Any help with this amber appreciated

[Brewer_b25]

I just brewed an amber ale and lost focus as i added the first hops and it over boiled. It taste of malt and no bitterness. I am thinking to save it dry hopping. I used amarillo (10min) and cascade (60min and over boil). Suggestion of hop to use and amount?

I tried creating the recipe myself to experiment.
8lb munich lme
1lb carmal crystal 40L steeped
1oz cascade 60min
1oz Amarillo 5min (i added it at 10min trying to help with the over boil)

Its a 5gal batch

 

[cyanmonkey]

Ambers are about balance between the hops and malt. You buttered with cascade. It has a low alpha acid content, which probably didn't contribute enough Alpha Acids, IBUs (or bitterness). You also have a lot of crystal malt (for my taste), so you contributed too much sweetness and not enough bitterness. Next time, try adding something high alpha, like Magnum at boil and using cascade or Amarillo as a flavor hop (5 or 10 minute addition).

 

[cyanmonkey]

Dry hopping will not add any bitterness. Just aroma.

 

[Brewer_b25]

That makes sense. Im still learning more and i really learn from first hand experinces so this really helps with alot about the AA and stuff. I am going to make some changes to this one for sure

 

[Brentk14]

Drink it and learn from it. The best beers I have made have been after I messed up a previous batch. Always take notes.

 

[RM-MN]

Bittering is accomplished by the boiling of the hop oils which causes them to isomerize. If you want more bitterness to this batch, boil some wort and hops for 30 minutes and add it to your batch. Higher alpha hops add more bitterness so choose the hop variety that will give you the bitterness level you want.

You have to check the alpha acid of the hops each time you use them because different weather causes a change from year to year and maybe even location will change their amount.

If this were my batch I might simply take half a gallon of the wort you have, add an ounce of Cascade to that, boil it for 30 minutes then chill it and return it to the fermenter. That would nearly double the bitterness you have. Then when the ferment is done, I might dry hop with Citra or Cascade. I like the aroma this gives to the beer. YMMV

 

[TheMadKing]

You can also make a hop tea with a couple cups of water and hops. Boil it and add it to the finished beer until you like the taste.

 

[ericbw]

RM-MN and TheMadKing are right on. But we don't know if you just brewed it or if you're tasting the fresh wort or beer that's conditioned and carbed.