Amber In A Bitter?

[mje1980]

I am brewing an ordinary bitter next week, and am wondering what flavours i can expect from amber malt. I have seen in the bjcp it is listed in the ingredients but i do not know how much to use. My recipe is as follows:

91.6% Maris otter
2.1% British crystal 55l
3.7% Carahell
2.6% amber.

Any advice on flavours and also amounts would be appreciated.

 

[Jazman]

A bit biscuty sort of flavour

 

[johnno]

Hi mje1980,
I have made a ber with this once and plan to do so again. Like jazman has said it is biscuity.
There is a thread here about it.
I plan on making the same beer with all English hops.

cheers
johnno

 

[kook]

Strange, the best english beers I've been trying lately at festivals have been the ones that use US hops!

A little bit of advice, dont feel that you need to stick to guidelines, expecially when it comes to UK beers. Bitter is a wide open style, and i'm afraid BJCP doesnt do a great job of capturing that. Great for US beers, but really not very good for UK beers.

 

[jaytee]

I can vouch for the Amber in a bitter. I did this one on Boxing day and now it's it a regular brew.

I also tried it with flaked barley in place of the wheat DME and without the crystal and it seemed a bit lacking.

Used W1275, OG 44, bittered with fuggle and then styrian goldings at 30,15 and 5 minutes - 31 IBU total.

Quite pale, biscuity, a little spicy and dry

kg
Light Malt Extract 2.250
Crystal Malted Grain 0.100
Amber malt Grain 0.280
Caramalt Grain 0.100
Wheat DME 0.100

 

[Barry]

Good Day
I find 100 gms of amber in a bitter adds depth to the beer, a bit of toasty/bicuity flavour. It also adds to the depth of colour.

 

[warrenlw63]

Not bad in limited quantities. Just make sure it's Fawcett's not local. Only thing I've found is the flavour fights the hops just a bit.

Well worth a try though.

Warren -

 

[mje1980]

Just an update. Ended up brewing the following:

87.1% MO
2% Crystal 55l
3.5% Carahell
5% amber
2.5% Torrified wheat

1.040
31 IBU

While in the 2ndary, it had a harsh sort of taste that i put down to the amber malt. Got a bit scared, so dryhopped with 30g cascades!. At first in the bottle it was still a tad harsh, but, now, after a month or so, its starting to drop off, and has turned into a nice ale. I would still like to know what the harshness is though, i dont know if its 1.) astringency, though, i've never had this prob before, 2.) The amber malt, it may just be a bit too much, 3.) The cascades. though i've used these before and not had this problem, 4.) Essex ale yeast, this ferments dry, so maybe its that.Anyway, i'll take some along to the big brew day and ask the boys at the IBU's, and see what they suggest ( if i have any bottles left!! )

 

[Green Iguana]

I have also noticed a bit of a harsh taste in the secondary.....using essex ale yeast. The brew was;

75.4 % Pilsner
20.1% Munich
2.5% Carapils
2.0% Crystal 55L
Goldings to 28 IBU

I think the high attenuation gives that taste to the hot brew.....

Cheers