BJCP 18B · Pale American Ale
American Pale Ale
| Stat | Range |
|---|---|
| OG | 1.045 – 1.06 |
| FG | 1.01 – 1.015 |
| ABV | 4.5% – 6.2% |
| IBU | 30 – 50 |
| SRM | 5 – 10 |
Appearance
Pale gold to light amber. Generally clear; modern brewers sometimes leave them slightly hazy. Moderate, persistent off-white head.
Aroma
Moderate to strong American hop aroma — citrus, pine, floral, sometimes tropical. Light to moderate malt aroma, often biscuity. Clean fermentation; very low fruity esters.
Flavour
Pronounced hop flavour and moderate bitterness, balanced by a clear but not dominant malt backbone. Finish is dry without being thin.
Mouthfeel
Medium-light to medium body, medium to medium-high carbonation. Cleaner and less hop-saturated than American IPA.
History
Defined in the late 1980s by Sierra Nevada Pale Ale — a more accessible cousin of the emerging IPA style. The style became the gateway beer for an entire generation of US craft drinkers.
Commercial examples
- Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
- Half Acre Daisy Cutter
- Three Floyds Zombie Dust
American Pale Ale is what an IPA looks like when you turn the volume down by 25%. The grain bill is a little fuller, the hop schedule a little gentler, and the finished beer sits in the 4.5-6% ABV range that lets you drink more than one.
The classic grain bill is pale base malt with 5-8% Crystal 60 for caramel sweetness and colour. Hopping is dominated by American varieties — Cascade is the bedrock; Centennial, Citra, Amarillo or others can supplement or replace.
Recommended ingredients
- Maris Otter Pale MaltThe classic British base malt. Rich, biscuity wort with enough enzymatic power to convert itself and an adjunct or two alongside.
- Crystal 60 LMid-colour crystal malt. Adds amber colour, body, and toffee/dried-fruit sweetness without overpowering the base malt character.
- Cascade HopsThe hop that defined American craft beer in the 1980s. Bright grapefruit, citrus peel and floral notes — most useful late in the boil, in whirlpool and dry hop.
- Fermentis SafAle US-05The dry-form American ale workhorse. Clean, neutral, high attenuation — the right choice when you want your malt and hops to do all the talking.