Royal Oak Amber

[microbe]

After doing dozens of brews all in the same way - 1 can, 1 kg, 1 bag finishing hops with little variation my last half dozen have been experimental (at least for me). Toucans, using specialty grain - real groundbreaking stuff I know, but it's a start. Now I've decided to play with hops. What I have is the can (1.7Kg) as per title, an unhopped 1.5Kg Amber LME and 50g of 5.7% Fuggles pellets.

Plans are as follows. I'll be boiling the hops in 5L of water with half the unhopped can. I had thought 25g for 1/2 an hour and 25g for 5 minutes. Throw that into the fermenter with remaining ingredients. After that it just becomes another kit process.

Q 1. I've calculated this to be adding 12IBU but I don't know how to take into account the boil volume and then dilution.
Q 2. The Morgans website says that this product has 38 IBU in 23L - Is using all 50g of extra hops going to be too much?
Q 3. The colour is stated as 20.5 and 12 ebc (both in 23L) Is it as simple as adding these two numbers to approximate the finished product?

Thanks for help, advice.

Cheers,

microbe

 

[blackbock]

microbe,

I think your calculation is within the ballpark (different formulas will give a different number anyway) but possibly slightly on the low side. It will depend a lot on your boil intensity, and probably a dozen other factors.

I can't answer about the colour, but by adding 10-15 IBUs you will significantly change the profile of the kit and I'm not sure whether this is what you want? If it's more hop aromas and flavours you're after, then shorter boil times, stepping or dry hopping might result in a more palatable beer.

Hope it turns out.

 

[microbe]

Thanks blackbock,

So is 50IBU quite extreme for what will be (I assume) a deep amber to light brown beer? That is basically what I'm after - more hop aromas and flavours - should I possibly only boil for 15-20 minutes then?

Anyone else help with the colour or more suggestions?

Cheer,

microbe

 

[redgums500]

Thanks blackbock,

So is 50IBU quite extreme for what will be (I assume) a deep amber to light brown beer? That is basically what I'm after - more hop aromas and flavours - should I possibly only boil for 15-20 minutes then?

Anyone else help with the colour or more suggestions?

Cheer,

microbe

Microbe

50gms is a bucket load of hops to add to that kit !!! ...... 15 to 20gms at flame out will more and truly handle the amber malt for aroma.
It all depends on if you are looking for a bitter ale (up to 20 gms should replicate that style ) or a milder ale ( 10 to 15gms should handle that). Boiling 50gms for as long as you just stated will give you a BIG IPA. Not my cup of tea but be warned ....


cheers

Redgums

 

[microbe]

Thanks for all assistance. I did scale it back a bit in the end. 12g for 20min and 12g at flameout. Noticeable taste of hops even under all that unfermented malt. Now I just have to wait a month to taste the finished product.

Cheers,

microbe

 

[earle]

Hi Microbe

I reckon what you've done will turn out pretty good. Have done something similar in the past.
Can of Amber Ale
1.5kg amber lme
50-100g Carafa special 1
Willamette hops for bittering and aroma

Don't have the recipe with me here at work but from recollection the IBU was around the 45 which offset the sweetness from the amber quite nicely.

In regards to colour I think you could do that for an approximation. I think it will end up being an amber. The carafa in mine brings it closer to a brown in colour as it is 950EBC (measured differently to the cans).