Tropical Amber recipe critique

[Capa]

Hi everyone,

I haven't brewed in some time due to work and such, but I'm finally getting back in to it. Brewed a low abv saison a couple days ago and a porter about a month back.

Anyhow, I am looking to brew up a five gallon batch of an amber ale that is full of tropical fruit goodness. I'm going for a bit of a fuller body which is why I chose the Cali V yeast instead of normal California Ale yeast since it has lower attenuation. I don't want it overly bitter but enough to balance the malt sweetness and give it a good tropical fruit aroma and flavor. Any and all constructive criticism is welcome, thanks! My recipe so far is:

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
8 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 78.0 %
1 lbs Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 9.8 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 3 9.8 %
4.0 oz Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 4 2.4 %
0.50 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 90.0 min Hop 5 21.4 IBUs
0.50 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 6 14.5 IBUs
0.50 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 7 8.7 IBUs
0.50 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Boil 2.0 min Hop 8 2.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg California Ale V (White Labs #WLP051) [3 Yeast 9 -

 

[BreezyBrew]

Love to hear how this turns out. I thought the general consensus with hoppy and malty is that it is hard to mix together?

 

[wtfDean]

i'd lose the chocolate malt, i don't like it in my ambers. it might come out more brown than you're anticipating

edit: you could consider subbing that 1/4 chocolate malt for 1/4 or 1/2lb carmel 120

 

[BreezyBrew]

http://byo.com/stories/item/126-american-amber-style-profile good article

 

[Capa]

wtfDean: I'll definetly look at replacing the chocolate. Good point on it turning into a brown.

BreezyBrew: Really great article. I'm going to have to take a hard look at my recipe tonight after reading that. Also, what do you mean that hoppy and malty don't work together?

Thanks for the assistance so far.

 

[wtfDean]

i'm not sure what he's referencing, but i will say that imho there is nothing wrong with a hoppy amber

 

[BreezyBrew]

That's just always what Mitch Steel has said, and whenever I try to do that, it just ends up tasting weird.

 

[Kealia]

You mean Mitch Steele from Stone.....who brews Levitation? Which is a great example of a hoppy amber with a great malt presence?

 

[Capa]

So, I decided to swap the chocolate malt for 1/2# 120L crystal malt but I think everything else is gonna stay the same. Ordering the ingredients tonight. Real excited to brew it up!

 

[BreezyBrew]

Awesome! Tell us how it turns out!