American Amber Ale Caramel Amber Ale

KingBrian - what was your efficiency for the original recipe?

 

Probably 75%. I'll have to check the Beersmith file when I get home.

 

ok so im going to get the stuff for this today...... my brother-in-law will be doing a partial of this and wants to rack it over apples any suggestions on that ?

 

If it were me and I wanted to do the caramel apple thing, I'd make this beer as listed and also make a cider. Then mix at serving. That way you don't have a keg of apple beer that no one likes, but you can still mix them if you like that kind of thing.

 

Lol ill mention that too him..... would apple juice be a better option?

 

I'd recommend against adding any kind of fruit product. If you guys choose to go that route, I can't vouch for the results!

 

Ok. Im doing the original all recipe. How important is the FWH? And if I don't do it that way do I have to up the additions at all?

 

If you don't FWH, you'll get less IBUs, less hop flavor, and a slightly harsher bitterness. You can up the bittering addition to get the IBUs right, but you still won't have the hop flavor. If you're doing a partial mash, just add the FWH after the mash while the wort is heating.

 

This looks awesome, and is on my to do list!

 

Nevermind! I figured out what I screwed up.

Can't wait to try and brew this tomorrow.

One question.. did anyone try using whirlflock at the last 15 of boil instead of the gelatin prior to kegging?

 

I use whirlfloc in every batch I brew including this one. A half tablet per ~5 gallons added at 10 minutes left in the boil.

 

I always use whirlfloc and this beer is crystal clear in the primary after 2 1/2 weeks.

 

I can only get my hands on Crystal 75L or 90L. Which should I use in place of the 80L the original recipe calls for?

 

Both would be good. I modeled the original recipe off of american crystal 80 since I find it sweeter and more caramelly than it's british counterparts. I'm guessing the crystal 75 you found is british? It will give you a bit more of a complex, toasty crystal malt flavor that is less sweet. The crystal 90 is probably american and will be a bit more one-dimensional and sweeter, but may be tending more towards raisins and dark fruit. Choose whichever sounds better to you.

 

Id go half and half.

 

one of my Zero minute additions
is
21g chinook
5g liberty
3g cluster

i bought hops for 2 batches but only got 3oz of chinook so i have to make due with what i have......

 

Just brewed 10 gallons of this. Really looking forward to it.
Thanks for the recipe.

 

looks good. going to make this for a friend

 

Several factors can affect calculated IBUs including the utilization factor you enter into beersmith as well as the method you choose for it to calculate (Tinseth, Rager, etc.). You're more familiar with how bitter your beer turns out for a given IBU than anyone, so I'd adjust the hops to what you're comfortable with.

 

i missed the .78 i put in 1 oz. just noticed it.

 

Bottled my batch a few days ago. Tasted great going into the bottles...

 

2nd attempt, great beer! Brian, I don't know if you've answered this but, what was your inspiration for the hopping schedule? Willy and Chinook? You're a crazy man!

 

Wow, looks good man! I don't remember exactly what my inspiration was. Probably trying to layer the in-your-face chinook character with the more subtle, earthy willamette.

 

Did you find your efficiency at 75%? My buddy and I's setup gets about 80%. No big deal if the original recipe is at 75%, but if you got lower I'd like to adjust the recipe for the higher efficiency. THANKS!! Going to be getting the ingredients for this in the next day or so and make 11 gallons.

 

Yeah, the recipe is based on 75% efficiency.

 

I just got all the supplies in for this yesterday and will be helping my buddy make this for his 1st batch. Any advice? Everything seems pretty straight forward.

 

As long as the sanitation, chlorine and fermentation temps are taken care of, then you guys will end up with great beer.

 

Sounds good. Im sure I'll be posting back in a month telling how great the beer is, thanks again.

 

Did you use the recipe for Sugar #4 or Sugar #5?

 

not sure what you mean

 

Sugar #4, deep amber.

 

Where do you find that? I could only find amber liquid candi sugar on AHS and its 45L.

 

The recipe post at the beginning of this thread has a link to the candi syrup recipe. It's very easy to make and only requires some table sugar and DAP.

 

Brian, I made the candi sugar yesterday. It was very easy to make. I however made sugar #5 deep amber. How do you think this will affect the outcome? I plan to double your recipe to 11 gallons so I end up with 2 kegs with 5 gallons of finished beer in each. You mentioned in a previous post that I should just double everything in your recipe. (even the amount of hops even though for some reason beer smith changed the amount of hops when scaling the recipe up from 5.5 gallons. I still don't know why it does this it never makes them 1:1) So I plan to take your advice and double everything...Would you suggest I scale back on the candi sugar though since I made Sugar #5 since it's stronger?

 

I wouldn't scale back the sugar, just go with it. Yeah, the flavor may be a little stronger, and you'll get a bit more color from it, but it should still make a really good beer. Have you tasted the syrup? Good, isn't it?

 

Sure is! Can't wait to brew this on Sunday.

 

Will be making a double batch of this next weekend. Couldn't get my hands on any Crystal 80L so I went with 1.5lbs of 75L and 1.5lbs of 90L. Really looking forward to this beer!!

 

Same here brewing this one this weekend. I brewed a couple of summer brews back in march a watermelon wheat and a lemon lime hef i really need something to balance it out in the pipe line. Made the syrup Monday been sitting in fridge man did it get hard. LOL just realized what i typed.....Hopefullly i can just leave it in some 190 water i will loosen up. Really excited to try this....

 

Does anyone know the fermentability of the Candi Syrup I made?

 

Op just added it to beer smith as 1lb of cane sugar.