All-Grain - Zach & Jack's African Amber

ohiodad · 01-21-2008, 06:12 PM

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: SA-04
Yeast Starter: Nope
Batch Size (Gallons): 5.5
Original Gravity: 1.055
Final Gravity: 1.014
IBU: 32.4
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: 12
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 14
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 14

This is a clone of the famous Mac & Jack's African Amber. Adapted from a BYO recipe. Added a few more hops and a little more color. Anxious to see how this one turns out...

Zach & Jack's African Amber
Brew Type: All Grain Date: 1/21/2008
Style: American Amber Ale Brewer: Ohiodad
Batch Size: 5.50 gal Assistant Brewer:
Boil Volume: 7.00 gal Boil Time: 60 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 % Equipment: Brew Pot (7.5 gal) and Igloo Cooler (10 Gal)
Actual Efficiency: 77.09 %
Taste Rating (50 possible points): 35.0

Ingredients Amount Item Type % or IBU
8.50 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM) Grain 77.27 %
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 9.09 %
1.00 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 9.09 %
0.50 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 4.55 %
1.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] (60 min) Hops 29.2 IBU
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (5 min) Hops 3.2 IBU
1.50 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (0 min) Hops -
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (dry hop) 14 days
1 Pkgs SafAle English Ale (DCL Yeast #S-04) Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile Estimated Original Gravity: 1.054 SG (1.045-1.056 SG) Measured Original Gravity: 1.055 SG
Estimated Final Gravity: 1.014 SG (1.010-1.015 SG) Measured Final Gravity: 1.005 SG
Estimated Color: 12.0 SRM (11.0-18.0 SRM) Color [Color]
Bitterness: 32.4 IBU (20.0-40.0 IBU) Alpha Acid Units: 10.0 AAU
Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 5.16 % (4.50-5.70 %) Actual Alcohol by Volume: 6.52 %
Actual Calories: 240 cal/pint

Mash Profile Name: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge Mash Tun Weight: 9.00 lb
Mash Grain Weight: 11.00 lb Mash PH: 5.4 PH
Grain Temperature: 72.0 F Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F
Sparge Water: 5.13 gal Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE

Name Description Step Temp Step Time
Mash In Add 13.75 qt of water at 167.1 F 155.0 F 60 min

Mash Notes
Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time).
Carbonation and Storage Carbonation Type: Corn Sugar Carbonation Volumes: 2.4 (2.3-2.8 vols)
Estimated Priming Weight: 4.2 oz Temperature at Bottling: 60.0 F
Primer Used: - Age for: 4.0 Weeks
Storage Temperature: 52.0 F

Oops.. removed the retired part!! A friend of mine who used to bring these back from the NW for me told me they stopped making this one.. Guess he was wrong! Sorry to cause the alarm!

**Brewtopia** · 01-22-2008, 12:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ohiodad
This is a clone of the famous but now retired Mac & Jack's African Amber.

Definitely not retired in the Seattle area. African Amber is very much alive.

Mac & Jack's also dry hops every keg of African Amber with Cascades.

Brentk14 · 01-24-2008, 02:13 PM

Ya, you just scared the crap out of me saying it was retired. Then I realized I was just drinking it this weekend. Not retired in little ol' Medford, OR.

**rabidgerbil** · 01-24-2008, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brentk14

Ya, you just scared the crap out of me saying it was retired. Then I realized I was just drinking it this weekend. Not retired in little ol' Medford, OR.

Same here. I just dialed up their office phone number just to make sure that something had not happened. The brewery is definitely still there, and I just can't see them dumping their flagship beer. I know that they brew other things, a wheat, a porter, and IPA, but the simple fact is, if you walk into a bar here in Seattle and ask for a Mac and Jacks, you are pretty much going to get an African Amber.

Brentk14 · 01-24-2008, 03:41 PM

To me, its the best tasting beer I have tried. I am going to try to make a clone of it this weekend. The best part about it is the hop aroma to it. I am def tossing some hops into the keg with it. I did it with my white chocolate pale that I just kegged and it makes all the difference in the world.

ohiodad · 02-07-2008, 03:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brentk14

To me, its the best tasting beer I have tried. I am going to try to make a clone of it this weekend. The best part about it is the hop aroma to it. I am def tossing some hops into the keg with it. I did it with my white chocolate pale that I just kegged and it makes all the difference in the world.

Yeah well you talked me into dry hopping it too.. I threw in an ounce of cascade pellets for a week or 2.. We'll see how this turns out :-)

Ender · 02-08-2008, 03:32 PM

nothing to see here..move along... move along...

**iahebert** · 03-03-2008, 11:33 PM

Sure enough, they're still open. They actually expanded their brewery as well, so it's a bit bigger. Last time I was down there, they had only been expanded for about 1 1/2 days and some of the brewers had been working for 30hrs straight! Talk about devotion.

They did discontinue their IPA as a result of the hop "shortage" but they claim something will be coming in its wake.

The serengeti wheat is quite tasty (love to get my hands on a clone of that) and the Black Cat porter is also good.

Occasionally they'll participate in a cask festival and come up with something new and exciting. I had a Black Pepper IPA (fantastic) and a Vanilla porter, which tasted like what you'd get if you mixed cream soda and porter... ok, but not great.

mongrell · 03-05-2008, 01:23 AM

I worked there for a while. Now I cant stand the stuff.

Say African Amber is a beautiful woman, after you see her spread out on a concrete floor smelling like vinigar you can never look at her the same.

Still a fan of the porter and wheat, their IPA was a big disapointment from day one to me however glad to see it go.

ohiodad · 03-07-2008, 02:40 PM

Just an update on this recipe it came out absolutely fantastic.. It is a touch on the hoppy side past Mac & Jack's but wow did it come out great.. I think the oz of cascade dry hops made it even better! Definitely going to be a repeat brew.