American Amber Ale Recipe

[Nick JD]

I use EKG for my Belgians mainly because that's what the Belgians use, apparently - but I recently did an all EKG lager and it's a weird hop. Can't quite explain it, but it kind of reminded me of cheap chinese lollies and nana perfume.

You might like it as a flavour hop, me I'm not a big fan.

My AAAs use Citra. Don't let the name fool you, it's not very citrusy. Citra/Galaxy/Amarillo combos are wicked in malty AAAs.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Citra Galaxy & Nelson go very well together, as does Chinook.

If you use it earlier, you can get a nice bitterness, but reel back the OTT fruit punch that some (not me) don't like.

 

[jyo]

Hey Kyle, grain bill looks good, maybe a touch of choc or carafa I for some deeper colour. If you want it American, you gotta use the Yankee hops, mate

I love this style. Beautiful malt backbone and good hopping to support. I've brewed a few American Ambers now and the following is by far my best.

Cheers.

Clean Out Amber Ale
American Amber Ale

Recipe Specs
----------------
Batch Size (L): 23.0
Total Grain (kg): 6.180
Total Hops (g): 248.00
Original Gravity (OG): 1.059 (P): 14.5
Final Gravity (FG): 1.015 (P): 3.8
Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 5.80 %
Colour (SRM): 16.8 (EBC): 33.1
Bitterness (IBU): 42.4 (Average)
Brewhouse Efficiency (%): 70
Boil Time (Minutes): 90

Grain Bill
----------------
4.000 kg Golden Promise Malt (64.72%)
1.500 kg Pale Malt (24.27%)
0.350 kg Crystal 120 (5.66%)
0.250 kg Caraamber (4.05%)
0.080 kg Chocolate (1.29%)

Hop Bill
----------------
25.0 g Willamette Pellet (4% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil) (1.1 g/L)
25.0 g Willamette Pellet (4% Alpha) @ 20 Minutes (Boil) (1.1 g/L)
50.0 g Centennial Pellet (8% Alpha) @ 10 Minutes (Boil) (2.2 g/L)
45.0 g Amarillo Pellet (8.6% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil) (2 g/L)
57.0 g Willamette Pellet (4% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil) (2.5 g/L)
23.0 g Amarillo Pellet (8.6% Alpha) @ 0 Days (Dry Hop) (1 g/L)
23.0 g Centennial Pellet (9.7% Alpha) @ 0 Days (Dry Hop) (1 g/L)

Misc Bill
----------------

Single step Infusion at 67C for 60 Minutes.
Fermented at 18C with Wyeast 1099 - Whitbread Ale

Notes
----------------
Hopping schedule for no-chill
60 @40
20@ 10
10@ Flameout.
5@ whirlpool.
Dry hop 1g per litre Amarillo.

 

[kyleg]

yeah i guess i could. how about the centennial early on? when i made dr smurto's golden ale with all amarillo, i was a bit underwhelmed and since then have not been very interested in using amarillo again. and i've used citra in almost every brew i've done (which is like 6), so i kind of want to try something different, but i do want this to be a nice beer. Maybe since my last few brews have been big hoppy IPAs at about 6.5%, doing a brew more balanced i might enjoy the hop character more. thanks for the input so far.

 

[kyleg]

thanks jyo,

i've dropped the crystal 40 to 6% and added 1% choc

i might try for a similar hop bill as yours but to around the same IBU as my original recipe.

can i ask why the 90 minute boil? I've always been curious as to the benefits of longer boil times, but never really found out.

also i was thinking of wy1272 but i have used american ale yeasts a fair bit in my short brewing career, so i'd be willing to try a new yeast. what is 1099 like and why did you choose it?

thanks

 

[kyleg]

Ok so this is where i've ended up. Thanks for the help.

Cape ST Amber (American Amber Ale)

Original Gravity (OG): 1.053 (P): 13.1
Final Gravity (FG): 1.013 (P): 3.3
Alcohol (ABV): 5.21 %
Colour (SRM): 14.7 (EBC): 29.0
Bitterness (IBU): 39.2 (Average)

75% Pale Malt
10% Munich I
6% Crystal 40
4% Crystal 120
4% Victory
1% Chocolate

1 g/L Willamette (4.6% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil)
0.5 g/L Centennial (9.6% Alpha) @ 30 Minutes (Boil)
0.7 g/L Centennial (9.6% Alpha) @ 20 Minutes (Boil)
0.7 g/L Willamette (4.6% Alpha) @ 20 Minutes (Boil)
1 g/L Amarillo (8.6% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil)
0.5 g/L Willamette (4.6% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil)
1 g/L Amarillo (8.6% Alpha) @ 0 Days (Dry Hop)


Single step Infusion at 66C for 60 Minutes. Boil for 60 Minutes

Fermented at 18C with Wyeast 1272 - American Ale II

Recipe Generated with BrewMate

 

[jyo]

To be honest, the 90 minute boil comes from advice from far better brewers than I when I first started and I've always done it except for a couple of times when using Aussie base malt. It's just habit now

I haven't tried 1272, (have a pack on the way though) yet the 1099 needed to be used up and worked beautifully. Nice and clean at 18'.

Such a great style for the colder weather too. mmm, I have all the grain for this...
Cheers.

thanks jyo,

i've dropped the crystal 40 to 6% and added 1% choc

i might try for a similar hop bill as yours but to around the same IBU as my original recipe.

can i ask why the 90 minute boil? I've always been curious as to the benefits of longer boil times, but never really found out.

also i was thinking of wy1272 but i have used american ale yeasts a fair bit in my short brewing career, so i'd be willing to try a new yeast. what is 1099 like and why did you choose it?

thanks

 

[manticle]

EKG will give more of a UK character. Personally I love UK hops (and yeasts and malts) but if it's US character you want, add in a bit of early/mid centennial and maybe some cascade later instead of/together with the EKG.

I love EKG and get citrus from it that might combine beautifully with centennial and/or cascade (grapefruit) but I've never tried the UK and the US together.

Some little Creatures pale recipes ( I mean the actual brewery but they do change their recipe) use early EKG and later cascade so that combo has been known to work well somewhere.

 

[Midnight Brew]

G-day brewers, Im after some feedback on my Amber ale recipe. I had this on the cards for anzac day but never got around to it so tomorrow is the day. The oats will be toasted to golden in the oven. Never brewed with oats or amber malt before. I might change the yeast but at the moment Ive got plenty of 1056 on hand. This is a no chill recipe.


Recipe: Tribute Amber
Style: American Amber Ale
TYPE: All Grain

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 60.34 l
Post Boil Volume: 47.84 l
Batch Size (fermenter): 44.00 l
Bottling Volume: 42.00 l
Estimated OG: 1.050 SG
Estimated Color: 29.7 EBC
Estimated IBU: 41.0 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 82.00 %
Boil Time: 75 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type %/IBU
5.25 kg Traditional Ale (Joe White) 61.0 %
1.00 kg Munich, Light (Joe White) 11.6 %
1.00 kg Oats, Flaked 11.6 %
0.70 kg Crystal (Joe White) 8.1 %
0.50 kg Amber Malt (Joe White) 5.8 %
0.16 kg Carafa Special I 1.9 %
40.00 g Super Alpha [12.90 %] - First Wort 75.0 36.3 IBUs
30.00 g Super Alpha [12.90 %] - Boil 5.0 min 4.7 IBUs
2.0 pkg American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056)


Mash Schedule: BIAB, Medium Body 66C

 

[Steve@PMF82]

Looks interesting!

With all the Munich, amber and toasted oats your going to have some serious toasty, biscuity flavours going.
But i find JW ale pretty flavourless so it will prob work out and you have a nice dash of crystal for some sweetness and decent bittering.

I say just brew it mate and let us know how it turns out.

 

[mckenry]

Have you had super alpha that late before? Be a bit careful (if inexperienced with this hop) seeing as you're no chilling.
I have had good results with simcoe, another high AA, late in the boil, but I love that hop. Just be sure you know what Super Alpha will bring to the final product.

Otherwise, go the hell for it and report back!

 

[Midnight Brew]

Looks interesting!

With all the Munich, amber and toasted oats your going to have some serious toasty, biscuity flavours going.
But i find JW ale pretty flavourless so it will prob work out and you have a nice dash of crystal for some sweetness and decent bittering.

I say just brew it mate and let us know how it turns out.

Its just what im going for but im hoping its not going to be overdone. I just had an APA i made with 30% JW Munich I and it was perfect to the malt profile so with this recipe I was pulling those flavours from the amber and oats.

Have you had super alpha that late before? Be a bit careful (if inexperienced with this hop) seeing as you're no chilling.
I have had good results with simcoe, another high AA, late in the boil, but I love that hop. Just be sure you know what Super Alpha will bring to the final product.

Otherwise, go the hell for it and report back!

Ive just put some Super Alpha into a dark ale with cascade so yet to taste the results. My 5 min addition is acutally french pressed for 5 minutes at 4-5 days into the ferment so recipe is designed as is for no chill. Should I maybe up the IBU's?

 

[mckenry]

Ive just put some Super Alpha into a dark ale with cascade so yet to taste the results. My 5 min addition is acutally french pressed for 5 minutes at 4-5 days into the ferment so recipe is designed as is for no chill. Should I maybe up the IBU's?

OK - so if using brewmate and it has taken no chill into consideration, but you're really doing french press you need to change one or the other. The program will have overestimated your IBU. Try it (the recipe / program) without no chill turned on and it will give you the IBU that french pressing will give. French pressing really is like a 5 min addition as you rapidly chill those hops by adding to a 19 ferment. Then consider changing your IBU if you want / need.

 

[Acasta]

How much hop flavour/aroma are you going for? I really enjoy a hoppy AAA, and you may want to add some more / different late hops if you like that. I usually hop them less then APAs (less flavour and IBU from hops) but still give them a decent hit with some american hops for flavour/aroma.
I tend to balance then on the sweeter side. But thats just me.

Interesting to see how that malt profile goes. I tend to keep it simple with ale, dark crystal and a hint of choc.

 

[Nick JD]

AAAs need Cascade! Or some American hops. Just MHO.

 

[jasonharley]

Have you had super alpha that late before? Be a bit careful (if inexperienced with this hop) seeing as you're no chilling.
I have had good results with simcoe, another high AA, late in the boil, but I love that hop. Just be sure you know what Super Alpha will bring to the final product.

Otherwise, go the hell for it and report back!

I agree. High AA% hops incorporated late requires you to get the temp down after flameout pretty quickly ... if you haven't dropped the temp down to say 80-85 degC within ten mins of flameout you are going to get a overbittered beer.... you may compensate by reducing your bittering hops to compensate... but you need to calculate it to be sure.



5 eyes

 

[Midnight Brew]

As I mentioned in the post above my 5 min addition is acutally french pressed for 5 minutes at 4-5 days into the ferment so recipe is brewed with one single addition on brew day and then the late hops added during the ferment. I french press because it is easier for me to calculate additions and also helps raise the fermentation temp towards the end.

Left cascade out as I want to use that aussie/kiwi combo hence a tribute ale (excuse the yeast and wey carafa special). I'll have two cubes so I might save one for a different yeast. (any suggestions welcome)

I'll brew it tomorrow and start fermenting later this week and have a result in about 4 weeks.

 

[Midnight Brew]

Brewed today with one small change. Adjusted FWH down and the French Press up. Colour was spot on to what I was looking for. I'll start fermenting this later in the week and bring a bottle to the vic case swap if you're attending Beer4u.

 

[Midnight Brew]

Traditional Ale (Joe White) 61.0 %
Munich, Light (Joe White) 11.6 %
Oats, Flaked 11.6 %
Crystal (Joe White) 8.1 %
Amber Malt (Joe White) 5.8 %
Carafa Special I 1.9 %
Super Alpha FWH to 36.3 IBUs
Super Alpha French Pressed to 4.7 IBUs
American Ale Wy#1056

Mash Schedule: BIAB, Medium Body 66C

This turned out to be a sessionable beer however the grain bill didnt stick out for me at all. I got the ever so slightly silkyness from the oats so would of been fine without and just replaced it with more Munich. Bitterness and colour were spot on but was missing some flavour (Super Alpha is very clean which would be the reason) and the aroma was very very minimal. Must say I left the keg out of the fridge for this one the other day and it drinks even better at garage floor temp (10 C) then it does refridgerated.

I'll be using a similar grain bill next time but replace oats with munich so munich is up in the figures of 20-25%. Instead of French pressing I'll also be boiling up some hops and just adding it straight it as well as a whirlpool addition. Oh and american hops, lots of american hops.