% Crystal in American Amber

[thorHB]

Trying to put together a grain bill for an amber. Looking at mostly 2 row, a small percentage of munich and enough crystal to get my SRM up to around 15 or so. Trouble is, that requires over 10% crystal. What is the most crystal you would use in an amber grist?

 

[Yooper]

Trying to put together a grain bill for an amber. Looking at mostly 2 row, a small percentage of munich and enough crystal to get my SRM up to around 15 or so. Trouble is, that requires over 10% crystal. What is the most crystal you would use in an amber grist?

An American amber generally can use up to 15% crystal, as long as it is properly bittered and hopped appropriately. I like to mix the crystal malt- say, a pound of 40L and .75 pound of 80L, or a pound of 60L and .25 pound of special B or 120L.

 

[cjones]

An American amber generally can use up to 15% crystal, as long as it is properly bittered and hopped appropriately. I like to mix the crystal malt- say, a pound of 40L and .75 pound of 80L, or a pound of 60L and .25 pound of special B or 120L.

sounds yummy Yooper

 

[thorHB]

Thanks Yooper. Thats what I thought, just wanted to reassure myself. This is what I am looking at doing. What would you do different?

Batch Size (fermenter): 10.25 gal
Estimated OG: 1.055 SG
Estimated Color: 15.5 SRM
Estimated IBU: 29.1 IBUs
Boil Time: 60 Minutes


15 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) 71.4%
3 lbs Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) 14.3%
2 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) 9.5%
1 lbs Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) 4.8%

1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min 10.2 IBUs
1.00 oz Fuggle [4.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min 8.4 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min 3.7 IBUs
1.00 oz Fuggle [4.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min 3.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 5.0 min 2.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Fuggle [4.50 %] - Boil 5.0 min 1.7 IBUs
1.0 pkg California Ale (White Labs #WLP001)

I'll probably mash low maybe 148 or 149 so that it hopefully attenuates down with all that crystal.
Thanks in advace!

 

[Yooper]

I wouldn't use a pound of special B- it's pretty dominant. I'd cut that down to .25 pound or at most .5 pound, but that's because I don't love it.

 

[rhys333]

I agree with Yooper and tend to go with 12-15% crystal in my ambers. My favorite uses Maris Otter or standard 2-Row base, with 13% Crystal plus a little wheat malt and melanoidin to make things interesting.

 

[Bosh]

Like Caraaroma, its dark enough to lend some color without adding much sweetness but rather lots of tasty dark fruit flavor. Stuff is POTENT though, be careful with it, used 130 grams in my last batch (6 gallons) and that was great for what I was doing but even that much was pretty powerful.

 

[hottpeper13]

I love the special B in small amounts like Yooper said. If the color is still lite I use small amounts of midnite wheat (2 oz per 5 gal) it has no husk and no flavor at that amount.

 

[thorHB]

Great advice. Thanks everyone.