avon Guard East cc T/A Millside Craft Distilling Supplies cannot be held liable for any consequential losses.