American Amber

[Fido97]

I am after a basic American Amber recipe for this weekend, can anyone point me in the right direction? I have a Northwest Ale 1332 yeast pack to use so thought I would give this a go. Also any thoughts as to late/dry hopping for this beer style - I have plenty of Citra, Cascade, Styrian and assorted hops. Will be good old 23 litre batch. Thanks in advance.

[seymour]

I am after a basic American Amber recipe for this weekend, can anyone point me in the right direction? I have a Northwest Ale 1332 yeast pack to use so thought I would give this a go. Also any thoughts as to late/dry hopping for this beer style - I have plenty of Citra, Cascade, Styrian and assorted hops. Will be good old 23 litre batch. Thanks in advance.

Here's the highly regarded Jamil Zainasheff recipe:

A great American Amber recipe. I don't think this ever placed lower than first in any competition. If you don't have pale chocolate, use half the amount of regular chocolate malt.


Amber-Red Ale
A ProMash Recipe Report

BJCP Style and Style Guidelines
-------------------------------

06-B American Pale Ales, American Amber Ale

Min OG: 1.045 Max OG: 1.056
Min IBU: 20 Max IBU: 40
Min Clr: 11 Max Clr: 18 Color in SRM, Lovibond

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (Gal): 6.00 Wort Size (Gal): 6.00
Total Grain (Lbs): 12.75
Anticipated OG: 1.055 Plato: 13.53
Anticipated SRM: 16.6
Anticipated IBU: 36.0
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70 %
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Pre-Boil Amounts
----------------

Evaporation Rate: 15.00 Percent Per Hour
Pre-Boil Wort Size: 7.74 Gal
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.042 SG 10.59 Plato

Grainbill

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
74.5 9.50 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) Great Britain 1.038 3
3.9 0.50 lbs. Victory Malt America 1.034 25
7.8 1.00 lbs. Crystal 40L America 1.034 40
7.8 1.00 lbs. Munich Malt(light) America 1.033 10
3.9 0.50 lbs. Crystal 120L America 1.033 120
2.0 0.25 lbs. Chocolate Malt - Light Great Britain 1.034 200

Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.50 oz. Magnum Pellet 15.00 30.1 60 min.
0.50 oz. Cascade Pellet 5.40 2.2 10 min.
0.50 oz. Centennial Pellet 9.40 3.8 10 min.
0.50 oz. Cascade Pellet 5.40 0.0 0 min.
0.50 oz. Centennial Pellet 9.40 0.0 0 min.

[smuggles]

Hi Seymour,

That looks like an interesting recipe. I've always wanted to make an American Amber, but I've never tried one so I've nothing to base it on.

A couple of questions though. I don't think we can get Victory Malt over here, do you know of a reasonable substitution? Also, do you know if he used US-05, or something more interesting?

Cheers.

[Cpt.Frederickson]

Thats a lovely looking recipe, may give that a go myself!

I believe that you can use Biscuit instead of Victory.

If you have a look on Mr.Malty there is a link to a guide on late hopping by Jamil that gives a recipe for 'Evil Dead Red', another one that looks damn tasty. There's broad similarities in the grain bill and different hops, but focssing more on late additions.

[seymour]

...I don't think we can get Victory Malt over here, do you know of a reasonable substitution? Also, do you know if he used US-05, or something more interesting?...

Victory Malt is 28º Lovibond, and is considered a type of biscuit malt, used for its "toasty, biscuity, baking bread, nutty, clean" aromas and flavours. It looks to me like it's Jamil's "secret weapon" in a lot of his competition recipes. So, you could substitute some fresh biscuit or aromatic. Better yet, take a nutty, biscuity English base malt like Maris Otter, dampen a bit, spread on a baking sheet, place in a medium hot oven, and toast until golden brown. It makes an ENORMOUS difference in your finished beer.

Yes, he uses Chico/Sierra Nevada/US-05/American Ale which is true-to-style, but feel free to use a strain with some fruitier esters. The Northwest Ale 1332 specified in the OP would be perfect.

...I believe that you can use Biscuit instead of Victory.

If you have a look on Mr.Malty there is a link to a guide on late hopping by Jamil that gives a recipe for 'Evil Dead Red', another one that looks damn tasty. There's broad similarities in the grain bill and different hops, but focssing more on late additions.

Both good suggestions. Best of luck!

[Fido97]

Thanks all. It's all done and in the fermenter. Used a shed load of Citra and cascade late addition. Threw in some amber malt as well. Think its going to be a beauty. Yeast is fastest I have used - started bubbling away remarkably quickly.

[john_drummer]

I did an American Amber at my LHBS a few weeks back, as a BIAB demonstration.

When I came to bottling it I thought it had become infected, but I opened one the other night and it's fine. I got the recipe from www.brewmate.net, but here it is anyway:

21L batch, bitterness 37.5 IBU, colour 19.5 EBC

4100g Pale malt1011g Wheat malt
91g Carapils
457g pale crystal

18g Amarillo 60 mins
9g Amarillo 20 mins
9g Amarillo 10 mins
9g Amarillo 5 mins

Safale US05 yeast