American Amber Extract

[blackleather]

Hi guys, first post here as a result of a homebrew with great results. Excuse me if I haven't posted the ingredients and process in the traditional manner.

This results in a 6.1% abv bright, blushed red amber which has smooth toffee sweetness, papaya fruitiness atop a well balanced hop bitterness.

GRAINS:
Light DME - 3kg
Carared - 300g
Crystal - 100g
Munich - 100g
Pale Rye - 80g
Oatmeal - 60g
Dark Crystal - 40g
Chocolate Rye - 25g

PRIMARY HOPS (1hr total):
El Dorado pellets - 75g (1hr)
Amarillo pellets - 50g (15mins)
East Kent Goldings - 50g (5mins)

SECONDARY HOPS:
Cascade - 50g (10 days)
Aramis - 50g (10 days)

YEAST:
Mangrove Jack's Craft M44 US West Coast

EXTRAS:
8 tbsp Loose Leaf Rooibos
3 tbsp Maple Syrup
2 tbsp Honey
3 Kaffir Lime Leaf
Half Protofloc tablet

PROCESS:
-Grains steeped 30mins
-Extract added
-Primary hop additions from rolling boil (total 1hr)
-Add Protofloc
-When cooled pitch yeast
-Transfer to secondary after 10 days
-Add dry hops in weighted hop sack at start
-After 1 week steep rooibos, Kaffir lime leaf, maple syrup and honey in 1L of beer drawn from secondary and when cooled re-add to secondary
-After 4 days bottle with priming sugar (1 cup Dextrose, 1 and a half cup water)
-Carbonate at room temp for 24hrs then transfer to slightly cooler temp out of the light for 2 weeks

DONE!

I've been extremely happy with the results. I reckon a little more time should ensure a clearer batch but even After 2 weeks with a little cloudiness this tastes seriously great!

Appreciate any thoughts and let me know if you try this one out.

Cheers,

Geoff

 

[blackleather]

I should say this was bottled after 11 days not 4. Reference to 4 days was because it was 4 days after the rooibos steep etc was added.

 

[Daynada]

I've wanted to modify this recipe https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f70/lemon-lime-hefe-weizen-255659/ to include the lime leaf. How much of that lime leaf flavor came through?

 

[blackleather]

I've wanted to modify this recipe https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f70/lemon-lime-hefe-weizen-255659/ to include the lime leaf. How much of that lime leaf flavor came through?

Hi Daynada, I've only used it in fairly small quantities in two beers now.

I've used it in this one hoping it would give a nice fresh boost and I'd like to think it was the Kaffir that's helped achieve this.

I previously used it in an Apricot Rye which also had Sumac in it. It probably helped to get a lime peel marmalade-y flavour in there.

I'm not experienced enough yet to gauge what level of flavour change it can have in beers. I've seen others that have steeped some leaves in water and added the liquid to the beer. I suppose tasting the liquid would show you how much flavour is imparted and give you an idea.

I've also done infusions - albeit very quick ones - of ingredients into beers in a cafetiere for a while before drinking
I know this wouldn't give a good idea on its influence on homebrews as they develop over time but it will flag up to you if a small amount radically changes the taste of a beer you are familiar with and you can at least build that into your idea of how much to use and whether you'll need to be particularly cautious about adding too much. For example I recently read about a complex beer, possibly by Wild Beer Co, which had cucumbers in. They had to remove the cucumbers almost immediately because the flavour was imparted so quickly, when initially they had planned to keep them in for the ageing process in an oak cask.

Hope this is of some use! I'm sure there will be some pieces that have been written on their use so if I find anything I'll post it here.