Recipe Critique - Amber Ale Extract

[Fordzilla]

Hello everyone! I'm fairly new to brewing and have begun playing with the kit recipes a little. I have the Amber Ale kit from Midwest and I plan to add some grains to it. I do full volume boils.

Grains
1 lb Caramel 20l
1 lb Cara Aroma
1/2 lb Light Munich
1/4 lb Chocolate

Extract
6.3 lb Midwest Amber LME

Hops
2 oz Cascade - 60 min
1 oz Cascade - 1 min

Yeast
Wyeast 1272 - American Ale II

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[Fordzilla]

I hate to self-promote, but....bump. I'm planning to brew this tomorrow.

 

[Yooper]

Well, I'd change a few things.

Once is, I don't like amber LME. It has crystal malt in it, and maybe some other malts like Munich malt, so you may be doubling up on the crystal malt inadvertently. If you already have it and can't change it, I'd definitely reduce the crystal malt you're planning on. I'd also cut the chocolate in 1/2- 4 ounces may give you a bit of a roasty flavor that is out of place in an American amber.

I'd change the hopping a bit. I'd go with enough bittering at 60 minutes to get you to about 30 IBUs, but move about an ounce of the hops to 15 minutes.

I'd just tweak your recipe like this:

Grains
1 lb Caramel 20l
1 lb Cara Aroma
1/2 lb Light Munich
1 oz lb Chocolate

Extract
6.3 lb Midwest pale LME

Hops
1 oz Cascade - 60 min (depending on the AAUs of the hops, but it may not be enough)
1 oz cascade- 15 min (if you need more bittering, reduce this to 1/2 oz and use 1/2 oz with the 60 minute hops
1 oz Cascade - 1 min

Yeast
Wyeast 1272 - American Ale II

 

[Fordzilla]

Thanks for the input. I will definitely take your suggestion for the hop additions.

Unfortunately I'm locked into the amber malt. Also, like a bonehead, I mixed up the cara aroma, munich and chocolate grains. (I was just winging it at the LHBS) The caramel 20l is in a separate bag. At this point im thinking about omitting the caramel to avoid having a horribly sweet beer from too much crystal. Alternatively, would the dryness from adding 1 pound of honey balance out the sweetness?