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Author Topic: Critique this Am. Amber recipe  (Read 2880 times)

Offline saintpierre

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Critique this Am. Amber recipe
« on: May 22, 2012, 08:48:21 am »
Hey all,

I was reading some old posts about mixing MO and pils malt for an American Ale and since I have half a sack of each I thought I would give it a try.

This is what I have so far for 5 gallons of American Amber Ale...

6# Maris Otter (Crisp)
6# Pilsner Malt (Best Malz)
0.75# C-40
0.5# C-120
0.5# Victory
0.12# Pale Chocolate

I was planning on using Magnum for bittering to about 20-25 IBUs, then using Columbus, Cascade and Willamette for my flavour and aroma hops.  Over all I was thinking about 30-35 IBUs total.

What say you?
« Last Edit: May 22, 2012, 09:59:07 am by saintsbrew »
Mike St. Pierre, P.E.
Maine Ale & Libation Tasters (MALT)
BJCP Certified
[719.4, 74.1] AR

Offline saintpierre

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Re: Critique this Am. Amber recipe
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2012, 11:10:35 am »
Bueller?
Mike St. Pierre, P.E.
Maine Ale & Libation Tasters (MALT)
BJCP Certified
[719.4, 74.1] AR

Offline skyler

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Re: Critique this Am. Amber recipe
« Reply #2 on: May 22, 2012, 11:26:35 am »
I don't care for victory malt and I don't find it necessary (certainly not in that volume), so I would keep it out. Also, instead of the pale chocolate, I would use 1-2 oz of Carafa Special II or even regular chocolate malt. From my perspective, the point of pale chocolate malt (which I love) is to get more chocolate-malt flavor with less chocolate malt color. Since you are making an American Amber Ale and not a Brown Ale, you want to reduce the roasty flavor to nil and just get color from the malt. Technically, you don't NEED any roasted malt if you are using the malt bill you propose because the 120L will put the beer into "Amber" territory, but it won't hurt to use a little. I would just go for Carafa Special II (or I or III) or regular Carafa I, II, or III, or some plain Chocolate Malt. As for the hop bill, I would go 60-30-10-0 maybe with Magnum-Columbus-Willamette-Cascade or Magnum-Columbus-Cascade-Cascade and Willamette.

Offline brewmanator

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Re: Critique this Am. Amber recipe
« Reply #3 on: May 22, 2012, 11:33:01 am »
The grain bill looks solid to me.  Using such a small amount of pale choc is not going to add any significant roast character IMO.  Your plan for the hops will produce a nice beer as well.  I have done something similar with Magnum bittering and then judicious amounts of cascade as late additions (20, 10  and 0 min).  Makes for a tasty beer.  I have also skipped the bittering addition and went with larger amounts for the late additions to achieve the same amount of overall IBUs.  Really depends on what you want in the end. 

One of my favorite amber ales (Boont from Anderson Valley) has only 15 IBU.  For my next amber ale I'm planning to shoot low in the IBU department.
- Mike

Offline hoser

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Re: Critique this Am. Amber recipe
« Reply #4 on: May 22, 2012, 11:46:50 am »
Isn't this grist just Jamil's recipe except half of the grist of British grain is subbed out for pilsner?  I would leave the grist as is if you have not brewed his amber before.  I think it is a fantastic american amber ale homebrew recipe.

For hops, just use the magnum as you would the horizon and then just exchange the other hop amount 1:1 from the orginal recipe.

Offline blatz

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Re: Critique this Am. Amber recipe
« Reply #5 on: May 22, 2012, 01:08:18 pm »
looks pretty solid.  I'd pound it with late hops though. at least 3oz over the last 10 min, and maybe another oz dryhopping.   8)
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Offline saintpierre

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Re: Critique this Am. Amber recipe
« Reply #6 on: May 22, 2012, 01:53:26 pm »
Isn't this grist just Jamil's recipe except half of the grist of British grain is subbed out for pilsner?

Now that I look I guess it is very similar :-[ I think I will drop the victory and swap out the pale chocolate for chocolate malt since I have that on hand.

looks pretty solid.  I'd pound it with late hops though. at least 3oz over the last 10 min, and maybe another oz dryhopping.   8)
+1
I was thinking a hop schedule of 60 min w/ Maginum, 30 min Columbus, 10 and 0 min with Cascade-Columbus-Willamette and a DH addition of Cascade and Willamette
Mike St. Pierre, P.E.
Maine Ale & Libation Tasters (MALT)
BJCP Certified
[719.4, 74.1] AR