First American Amber Ale--Any Glaring Mistakes in my recipe???

scinerd3000 · 05-05-2008, 05:27 AM

A ProMash Recipe Report

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

10-B American Ale, American Amber Ale

Min OG: 1.045 Max OG: 1.060
Min IBU: 25 Max IBU: 48
Min Clr: 10 Max Clr: 17 Color in SRM, Lovibond

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

Batch Size (Gal): 5.50 Wort Size (Gal): 5.50
Total Grain (Lbs): 11.00
Anticipated OG: 1.053 Plato: 13.20
Anticipated SRM: 15.5
Anticipated IBU: 39.4
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75 %
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes

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

Evaporation Rate: 15.00 Percent Per Hour
Pre-Boil Wort Size: 6.47 Gal
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.045 SG 11.29 Plato

Formulas Used
-------------

Brewhouse Efficiency and Predicted Gravity based on Method #1, Potential Used.
Final Gravity Calculation Based on Points.
Hard Value of Sucrose applied. Value for recipe: 46.2100 ppppg
% Yield Type used in Gravity Prediction: Fine Grind Dry Basis.

Color Formula Used: Morey
Hop IBU Formula Used: Rager

Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
72.7 8.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) America 1.036 2
19.3 2.13 lbs. Crystal 60L America 1.034 60
4.5 0.50 lbs. Munich Malt Belgium 1.038 8
2.3 0.25 lbs. Biscuit Malt Belgium 1.035 24
1.1 0.13 lbs. Special B Malt Belgian 1.030 120

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.

Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.00 oz. Willamette Whole 5.00 20.0 60 min.
0.75 oz. Centennial Whole 10.50 16.1 30 min.
0.50 oz. Willamette Whole 5.00 3.4 20 min.

Mash Schedule
-------------

Mash Type: Single Step

Grain Lbs: 11.00
Water Qts: 13.75 - Before Additional Infusions
Water Gal: 3.44 - Before Additional Infusions

Qts Water Per Lbs Grain: 1.25 - Before Additional Infusions

Saccharification Rest Temp : 153 Time: 60
Mash-out Rest Temp : 169 Time: 0
Sparge Temp : 175 Time: 0

Total Mash Volume Gal: 4.32 - Dough-In Infusion Only

All temperature measurements are degrees Fahrenheit.

would ferment with WLP001 California Ale Yeast

**Poobah58** · 05-05-2008, 12:36 PM

Too much Crystal (IMO). Gonna be on the sweet side. I would cut it to a lb (make it darker if need be) and maybe use a little CaraPils.

puney_the_youkel · 05-05-2008, 01:35 PM

I just brewed this beer below. I had a professional brewer (Don Barclay) set up my grain bill for a light colored amber beer with a full-grain flavor. My beer has a grain profile similar to this beer: http://www.mendobrew.com/brews/red_tail.html
It looks like you are using about double the percentage of Crystal malts.
I like the Belgian Aromatic malts for amber beers. It leaves a big grain flavor without too much sweetness.

Hoppy Amber
American Amber Ale

Type: All Grain
Date: 4/19/2008
Batch Size: 12.00 gal
Brewer:
Boil Size: 11.54 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: BREWTREE- 15 Gallon Brewing System
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00
Taste Notes:

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
22 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 68.75 %
3 lbs Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 9.38 %
2 lbs Aromatic Malt (26.0 SRM) Grain 6.25 %
1 lbs 8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 4.69 %
1 lbs 8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 4.69 %
1.50 oz Nugget [14.00 %] (60 min) Hops 23.3 IBU
1.00 oz Vanguard [5.50 %] (20 min) Hops 3.7 IBU
2.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (15 min) Hops 6.1 IBU
2.00 oz Vanguard [5.50 %] (10 min) Hops 4.4 IBU
2.00 oz Vanguard [5.50 %] (1 min) Hops 0.5 IBU
2.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (1 min) Hops 0.5 IBU
2 lbs Corn Sugar (Dextrose) (0.0 SRM) Sugar 6.25 %
6 Pkgs Nottingham (Danstar #-) Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.075 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.070 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.018 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.015 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 7.53 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 7.19 %
Bitterness: 38.6 IBU Calories: 317 cal/pint
Est Color: 12.7 SRM Color: Color

Mash Profile

Mash Name: Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out Total Grain Weight: 30.00 lb
Sparge Water: 6.26 gal Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F TunTemperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE Mash PH: 5.4 PH

Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out Step Time Name Description Step Temp
90 min Mash In Add 37.50 qt of water at 154.5 F 144.0 F

Mash Notes: Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time).
Carbonation and Storage

Carbonation Type: Kegged (Forced CO2) Volumes of CO2: 2.4
Pressure/Weight: 21.6 PSI Carbonation Used: -
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 60.0 F Age for: 28.0 days
Storage Temperature: 52.0 F

sconnie · 05-05-2008, 02:17 PM

I agree with poohbah on the amount of crystal.
puney's recipe looks like it will be great, but will be outside the traditional style for sure. I'd say your recipe with only a pound of crystal 60 or 80 will be nice.

Glibbidy · 05-05-2008, 02:47 PM

I wouldn't go more then 10% with the crystal given the gravity of this beer. You could add some more munich for color if you wanted. Up to 10% would work.
Other than that it looks solid.

scinerd3000 · 05-05-2008, 04:27 PM

changed the grain bill to a darker cyrstal malt. I want this a tad darker though because i prefer really flavorful beers. Heres what i have. It comes in at about 14.1 SRM and im aiming to get another 2 or so from somewhere. I was thinking maybe some amber malt or aromatic. Ive been using this to help me:
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Malts_Chart

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
73.6 8.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) America 1.036 2
9.2 1.00 lbs. Munich Malt Belgium 1.038 8
9.2 1.00 lbs. Crystal 90L America 1.033 90
6.9 0.75 lbs. Biscuit Malt Belgium 1.035 24
1.1 0.13 lbs. Special B Malt Belgian 1.030 120

Thanks for your help. And as for puney_the_youkel- the recipe definitely gave me some more ideas.

scinerd3000 · 05-05-2008, 10:48 PM

also what is the purpose when people use two different cystal malts in the same recipe? arnt they the same grain just with a different roast level?

**the_bird** · 05-05-2008, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scinerd3000

also what is the purpose when people use two different cystal malts in the same recipe? arnt they the same grain just with a different roast level?

40L and 60L will be pretty close; once you get a bit bigger range (like, 20L versus 80L, or even 20L versus 60L), there's a more-obvious difference in flavor. Low lovibonds are basically just sweet; middle lovibonds are more caramel; higher lovibonds are more raiseny/plum-ey, less sweet, more almost bittersweet (a little roast). For an amber, I'd probably just pick one (medium) lovibond and use between a half and a whole pound, depending on how dry I wanted it.

scinerd3000 · 05-05-2008, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_bird

40L and 60L will be pretty close; once you get a bit bigger range (like, 20L versus 80L, or even 20L versus 60L), there's a more-obvious difference in flavor. Low lovibonds are basically just sweet; middle lovibonds are more caramel; higher lovibonds are more raiseny/plum-ey, less sweet, more almost bittersweet (a little roast). For an amber, I'd probably just pick one (medium) lovibond and use between a half and a whole pound, depending on how dry I wanted it.

i dont want this to be a girly beer but i do want full flavor. I guess since the special b is gonna give me some of the rasiney flavor ill go with a lower Lovibond crystal grain for the carmel but im still left wondering where im going to get the added color from? i want it a tad darker.

**the_bird** · 05-05-2008, 11:00 PM

Munich, baby. Munich.