American Amber Ale advice

[Macdoc]

This is my attempt at a Partial Mash American Amber Ale, it's also my first attempt at designing a recipe so i'm not too sure if the quantities of Crystal malt and other speacialty grains are adequate, here is the ingredients:

I designed the recipe in metric units, then converted it, hence the reason for the seemingly odd measurements.

Batch Size (fermenter): 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 6.52 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
Est Original Gravity: 1.059 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.013 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.0 %
Bitterness: 34.7 IBUs
Est Color: 13.5 SRM

4 lbs 6.5 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 43.0 %
1 lbs 5.2 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 2 12.9 %
8.8 oz Munich Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 3 5.4 %
5.3 oz Amber Malt (22.0 SRM) Grain 4 3.2 %
5.3 oz Toasted Malt (27.0 SRM) Grain 5 3.2 %
3 lbs 4.9 oz Pale Liquid Extract (8.0 SRM) Extract 6 32.3%

0.47 oz Cascade [6.10 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 7 9.2 IBUs
0.47 oz Northern Brewer [9.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 8 14.3 IBUs
0.47 oz Fuggles [5.10 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 9 5.9 IBUs
0.47 oz Fuggles [5.10 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 10 3.8 IBUs
0.47 oz Fuggles [5.10 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 11 1.5 IBUs

1.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) [50.28 ml] Yeast



All advice is very much appreciated, thanks.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Maybe a little much crystal 60, but if you like it a little sweet that is fine.

 

[LLBeanJ]

Looks fine to me. Let us know how it turns out.

 

[Macdoc]

Ok, thanks for the advice. I've been reading up on the guidlines for an AAA and they all say that crystal malt should make up about 10% - 15% of the grain bill. To make it "less sweet" would you suggest reducing the percentage to 8% - 10%?

 

[cheezydemon3]

Actually I like it sweet

Leave it. It will be educational. Tweak it next time if needed, but it will be good.

 

[befus]

Personally, if I were doing it I'd use American hops. Fuggles are classic European, but I don't know about late addition in an American Amber. Using those hops I'd double up on the Fuggles early and move the Cascade to late addition (10 min?) to get an American hop in the flavor/aroma profile. Just my $.02.

 

[HomebrewMTB]

You have too much going on with Munich, amber, and toasted. I'd pick two. I'd also cut some that crystal to maybe .75 and add a touch of extra dark crystal (120-150L) to add some richness. Don't waste cascade for bittering, save it for late addition. Agree on the fuggles too, maybe sub it's American cousin willamette instead.

Is there any particular beer you're trying to get close to with this?

 

[beergolf]

Personally, if I were doing it I'd use American hops. Fuggles are classic European, but I don't know about late addition in an American Amber. Using those hops I'd double up on the Fuggles early and move the Cascade to late addition (10 min?) to get an American hop in the flavor/aroma profile. Just my $.02.

One of my favorite amber ales, Bell's Amber Ale, uses a combo of fuggles and Cascade. So that combo works. I would use some Cascade in the last 10-15 minutes to balance the Fuggles.

For my ambers I like to use two crystal malts. I would cut the C60 in half and then add some C80 or C120. This gives the brew a muchh better flavor.

But that is my take. It is your brew so try it as it is and then you can adjust it if you brew it again

 

[pm5k00]

Ok, thanks for the advice. I've been reading up on the guidlines for an AAA and they all say that crystal malt should make up about 10% - 15% of the grain bill. To make it "less sweet" would you suggest reducing the percentage to 8% - 10%?

It up to your taste buds. My House Amber is 20% Crystal Malt (15% C40, 5% C120) and taste pretty damn good to me.