Crystal plus hops question

[Stormcrow]

I recently had a Kostritzer pale ale and really liked it. I'm also a fan of FFF Alpha King, which has me thinking that i might be one of those guys who enjoy tasting some crystal malt in a hoppy, deep amber colored beer.

Id like to do some brainstorming and come up with a recipe that would fit into this style. I know a little bit of specialty malt goes a long way, so i wanted to ask my good friends here at HBT; any pointers on designing a recipe like this? What's the darkest crystal you've ever used in a hoppy beer? Are there any hops that work especially well with a more amber colored grain bill?

Thanks in advance.

 

[mashpaddled]

There are plenty of black IPA and American stout recipes that include dark crystal malts with a healthy amount of hops.

You can plumb the depths of all those hoppy amber ales and amberish IPAs of the mid to late 2000s into the early 2010s for ideas. Lots lean in favor of dank/piney/herbal options like simcoe, columbus and chinook but you can find plenty with citrusy hops like cascade, amarillo, etc., and plenty with combinations of both.