Test recipe to try and cure astringency problem - ok?

[norstar]

Hi all,

I've been experimenting with water treatment to try and cure an astringent bitterness to my brews. The last one I did was the worst and I can only think that it came down to there being too much sulphate compared to the chlorides. I ended up with somethihg that despite dry hopping, had no hop character at all and just wasn't nice to drink.

I'm going to have a go with a test brew this week to try adding sodium chloride to "balance out" the sulphates, so will this brew do the job for a middle of the road, fairly hoppy beer? (so I can eliminate crap recipes from the equation!).

Mash Liquor: 8.6 Litres
Final Volume: 14 Litres
Original Gravity: 1.050
Final Gravity: 1.012
Alcohol Content: 4.9% ABV
Bitterness: 35 EBU
Colour: 20 EBC

Fermentables
Pale Malt 2770 grams
Crystal Malt 125 grams 4%
Torrefied Wheat 120 grams 3.9%
Amber Malt 120 grams 3.9%

Hops

Target 12.5 % 60 mins 12 grams 41.9%
First Gold 8.8 % 20 mins 8 grams 28.9%
First Gold 8.8 % 5 mins 8 grams 29.2%


Will this do the job?

[Eadweard]

I find amber malt give an astringent flavour so I'd drop that. And don't over sparge!

[Dennis King]

This might help.
http://www.bjcp.org/faults.php

[norstar]

That's interesting - I'd never considered the Amber malt, but looking back at my recent recipes, all except the lagers I did had amber malt in and all have been very bitter/astringent, getting better only after being left in the bottle for four months or so. I made two lovely Kolsch brews - neither of which had amber malt in, so could it be that?

I assume the recipe minus the amber malt is ok then?