Imperial Amber

[RonPopeil]

Going to brew this tomorrow. Want a strong caramel presence with fruity hops. Tips on hop schedule for this style. I have a full ounce of Nugget, Cascade, Citra and Simcoe.

 

[RonPopeil]

is that picture working?

 

[chickypad]

I can see the pic. I'm just finishing a keg of something kinda similar - if it helps this is what I did and it turned out really nice. Mine was pretty piney with the chinook and simcoe, yours should be more fruity.

Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Estimated OG: 1.066 SG
Estimated IBU: 50.8 IBUs
Est Mash Efficiency: 78%

9 lbs Rahr 2 Row US 70.6 %
2 lbs Vienna Malt 15.7 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L 7.8 %
12.0 oz Special B 5.9 %
2.0 oz Chocolate Malt 1.0%
1.00 oz Chinook - Boil 60.0 min
0.50 oz Cascade - Boil 15.0 min
0.50 oz Simcoe - Boil 15.0 min
1.00 oz Cascade - Boil 0.0 min
0.50 oz Simcoe - Boil 0.0 min
0.50 oz Cascade - Dry Hop 5.0 Days
0.50 oz Chinook - Dry Hop 5.0 Days
0.50 oz Simcoe - Dry Hop 5.0 Days

 

[RonPopeil]

welp it's brew day. bought a new thermometer and things are going to plan. what a joy a thermometer is. called a slight audible switching out the nugget for US Magnum

 

[RonPopeil]

gave this an extra week in primary. i'm doing a lager in the same room and room temps got a bit too low while letting it cool down. after 2 weeks it was at 1.020. gave it an extra week and now it's sitting at 1.013 with a thin veil of yeast over the top. could probably sit a few more days. I'm going to suck up some yeast when I rack it to secondary in case it needs to clean up a bit still.

so the final numbers.

OG 1.074
FG 1.0137
ABV 7.9

this will probably lager for a bit before i taste it. i have a feeling the extra dryness is going to make it more bitter than intended though people say bittering with magnum doesn't really leave a great bittering impression.

 

[frankstoneline]

I'd move the flavor hops to a later timeframe for a more prominent aroma, I've been partial to the 5 and 1 minute additions recently.

 

[chickypad]

Looks like your yeasties did a good job. I can't see the pic with your recipe anymore, what strain was it? I am missing my amber now that it's gone - so many things I wanna brew, so little time

 

[RonPopeil]

Looks like your yeasties did a good job. I can't see the pic with your recipe anymore, what strain was it? I am missing my amber now that it's gone - so many things I wanna brew, so little time

11# 2 row pale
3# munich 10
1.75# C60
1.75# C80

1oz Magnum @ 60
1oz Citra @ 20
1oz Centennial @ 20

WLP007 slurry

mash ended up around 152F if i recall correctly.

 

[RonPopeil]

well if we want some aroma on this i have some hops in the bank.

1oz simcoe
1oz nugget
2oz NZ Motueka
2oz Mosaic
2oz Fuggle

what do you think?

 

[RonPopeil]

dropped an ounce of mosaic in. gonna end up dry hopping cold while it carbs over the next week.

 

[RonPopeil]

tommorrow will be 7 days at 10psi. roughly poured a pint and am sipping this now. mosaic is nice on the nose. this hop combo works well together. I understand why people say magnum is smooth. the smell is hoppy and makes you think this is going to be bitter but it doesn't come off that way at all. there's great balance but i don't taste any real bitterness. kind of odd actually. by the numbers this should be over 60 IBU's but it doesn't come off like it at all.

to do it again i'd go with 1.5-1.75# of C80, cut the C60, double the magnum and move the late addition to 15 minutes.

 

[chickypad]

I sometimes find magnum too smooth for my tastes. The only american styles I tend to use it in anymore are stouts and porters. I know many find chinook too harsh but I prefer it.

 

[RonPopeil]

I can see that. I think it would be great anywhere you want to show off malty flavors. It sort of works in this but something a little more abrasive would be nice. I'm thinking that would come out if i doubled the 60 minute. I should've hopped this more like an IPA rather than making a big smooth amber. maybe some biscuit, victory or melanoiden would be a good twist instead. give it some breadiness and cut the sweetness back.

 

[RonPopeil]

do crystal malts fade with maturity? this is pretty fresh right now. only two weeks out of primary. one week on mosaic and one week on gas. if i give this a couple weeks in the keezer would the sweetness mellow?

 

[chickypad]

I don't know that sweetness will fade but a beer like this may blend or round out with time I would say. When you mentioned the biscuit I realized that the final version of my amber did have some actual amber malt that I decided to include at the last minute. I think that combined with the harsher bittering plus the hint of roast from the chocolate did keep mine from getting too sweet. That was the most crystal malt I've used in anything for a long time. I like a tiny roast in ambers but that may be off putting for some.