Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: US-05
Batch Size (Gallons): 5.5
Original Gravity: 1.050
Final Gravity: 1.010
IBU: 40
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: 16
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 30
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 7
Tasting Notes: Rich malty caramel balance beautifully with fragrant clementine-like hop aroma.

Amount Item Type % or IBU
7.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (1.8 SRM) Grain 73.68 %
1.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 15.79 %
1.00 lb Candi Syrup Amber* (40.0 SRM) Sugar 10.53 %

0.78 oz Chinook [13.00 %] (60 min) (First Wort Hop) Hops 40.2 IBU
1.00 oz Chinook [13.00 %] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
1.00 oz Willamette [5.50 %] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -

1 Pkgs American Ale (Safale #S-05) Yeast-Ale

Mash at 150 for 60 minutes.

Ferment at 62-65 degrees Fahrenheit.

Carb to 2.5 volumes

*Candi syrup added with 15 minutes left in boil. Use the dark amber recipe in this thread: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/20-lb-sugar-jar-yeast-nutrient-114837/, but only make a half batch (use one pound of sugar). Add the entire batch to the boil. This stuff is super easy to make and imperative to the recipe. The syrup it makes has a smooth decadent caramel flavor that is deeply rich and complex. The flavor and aroma make it through to the final beer and blend with the malt and hops to make a spectacular beer.

Amber ales seem severely under appreciated on the forum and that's something I cannot abide. It's my hope to lead a revolution that will bring this darker, maltier cousin of the self-important pale ale to the forefront of homebrewers' "to brew lists". No longer will overpowering bitterness and over-the-top hops rule these lands. For now is a time to sing the praises of balance. I have a dream! A dream where malts and hops are equal! Help me make this dream come true and brew an amber ale today!

I created this recipe hoping to make a beer that emphasized a rich caramel flavor, but that wasn't cloying or overwhelming. The candi syrup was key here, since it adds a wonderfully complex caramel flavor and aroma, but ferments out almost completely so that the final beer is relatively dry. Combined with the firm bitterness from the hops, the low final gravity balances the sweetness from the caramel flavors and gives the beer great drinkability. The rich caramel hits your tongue first, followed immediately by the unique bitterness of the chinook hops. An everpresent maltiness holds everything together while the sip makes it's way to a dry, lingering finish. A distinct clementine aroma from the hops accompanies the sweet, inviting caramel and malt aromas. The overall impression is one of perfect balance. Malt and bitterness, hops and caramel, all joining together to dance merrily on the tongue. I can say without a doubt, this is one of the best recipes I've made.