C-Rider

Recipes 

In case you are wondering "what, another recipe question". I usually make a trip to my LHBS every 3 weeks and buy enough for 3 of my small 1.75 gallon batches. I'm trying to develop 3 by Saturday. I have one down the American Pale Ale and now I want an American Amber Ale. Below is what I worked out. As w/the last I'm stillin the learning stages so any help is wonderful.

2 lbs 8 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US---------------------------69.4 %
8.0 oz Carared ------------------------------------------13.9 %
6.4 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L-------------------------11.1 %
3.2 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L--------------------------5.6 %
0.24 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %]----Boil 60.0 min---38.7 IBUs
0.20 oz Centennial [10.00 %]-Aroma --------Steep 15.0 min
0.19 oz Cascade [5.50 %]----Aroma---------Steep 5.0 min
1.0 pkg Safale American SA-05
0.30 oz Cascade [5.50 %]----------------Dry Hop 7.0 Days
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Original Gravity: 1.053
Est Final Gravity: 1.010
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.7 %
Bitterness: 38.7 IBUs
Est Color: 17.4 SRM
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Kaiser Ridge Brewing
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Primary: Red Top Ale (Irish Red)
Bottle conditioning: Baltic Porter
Bottled in the refer: Munich Malt German IPA; Kaiser Imperial German IPA; Pilsner Malt German IPA; Old Glory American Stout

Reno_eNVy

Recipes 

Looks good, but typically I save dry hopping for IPAs and load up on late boil additions for ambers

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Primary: Sahti, Strawberry Banana Blonde, Caramel Quad

Kegged: Cascadian Dark Ale -- Punkin' Ale -- "Bitter and Rye" American-style Bitter

Bottled: English Barleywine (brewed 9/26/09 -- bottled 5/5/10)

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Calichusetts

Recipes 

LOVE the three Cs in action, that is my favorite hop combination, but I reserve it for my IPAs...looks good to me

Diver165

Recipes 

Nooo, dry hopping can be used for more than IPAs. Some of the best APAs are dry hopped.

scottland

Recipes 

We DEFINITELY need to tweak that recipe. You're using 30% crystal malt. That will be a super sweet, cloying beer that you won't want to drink. You should be using about 1/2 that much (max) for an American Amber.

Also, more late hops. American Ambers are known for being fairly hoppy. I would propose this:


3lbs 2row
3.8oz carared
2.5oz Crystal 60
2.5oz Crystal 80
.4oz Centennial @ 15
.4oz Cascade @ 0

That'll put you at around 15% crystal, and get the hop additions up where they need to be

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http://www.bertusbrewery.com/

Calichusetts

Recipes 

Absolutely, I fully intended to dry hop my APAs, I was just saying that is my hop combo for the IPA I make

Yooper

Recipes 

Lower the crystal to no more than 15%! Increase the final cascade addition to .25 ounce, or so (I'd use a full ounce in 5 gallons, so I think that's about right, but it might be .30 ounce) and the centennial flavor addition the same amount.

I'd recommend using 8% carared and 2% crystal 120L for your crystal additions. Use a bit of Vienna or Munich malt for the body and richness.

Bob (the member on HBT named "Bob") wrote a great article for our wiki on American ambers (also known as American reds) and it's worth a read. I love the style, and have read the article several times, trying to absorb it! American Red Ale - Home Brewing Wiki

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Broken Leg Brewery
Giving beer a leg to stand on since 2006

C-Rider

Recipes 

Thanks again to all. I'm still learning Had no idea about how sweet all that crystal would make it. Someone somewhere mentioned using a few types to bring out the flavor of crystal. I will cut it back and remember the 15% in new brews. I don't really like sweet ale so Mahalo again.

Gonna brew a Black IPA today, but I think I have to much dark grain in it and its gonna not taste like an IPA. the grains are already mixed...anyway it will be beer! :-)

__________________
Kaiser Ridge Brewing
-------------------------
Primary: Red Top Ale (Irish Red)
Bottle conditioning: Baltic Porter
Bottled in the refer: Munich Malt German IPA; Kaiser Imperial German IPA; Pilsner Malt German IPA; Old Glory American Stout

Yooper

Recipes 

The amount of crystal in each beer will vary, according to style. For an American amber, 15% would be a good cut-off, while in an IPA 5-8% is a good max, and an APA can have about 10% or so.

The only way to "know" that is by doing exactly what you're doing- brewing and drinking! The guidelines are just that, so once you know what an IPA with 8% crystal and an IPA with 0% crystal taste like, for example, you can decide on your preferences and brew accordingly!

You may like an American amber with 8% crystal, while I may like mine with 16%. They will both be very good. But if you stick to the guidelines while you're learning, you can see what the "correct" amount tastes like before pushing the envelop. I could probably drink an American Red (amber) with 18% crystal and not hate it too much if it's well-hopped. But no way could most people drink an amber with 30% crystal. You'll find this will come much easier to you, the more you brew! I promise.

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Broken Leg Brewery
Giving beer a leg to stand on since 2006

Diver165

Recipes 

Good read Yooper. AAA is probably my most favorite beer to drink. It's also the style that I am developing for my house ale. So I'm taking all of this in. Good stuff!