How should I call this beer?

When I was thinking about brewing my first beer I decided to go as simple as possible. The beer turned out to be quite interesting (or maybe I just made myself think so because it was the first beer?), and now I would like to make it again. It was 7 lbs Amber malt extract, 2 oz of Cascade (1.5 oz at 60 min, 0.5 at 15 min), and a package of regular dry ale yeast. It fermented for two weeks in the carboy at a room temperature, and then conditioned in bottles for two more weeks. Based on ingredients, what would be the best way to call this beer? American amber ale?

Yeah, amber extract == amber ale.

If you like it I would call it success

it's yours call it what you want.. I always was partial to the name Amanda however lol.

The type of recipe you did was called a SMaSH (Single Malt and Single Hop) recipe. People often use that to begin to learn how specific malts and hops taste/smell/look... My guess is it sounds like an amber ale because of the amber malt.

If you want to make it again make sure you use the same type of yeast. "regular dry ale yeast" will probably yield different results at other LHBS heh. Also, do you have a stick on thermometer on your fermentation vessel? Different temps can yield different flavors if they are different enough.

H-ost said:

If you want to make it again make sure you use the same type of yeast. "regular dry ale yeast" will probably yield different results at other LHBS heh.

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Luckily, I have it in my records: it was Fermentis Safale US-05 Dry Ale Yeast from the Austin HS, and I can get exactly the same yeast.

H-ost said:

Also, do you have a stick on thermometer on your fermentation vessel? Different temps can yield different flavors if they are different enough.

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Since that brew I made a fermentation chamber, and control the temperature with ice, but that beer just sat in the pantry corner. We have the approximately the same temperature in the house all year round, and I guess I'll put this batch in the pantry again. It is about 75 F at the floor level.

Cheers! sounds like my first brew. I would try the same thing again and try to lower the fermentation temp. down to around 68 F. The temp rises as the beer ferments inside the carboy or bucket; so if its 75F outside, it could be 80F inside. The s-05 is a good ale yeast and will change the flavor at lower temps. Brew on & cheers

Yeah sounds like you have done plenty of homework. Continue on with your new obsession!

similar to my first batch. I used 6lb amber and 2oz cascade. turned out pretty good I thought, although after brewing a few more and tasting the original again (i saved a couple) I think you will be happy to try some extra ingredients.

I could still brew that beer and drink it no problem. after brewing a few other styles I realize that there is something nice about having a beer that you can drink more than a few of.

nice work and welcome to the fun!

ashmgee said:

there is something nice about having a beer that you can drink more than a few of

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That's so true! And the funny thing, it's not only me I gave it to a friend to try, she tasted it, and said that it made her sleepy and relaxed - quite different from commercial beers. A few weeks later she came to visit us again, and one of the first things she asked was: Do you still have that beer? Can I have some more?

bredstein said:

That's so true! And the funny thing, it's not only me I gave it to a friend to try, she tasted it, and said that it made her sleepy and relaxed - quite different from commercial beers. A few weeks later she came to visit us again, and one of the first things she asked was: Do you still have that beer? Can I have some more?

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based on that name it " Date Rape Ale" lol

Dougie63 said:

based on that name it " Date Rape Ale" lol

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I might think about starting a business