One of my most recent brews was an attempt at American Blonde Ale. I was looking to create something that was pale and yellow in color but with a decent American hop kick. Something to bridge the gap in my current selection of brews on the kegorator (Stout, Red Lager and Saison).
With recipe in hand I headed to my local brewshop with little time to spare during the work day. I couldn’t find one ingredient that I had planned to used so started to get creative. Perhaps a little too creative as my would be pale yellow beer turned into a not so Blonde Ale mistake.

My original recipe called for a mix of Pilsner, munich and a little aromatic malt. Well the shop either was out of aromatic or it had been moved since I last looked for it. I also didn’t really have time to ask for help. So looking at what else was available I considered things like melanoidin malt, Crystal 20 or maybe even some carapils. Anything to help round out the depth in the malt malt bill I was creating.
Well then I saw it… CaraAroma malt. Something in the back of my brain wasn’t firing right because I went for a half pound of this stuff as a straight up pound for pound substitute for the aromatic malt.

I know they are not the same but the true distance between them didn’t occur to me until long after all the grain was milled. CaraAroma malt is 120L. The half pound of that stuff totally crushed my Blonde Ale and turned it into more of an unnatural redhead.

The good news is that everything else about this brew was great. I did a mixing/layering of Centennial and Cascade hops. Two classics that shouldn’t be forgotten. They play so nice together. And my fermenation with US05 American Ale yeast was totally spot on. I also was playing with a longer and more vigorous boil, so my hot and cold break were greatly improved, leading to a clearer beer in the end. (More on that another day).

All in all my Blonde Ale mistake turned out to be a great drinking beer. It doesn’t fit the style guidelines on color but it certainly tastes like a winner. Maybe I can send it into to some judges but tell them not to look at it… Besides appearance is only 3 points out of 50 and the clarity would have to count for something right??? might be worth sending it in to just drive some judges crazy.