Amber Ale - USA - 27.8.07

[Frothy]

USA Amber Ale - AGXVIII
I originally thought that this would be similar to some of the red ales I've experienced in the French alps (red viking etc.) but its actually far darker, more of a browny ruby red. Originally a clone of Red Nectar Ale from Palmers How to Brew with a few adjustments including the hop schedule which I made up as I don't have the US hops.

Grain Bill 75% eff' 19L @1.050
3.9kg Marris Otter Pale Malt
500g Crystal Malt (EBC120)
500g Dark Crystal Malt (EBC200)
250g Wheat Malt

Hop Schedule - 40IBU
60min - 34.5g Bramling Cross (5.7%) 21IBU
30min - 25.0g Bramling Cross (5.7%) 11.6IBU
15min - 25.0g Bramling Cross (5.7%) 7.5IBU

Yeast - Safale US-50 11g

Fingers crossed on the hops, I've been experimenting for over a year now with varied results but recently I've been going for picking a quantity of the flavour/ aroma hops and working the IBU's backwards to get the desired total, it's been working well so far. As these hops are 2005harvest I allowed for 5.0%AA instead of 5.7. I've read that B.Cross are fruity and a bit spicy, something that I thought would go well with this beer.

Mash - 1hr @ 64.3oc. Doughed in by eye from strike water at 77oc, I've come to start with a small amount of water in the bottom of the pre-heated tun and mix in water and mash a bit at a time to ensure no dry spots, adjuncts towards the middle of the mash.

Sparge Water - 80oc collecting 23L

Hot Break 15min & the burner turned way down to a gentle simmer before adding the hops.

Flash cooled with the Plate HE flushed with boiling water before and after use. Used ~200L and water retained for cleaning / HLT/ watering the garden. Wort dropped into the fermenter for aeration.

pitched at 21:00
20L @ 1.057



Frothy

[Vossy1]

I'd be interested to know what you think of this when it's ready F
Yesterday I was looking through Jamil's recipe's and I outlined his amber ale for one of my next brews.

[iowalad]

Amber ales were some of my favorites when I first discovered micro brew. I don't come across as many as I used to.

Let us know how it turns out.

[Barley Water]

It is always nice to see that us Yanks can sometimes inspire a UK brewer. I think that you will likely enjoy the beer, I guess I would call it a UK Amber just because you don't have the American hops. You should take the exact same formulation and then brew it again with Cascade hops and then see which you like better. Nice job.

[Frothy]

I genuinely think that the innovation in modern brewing has come from the USA. The boom in the microbreweries since the late 70's/ early 80's has seen an awful lot of new & original beer styles crop up not to mention all those hop varieties. I loved the sound of this beer and on advice I'll definately order in some Cascade for next time - the original recipe calls for

60min - 14g (0.5oz) Centennial (10%) - 17IBU
30min - 28g (1oz) Mt. Hood (7%) - 18IBU
15min - 28g (1oz) Willamette (5%) - 8IBU
43IBU total & Wyeast 1332 (northern ale)

Frothy

[Frothy]

Fermentation finished @ 1.014. The US yeast is poorly sedimented and drifting about in small clumps which is in agreement to other peoples observations. I'm racking into a corny where I'll mature the beer for a few weeks at 5psi and clear with finings before blowing off the sediment and carbonating to ~ 15psi.

First impressions are brilliant, it's hard to draw the line between the modest hop character and the natural bitterness of the dark crystal malt. A rich caramel flavour that really is distinct from a brown ale or a porter. This should go down well in the coming autumn months. I'll get a photo up once it's in the glass as it's a real nutty brown.

cheers
Frothy

[Vossy1]

Sounding good Frothy

[SiHoltye]

Sounds tasty Frothy. What do you mean by 'blowing off the sediment'? Is this a technique or do you mean something else? Cheers

[Frothy]

SiHoltye my technique is a blend of cask & modern keg technique. I like to go straight from primary to mature in my corny keg (unfiltered with some live yeast still in) this is the same keg I like to dispense from. The yeast is important for the conditioning of the beer and after a month or so of conditioning there is often a small sediment in the bottom of the corny. By blowing off I simply mean drawing off the first 1/2pint or so from the corny and throwing this sediment away. However since I've started using Safale S-04 as standard in my brews I have little or no problem with sediment at all in the keg because it mostly drops in the primary.

cheers
Frothy

[steve_flack]

I'd be interested to know what you think of this when it's ready F
Yesterday I was looking through Jamil's recipe's and I outlined his amber ale for one of my next brews.

That one's on my to-do list too....

[SiHoltye]

Cheers Frothy. I mostly use S-04 too. Just a final cheque on that technique before I adopt it (currently fining when in secondary - boring extra hassle) have you got a standard length dip tube (phnaarr, phnaarr), or did you mod it to make it shorter and raise it from the bottom of the corni? All this does mean however the corni shouldn't be transported, but heh, get them to come to you!

[Frothy]

Whatever you do don't chop the dip tube. It's expensive to replace and an unnecessary mod'. I haven't had to use finings since using S-04, just allow plenty of time for the primary to settle down, 10days -2weeks is great and of course rack carefully from the sediment. I'd apply finings only if a beer is cloudy with yeast after a few weeks of conditioning, can't say I've used any for about a year now & if your careful racking you can get away with no sediment at all.

Frothy

[SiHoltye]

Cheers Frothy. No dip tube mutilation for me.

It's S04, 10 days primary, carefully rack to corni with priming sugars. fart ½pint after 4 weeks. Enjoy.

Thanks again for the nitty gritty.