Hop Advice For American Amber

[Aviary]

Hello all,

I've put together this recipe for an American Amber Ale. I'm hoping to get some feedback on the recipe and also some ideas on what hops I should use for it.

Harper's Autumn Ale
10-B American Amber Ale

Size: 23.0 L
Efficiency: 65.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 162.17 per 12.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.049 (1.045 - 1.060)
Terminal Gravity: 1.012 (1.010 - 1.015)
Color: 31.8 (10.0 - 17.0)
Alcohol: 4.79% (4.5% - 6.0%)
Bitterness: 0.0 (25.0 - 40.0)

Ingredients:
5 kg Australian Traditional Ale
0.45 kg Cara-amber
0.35 kg Crystal 75
0.1 kg Cara-aroma

Schedule:
Ambient Air: 21.11 C
Source Water: 15.56 C
Elevation: 0.0 m


Results generated by BeerTools Pro 1.0.29

I'm trying to get a biscuit malt aroma with the final product and was hoping to match it up with complentary hops.

I've used cascade a lot in the past so I was ideally looking for something new this time around.

Thanks guys.

 

[therook]

Hello all,

I've put together this recipe for an American Amber Ale. I'm hoping to get some feedback on the recipe and also some ideas on what hops I should use for it.

Harper's Autumn Ale
10-B American Amber Ale

Size: 23.0 L
Efficiency: 65.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 162.17 per 12.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.049 (1.045 - 1.060)
Terminal Gravity: 1.012 (1.010 - 1.015)
Color: 31.8 (10.0 - 17.0)
Alcohol: 4.79% (4.5% - 6.0%)
Bitterness: 0.0 (25.0 - 40.0)

Ingredients:
5 kg Australian Traditional Ale
0.45 kg Cara-amber
0.35 kg Crystal 75
0.1 kg Cara-aroma

Schedule:
Ambient Air: 21.11 C
Source Water: 15.56 C
Elevation: 0.0 m


Results generated by BeerTools Pro 1.0.29

I'm trying to get a biscuit malt aroma with the final product and was hoping to match it up with complentary hops.

I've used cascade a lot in the past so I was ideally looking for something new this time around.

Thanks guys.

I use NB as my bittering hop and Willamette as Flav/Aroma

Rook

 

[BoilerBoy]

Aviary,

Thats a fair bit of crystal IMHO, I'd go with the cara amber and drop the Cara aroma and crystal 75
If you really want the cara aroma in there drop the cara amber back a bit, also small addition of choc malt for colour.

Any of the US hop varieties like simcoe, cacade, amarillo (the usual suspects)

As I said just my opinion h34r:

Cheers,
BB

 

[Stuster]

I agree with BB. Cut the crystal a bit. That's more like 15% crystal which is a lot. If you want a biscuity malty aroma (you been listening to Jamil??? ) then maybe try using some amber malt, just 100g or so to see if you like it. Or you could use 10% Munich which will give you some nice toasted, bready flavours. Either would be nice IMO.

Centennial would be a nice hop for this IMO. The Willamette option therook mentioned is good but just be aware they'll give something more like an English hop flavour to the beer. Good too though.

 

[newguy]

I don't see a problem with the grist. Hops: cascade, centennial, amarillo. I don't think the pine-sol fresh scent of simcoe would be good for a malt driven beer like an amber. Keep the flavour hop additional fairly low and either go with a very small aroma addition or none at all.

 

[BoilerBoy]

I agree with BB. Cut the crystal a bit. That's more like 15% crystal which is a lot. If you want a biscuity malty aroma (you been listening to Jamil??? ) then maybe try using some amber malt, just 100g or so to see if you like it. Or you could use 10% Munich which will give you some nice toasted, bready flavours. Either would be nice IMO.

Centennial would be a nice hop for this IMO. The Willamette option therook mentioned is good but just be aware they'll give something more like an English hop flavour to the beer. Good too though.

Agreed, if it was me I would be adding some munich and amber (Bairds Amber, not JW) not everyone is keen on it though, 100g would be a ggod start.

BB

 

[therook]

I don't see a problem with the grist. Hops: cascade, centennial, amarillo. I don't think the pine-sol fresh scent of simcoe would be good for a malt driven beer like an amber. Keep the flavour hop additional fairly low and either go with a very small aroma addition or none at all.

I think he stated he wanted to try something new and get away from the cascades etc etc

Rook

 

[therook]

I think he stated he wanted to try something new and get away from the cascades etc etc

Rook

Aviary,

This is the Amber i do

Ingredients Amount Item Type % or IBU
4.00 kg Pale Malt, Ale (Barrett Burston) (5.9 EBC) Grain 72.7 %
0.60 kg Munich I (Weyermann) (17.7 EBC) Grain 10.9 %
0.30 kg Crystal, Dark (Joe White) (250.0 EBC) Grain 5.5 %
0.25 kg Carafoam (Weyermann) (3.9 EBC) Grain 4.5 %
0.20 kg Caramalt (Thomas Fawcett) (49.3 EBC) Grain 3.6 %
0.15 kg Amber Malt (Joe White) (45.3 EBC) Grain 2.7 %
40.00 gm Northern Brewer [6.60%] (60 min) Hops 25.8 IBU
13.00 gm Williamette [4.50%] (10 min) Hops 2.1 IBU
7.00 gm Williamette [4.30%] (10 min) Hops 1.1 IBU
20.00 gm Williamette [4.50%] (1 min) Hops 0.4 IBU
1.00 tsp Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 90.0 min) Misc
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs American Ale US56 Dry Yeast

Rook

 

[Stuster]

That looks delicious, the rook. :super:

 

[therook]

That looks delicious, the rook. :super:

Stu it is fantastic but i can't take credit for the recipe it belongs to T.D

Rook

 

[warrenlw63]

That looks delicious, the rook. :super:

Yep, it most definitely is I've tried it. Lovely Amber.

Warren -

 

[newguy]

I think he stated he wanted to try something new and get away from the cascades etc etc

Rook

Whoops. I should take longer to read posts than simply glance at them.

In that case, for an interesting and delicious result try mixing European and American hops. Amarillo and Hersbrucker or Tettnang go quite well together, but use more European than American (like 3:1 or more). It would make a beer that would still have a bit of a an American hop presence, but also a refined "noble" European character too.

 

[Aviary]

Thanks guys,

I wasn't sure about the amounts of specialty grains so thank you for the feedback on that.
I'll play around with the recipe and post the revised version.

David.

 

[Aviary]

I've already got a kilo of Munich malt at home (18EBC) so I'll go with that in the recipe. The question is, how much of it should I be using?

David.

 

[Stuster]

Half a kilo should be nice, around the 10% mark.

 

[Aviary]

Thanks Stuster,

Here's the updated recipe. Crystal down, Cara-aroma out.

Harper's Autumn Ale
10-B American Amber Ale

Size: 24.0 L
Efficiency: 70.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 157.76 per 12.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.048 (1.045 - 1.060)
Terminal Gravity: 1.012 (1.010 - 1.015)
Color: 24.5 (10.0 - 17.0)
Alcohol: 4.66% (4.5% - 6.0%)
Bitterness: 0.0 (25.0 - 40.0)

Ingredients:
4.5 kg Australian Traditional Ale
0.4 kg Cara-amber
0.15 kg Crystal 75
0.5 kg Munich TYPE II
0.0 ea Fermentis US-05 Safale US-05

Schedule:
Ambient Air: 21.11 C
Source Water: 15.56 C
Elevation: 0.0 m


Results generated by BeerTools Pro 1.0.29

I'm still working on the hops though.

David.

 

[Aviary]

Well here it is. I've gone with Centennial, and stuck to just the one hop to get a better guage of its flavour.

Thanks to everyone for their help.


Harper's Autumn Ale
10-B American Amber Ale

Size: 24.0 L
Efficiency: 70.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 157.62 per 12.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.047 (1.045 - 1.060)
Terminal Gravity: 1.012 (1.010 - 1.015)
Color: 25.4 (10.0 - 17.0)
Alcohol: 4.66% (4.5% - 6.0%)
Bitterness: 31.67 (25.0 - 40.0)

Ingredients:
4.4 kg Australian Traditional Ale
0.5 kg Cara-amber
0.15 kg Crystal 75
0.5 kg Munich TYPE II
20.0 g Centennial (10.0%) - added during boil, boiled 60 min
15.0 g Centennial (10.0%) - added during boil, boiled 20.0 min
10.0 g Centennial (10.0%) - added during boil, boiled 5.0 min
1.0 ea Fermentis US-05 Safale US-05

Schedule:
Ambient Air: 21.11 C
Source Water: 15.56 C
Elevation: 0.0 m


Results generated by BeerTools Pro 1.0.29