Rate my first self-made recipe, please:

[NitrouStang96]

4 lbs 8.0 oz Amber Dry Extract (12.5 SRM) Dry Extract 60.00 % (added after boil)
1 lbs 8.0 oz Amber Dry Extract (12.5 SRM) Dry Extract 20.00 % (boil 60min)

1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 13.33 % (steeped 45min 155F)
8.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 6.67 % (steeped 45min 155F)

0.50 oz Centennial [8.70 %] (60 min) Hops 15.1 IBU
0.50 oz Williamette [5.10 %] (60 min) Hops 8.9 IBU
1.00 oz Cascade [6.30 %] (15 min) Hops 10.9 IBU
1.00 oz Cascade [6.30 %] (0 min) Hops -

1.00 tbsp Irish Moss (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
5.00 gal ARROWHEAD MOUNTAIN SPRING Water
1 Pkgs European Ale (White Labs #WLP011) [Starter] Yeast-Ale


I also had to adjust my IBU, because I believe I only had a 1.5gal boil instead of a 2gal boil as intended. See my post below about this (post #5).


Est Original Gravity: 1.054 SG (I nailed this spot on, btw)
Est Final Gravity: 1.017 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.83 %
Bitterness: 35 IBU
Calories: 243 cal/pint
Est Color: 10.5 SRM


Heh... don't really know what I'm doing yet, but it sounded good to me




3 Months Later (edit):
It's flowing out of the tap...
DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!
It's like a Pale Ale but with a bit more malty flavor and balance that only an amber could bring. I'm loving this for my pale ale alternative!! I'm going to put it in my recipe list.

 

[Aaron1983]

Well that is a good place to start. I just got done with my 3rd batch today. It is also an extract recipe that I created by my own "taste". I have learned that in homebrewing, experimentation is OK. In fact, I already have my next four batches planned out, all recipes I have created on my own. The way I see it, unless you are going really extravagent (sp?) with your recpies, you cannot go wrong. Who knows, perhaps you will find a recipe you absolutely love and make it often. Honestly, the possiblities are endless.

Anyhow, sorry to have gone on like that, I have had a few beers to drink tonight. I drink a lot of beer on brew day. That recipe sounds delicous. The only part of it that I cannot put a flavor to is the Irish Moss. Some of the adjuncts (if that is what they are called) I do not know much about.

Anyhow, good luck with it, I hope it turns out well for you. It really looks like a good recipe to me.:rockin:

 

[Arneba28]

looks solid bro. just about 5%abv and within BJCP american amver ale sets..nice..I love willamette hops and cascades will make it very sniff worthy. just inside most of the guildlines for a low abv IPA also

 

[count barleywine]

that looks great willamette is my new favorite flavor hop. I would cut the crystal back to 0.5lb, or else you run the risk of masking all those delectible hops! Also, switch that willamette to the flavor slot(and the flavor cascade to the boiler slot), keep cascade for aroma and you may have a recipe that will rule the world. Maybe 6lbs total extract too, that will put you in the low 4's for abv, which is a great place to be with an extract beer. The hop combo is right on though I may have to try it myself! Good luck let us know how it goes

 

[NitrouStang96]

Thanks for the tips, guys!

Also, switch that willamette to the flavor slot(and the flavor cascade to the boiler slot), keep cascade for aroma and you may have a recipe that will rule the world.

I don't know which slots are which, yet... I was just copying what you guys do and adjusting amounts for IBU level.

I would cut the crystal back to 0.5lb, or else you run the risk of masking all those delectible hops!

I don't want the hops so up front so much as I want them to balance the malty flavor. I was looking for a good amount of amber sweetness leftover with this, which is why I opted for the low attenuating WLP011. My inspiration for this is the Karl Strauss Amber Lager, which is sweet but has the support of it's flavor and aroma hops. I have no idea if I'll come up with something similar or not.



Also, I added 2.5gal of chilled water to bring it up to 5gal, but it only brought it up to 4gal. I didn't sparge, so my grains must have stolen a half gallon leaving me with a 1.5gal boil. So I have adjusted my IBUs accordingly for a total of 35 IBU.

I forgot to add this info in the OP:

Est Original Gravity: 1.054 SG (I nailed this spot on, btw)
Est Final Gravity: 1.017 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.83 %
Bitterness: 35 IBU
Calories: 243 cal/pint
Est Color: 10.5 SRM

 

[the_bird]

You could be a little heavy on the crystal and carapils malts, especially since the Amber extract was likely manufactured with some crystal malt itself.

 

[count barleywine]

Sorry the boilers(hops) are the first addition, usually for 60min. These add the bitterness to the brewha. The flavor slot is usually 15-5min out from the end(ie minute 50 to minute 60) and the aroma slot is within the the last four to zero minutes of the boil. As mentioned, the amber extract has some crystal already in it so maybe do 2/3 to 3/4lb crystal. Plus the Euro yeast will leave alittle more sugar behind as also mentioned.

 

[Alamo_Beer]

Unless you've got the amber extract I think the best thing to do is to use extralite or lite extract...whatever. I'd do this so that you're incharge of your steeping grains and just gaining fermentables from the extract.

I think this is kinda what the bird was saying...

 

[NitrouStang96]

Good, that's all what I was looking for... hopefully it's not too sweet.

Thanks!

 

[the_bird]

Unless you've got the amber extract I think the best thing to do is to use extralite or lite extract...whatever. I'd do this so that you're incharge of your steeping grains and just gaining fermentables from the extract.

I think this is kinda what the bird was saying...

Yeah, I was assuming he's already bought it. If not, buy the lightest extract you can find, otherwise it's hard to know exactly what your starting point really IS with something like an "Amber". Does it have crystal malt? A bit of roasted malt? Where's the color really coming from? Sometimes you can find out, sometimes you can't. But, if you start with an extra-light extract, or a Pilsner extract, you don't have to worry, that's as neutral a starting point as you can have.

 

[NitrouStang96]

Interesting! I had no idea. So Amber extract is essentially just light extract combined with the crystal extract?

This is good news. I think I'm going to order some bulk light extract and specialty grains... so versatile!!!

 

[TexLaw]

Interesting! I had no idea. So Amber extract is essentially just light extract combined with the crystal extract?

Yes, it is, and you do not really know how much of anything they put in there. Typically, the lightest 100% barley extracts are only pale malt or Pilsner malt (but the Pilsner ones usually are labeled as such). I've heard that some have a little carapils added for better body, but I neevr confirmed that, and I never accounted for it in my extract recipes.

It's a little more expensive to start with extra light extracts, but not much, and it's much more fun. Get your control where you can.


TL

 

[NitrouStang96]

Hmmm. I overdid the crystal for sure, huh? Well, here's to caramel

 

[SRFeldman79]

sounds like it should be a solid beer.

 

[TexLaw]

Hmmm. I overdid the crystal for sure, huh? Well, here's to caramel

I wouldn't say that at all. It might come out just like you wanted it to.


TL

 

[NitrouStang96]

3 Months Later:
Keg's tapped...
DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!

It's like a Pale Ale but with a bit more malty flavor and balance that only an amber could bring. I'm loving this for my pale ale alternative!! I'm going to put it in my recipe list.

I highly recommend it to you newbie (like me) extract brewers that like pale ales. If you could cross a typical sweetish amber with a hoppier pale ale, this is it. None of the sweetness really shines through the hop bitterness, it just made a more balanced beer than my last two pale ales, and it's gooooood.

 

[.code.decode.]

67 out of a hunnerd.