American Pale Ale Recipe (All-Grain): 5 to 30 Gallons
An all-grain American Pale Ale recipe you can brew at 5 to 30 gallons: 5.2% ABV and 32 IBU, with the grain bill, hop schedule, yeast and step-by-step process.
In this post
American Pale Ale at a glance: 5.2% ABV, 32 IBU, OG 1.052. A clean, balanced American pale ale: a light caramel malt backbone, Cascade and Centennial for citrus and grapefruit, and a dry finish. It’s one of the most forgiving beers to brew and a good first all-grain recipe.
Bräu Supply recipe · All-grain
American Pale Ale
Grain · for 5 gal into the fermenter
| 9.5 lb (4.31 kg) | 2-row pale malt | 88% |
| 0.75 lb (0.34 kg) | Crystal 40 | 7% |
| 0.5 lb (0.23 kg) | Carapils / dextrin malt | 5% |
Hops
| 0.5 oz (14 g) | Magnum · 13% AA | 60 min |
| 1 oz (28 g) | Cascade · 6% AA | 10 min |
| 1 oz (28 g) | Cascade · 6% AA | Whirlpool, 20 min |
| 1 oz (28 g) | Centennial · 10% AA | Whirlpool, 20 min |
| 1 oz (28 g) | Cascade · 6% AA | Dry hop, 3 days |
| 1 oz (28 g) | Centennial · 10% AA | Dry hop, 3 days |
Yeast and water
| 1 pkg | American ale yeast (US-05, WLP001 or Wyeast 1056) | |
| Water | Moderately hard water with more sulfate than chloride (about 2:1) keeps the hops crisp. | |
Process
- Mash: 152°F (67°C) for 60 minutes
- Boil: 60 minutes
- Ferment: 66°F (19°C) for 10 to 14 days
- Condition: Dry hop on day 5 to 7 for 3 days, then cold crash and package
- Carbonate: 2.4 volumes of CO₂
Brew it on
Based on 72% brewhouse efficiency and about 5.5 gal after the boil for a 5 gal batch. Adjust the base malt if your system runs higher or lower. Hops scale in a straight line; larger kettles extract a little more bitterness.
How to brew it
- Mash the grain at 152°F (67°C) for 60 minutes, then sparge or lift the grain basket.
- Boil 60 minutes, adding hops on the schedule. At flameout, cool to about 180°F (82°C) and add the whirlpool hops for 20 minutes.
- Chill to 64°F (18°C), oxygenate, and pitch the yeast.
- Ferment at 66°F (19°C). When the gravity is within a few points of final, add the dry hops for 3 days.
- Cold crash, then keg or bottle at about 2.4 volumes of CO₂.
Tips
- Keep crystal malt around 7%: more makes the beer sweet and dulls the hops.
- Use the freshest Cascade you can find; its aroma fades quickly in storage.
- For a hoppier version, double the whirlpool hops rather than the bittering charge.
Frequently asked questions
How is a pale ale different from an IPA?
An IPA is usually stronger and more heavily hopped. This pale ale sits at about 5% and 32 IBU; an IPA is typically 6 to 7.5% and 50 to 70 IBU. See our IPA guide.
Can I use other hops?
Yes. Any citrusy American hop works: swap Centennial for Amarillo or Citra, and keep the bittering hop the same.
Related guides
Bitterness vs hoppiness, how to dry hop, mash temperature chart.