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James Squire 150 Lashes Pale Ale is the pale ale that brought Australian craft beer to mainstream pub taps, a 4.2% ABV session pale ale with genuine Cascade hop character that convinced a generation of lager drinkers to try craft. Cloning it is a satisfying exercise in session pale ale brewing where hop freshness and balance matter more than recipe complexity. I’ve brewed this clone for summer parties and it consistently converts non-craft drinkers.
James Squire 150 Lashes Pale Ale clone recipe (5 gallon / 19L batch)
Target stats: OG 1.044, FG 1.010, ABV ~4.4%, IBU 22, SRM 5–7, hazy golden with white foam. Grain bill: 7 lbs (3.18 kg) Australian pale malt or Maris Otter. 0.5 lb (227g) wheat malt, 150 Lashes has a hazy, unfiltered character from wheat malt and yeast in suspension; the wheat contributes to the signature milky-golden appearance. 0.25 lb (113g) Crystal 20L, light caramel sweetness. 0.25 lb (113g) CaraPils, head retention. Hops, Cascade-forward Australian craft character: Bittering (60 min): 0.5 oz Cascade, 16 IBU. Flavor (15 min): 0.5 oz Cascade. Aroma (5 min): 0.5 oz Cascade. Whirlpool at 79°C (174°F), 20 min: 0.5 oz Cascade. Dry hop (5–7 days): 0.75 oz Cascade. Total Cascade: 2.75 oz. 150 Lashes is built around Cascade’s grapefruit-citrus character, it’s not the most complex hop bill, but fresh Cascade executed well is genuinely excellent in a session pale ale format. Yeast: White Labs WLP001 California Ale or Fermentis US-05, clean American ale fermentation. Alternatively, an English strain like WLP002 English Ale Yeast fermented slightly cooler (16–18°C / 61–64°F) produces a slightly fruitier character that approaches the commercial 150 Lashes profile. Ferment at 18°C (64°F). Water: Moderate mineral profile, calcium 80 ppm, sulfate 120 ppm, chloride 90 ppm. Process: Single infusion mash at 67°C (153°F) for 60 minutes. 60-minute boil. Ferment 10–12 days. Dry hop at terminal gravity for 5–7 days. Do not fine heavily, 150 Lashes is meant to have some haze. Carbonate to 2.5 volumes CO2.
Common Questions
Is 150 Lashes still craft beer now that James Squire is owned by Lion?
James Squire was acquired by Lion (part of Kirin Holdings, a Japanese multinational) in 2012, along with Little Creatures, so technically, 150 Lashes is produced by a major multinational-backed company rather than an independent craft brewery. Whether this disqualifies it as “craft” depends on your definition. The Independent Brewers Association of Australia would not certify James Squire as independent; by volume and ownership criteria, it’s a mainstream commercial product despite its craft origin story. What hasn’t changed: 150 Lashes is still brewed at the Malt Shovel Brewery in Sydney (and at Lion’s other Australian facilities) with the same Cascade-forward recipe that made it popular. The product quality and character have not noticeably declined under Lion’s ownership in most assessments. The craft versus non-craft debate around acquired brands is ultimately about whether you care who owns the brewery more than what’s in the glass. If you’re buying 150 Lashes to support Australian independent brewing: you’re not doing that, and there are genuinely independent Australian pale ales worth choosing instead (Pirate Life South Coast Pale Ale, Stone & Wood Pacific Ale, 4 Pines Pale Ale from genuinely independent producers). If you’re buying 150 Lashes because you enjoy the beer: that’s a perfectly valid choice regardless of the ownership structure. The homebrewed clone avoids the question entirely, you’re brewing your own beer with your own recipe, fully independent of any corporate ownership structure.
