need help with a style classification

[carl_g]

I have this amber ale that I have made several times which I really enjoy but it does not seem to fit into a classification..
I got an extract kit a couple years ago as a gift. It was ahs's special holiday ale. I don't like spices and stuff in my beer so I left that out and ended up with a great brew. Since then I have converted it to an All-grain recipe(listed below).
I think it is most likely an altibier as it can't be an american amber ale due to the hop profile..but I am not sure.. please help.

Carl's Ale Wërks - Amber Ale
Batch Size: 5.25 gal
Est Original Gravity: 1.056 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.016 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.16 %
Bitterness: 32.1 IBU(Rager)
Est Color: 11.9 SRM

Ingredients:
9.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 91.11 %
0.75 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 7.59 %
0.13 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 1.30 %
1.50 oz Mt. Hood [4.00 %] (60 min) Hops 25.6 IBU
0.50 oz Saaz(US) [4.50 %] (30 min) Hops 4.9 IBU
0.50 oz Saaz(US)[4.50 %] (5 min) Hops 1.6 IBU
1 Pkgs SafAle American Ale (DCL Yeast #S-05) Yeast-Ale

 

[weirdboy]

Are you trying to figure out how to enter it in a competition? It looks like a specialty beer to me, but you might have trouble getting it judged fairly.

Typically if you are brewing for competition you pick a style and brew to those specifications. Trying to pigeonhole a beer that doesn't really fit a style is going to give you poor feedback from the judges and not really help you out.

 

[BurpMasterson]

Here is what Beersmith lists under ingredients for an American Amber......

Pale ale malt, typ Am two-row. Medium to dark crystal malts. May contain specialty grains which add character and uniqueness. Am hops, often w citrusy flavors, are common but others may also be used. Water can vary in sulfate & carbonate content.

Your recipe fits the style just fine as far as I can tell.

 

[Yooper]

Here is what Beersmith lists under ingredients for an American Amber......

Pale ale malt, typ Am two-row. Medium to dark crystal malts. May contain specialty grains which add character and uniqueness. Am hops, often w citrusy flavors, are common but others may also be used. Water can vary in sulfate & carbonate content.

Your recipe fits the style just fine as far as I can tell.

Well, it really doesn't fit exactly in ANY style. but that's ok, if the beer tastes great. You just can't expect to do well in a BJCP competition under a certain category. For an Amercian amber, the judges are looking for a hop character that noble hops just won't give you.

You can call it an amber if you want. It definitely won't fit into an altbier category.

 

[carl_g]

Well, it really doesn't fit exactly in ANY style. but that's ok, if the beer tastes great. You just can't expect to do well in a BJCP competition under a certain category. For an Amercian amber, the judges are looking for a hop character that noble hops just won't give you.

You can call it an amber if you want. It definitely won't fit into an altbier category.

Yeah I know that the hops while they are american, they are both US versions of European Noble hops.

I was reading the wiki here and saw this:
HOPS As with the grist, choose only domestic hops varieties in AAA. Most commercial examples use one or a blend of the "Big C"s - Cascade, Chinook, Centennial - as part of the defining character. Avoid domestic varieties based on European ancestors (Willamette is a Fuggle cultivar, as Liberty is Hallertau)."

I am not planning on entering it in a contest, I was just wondering if it fell into some classification that I was not aware of.. I'll just call it "Red Mongrel" or something