American Amber too malty, help me adjust

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

petep1980

Supporting Member
HBT Supporter
Joined
Nov 4, 2008
Messages
1,899
Reaction score
21
I just tapped by AAA last night and it's a bit too malty and sweet, and not enough hops.

Here is the grain bill:
7# 2-row
1# 20L
1# 40L
1# 80L
1# munich 10L

I mashed @ 154°F. OG was 1.050, FG 1.014.

1oz Columbus @ 40 min
1oz Citra @ flameout

I think I could cut into the malty profile and sweetness if I drop mash temp to 152°F. Should I adjust the grain bill much? Or is that too much of an adjustment?
 
I would drop your crystal down some. I could imagine it being pretty sweet with 3# crystal for 5 gal batch. Mabye drop the crystal to 2# and up your munich a little. That should give you a some malt and not be too sweet.
 
I use 3lbs of flaked corn and a pound of flaked wheat to balance out the crystal in my Amber:

(11 Gallon Batch)

12lbs 2-row Pale
2.0lbs Munich Dark
1.75lbs Crystal 60L
3.0lbs Flaked Corn
1.0lbs Flaked Wheat

1oz Magnum @ 60m
1oz Hallertau @ 5m

US-05

:mug:
 
I think you are using too much crystal malt, which is mostly not fermentable, reason why your FG is too high.
I would do this, to bring your recipe to style:
8# 2 row
1/2# crystal 20
1# crystal 120
1# munich 10

Mash at 150F
0.8oz Columbus @40min
1oz Citra @ flamout

These would be your numbers:
OG=1.048
FG=1.010
ABV%=4.9
IBU=37
 
3 lbs. Crystal is quite a bit, yeah. I use 1.5 lbs. in my amber and I think it gives just the right touch of sweetness to balance out the hop flavor. Mashing lower will also help, try 151.

As far as hops go, try using the same sort of hop schedule you would use for a pale ale - 60 min. addition, 15 min, 5 min, and dry hop. You can do a 30 if you really want it hopped up, but you'd be overshooting style by quite a bit.
 
I think the problem is the mash Temp, if you bring down the mash temp to 148-149 you will make a much more fermentable wort, and it will attenuate down below the the 1014 FG. Also a little gypsum added to the water will crisp up the hop additions, and cut down on the sweetness.
 
Back
Top