First attempt

[itchygomey]

I am a new extract brewer and I'm trying to move from kit recipes to putting together my own. Please let me know your opinions on what I've put together:

5 gals, full boil:

11.2 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L
11.2 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L
1Lb 11.7 oz Dark LME
5Lb 12.3 oz Amber LME
.92 oz Fuggles 5 mins
.92 oz Northern Brewer 15 mins
Safale American US-05

I was thinking of adding the malt when I add the aroma hops.

 

[ong]

This will be a sweet malt-bomb (>6% ABV, 16-18 IBU). It doesn't seem to fall into any particular style -- maybe you could call it a bitter, but the yeast is too clean, and it's not hoppy enough. Too sweet for an amber, too light for a brown. I think it might be good to pick a style for your first attempts, and try to stay within those guidelines.

The standard advice here is to use only extra-light extract, and get the color and flavor you want from your specialty grains.

If you're just using up stuff you have sitting around, you could tweak this recipe by reducing the amount of crystal by half or so, and adding a 60 minute bittering addition, or at least doubling up the 15 minute addition, if you're experimenting with late-hopping only.

 

[itchygomey]

This will be a sweet malt-bomb (>6% ABV, 16-18 IBU). It doesn't seem to fall into any particular style -- maybe you could call it a bitter, but the yeast is too clean, and it's not hoppy enough. Too sweet for an amber, too light for a brown. I think it might be good to pick a style for your first attempts, and try to stay within those guidelines.

The standard advice here is to use only extra-light extract, and get the color and flavor you want from your specialty grains.

If you're just using up stuff you have sitting around, you could tweak this recipe by reducing the amount of crystal by half or so, and adding a 60 minute bittering addition, or at least doubling up the 15 minute addition, if you're experimenting with late-hopping only.

Excellent advice. Thank you. I'm way new to brewing and hadn't checked out style guidelines. I have since and put together what I think will be a good amber ale. It's in the primary now so time will tell. Thanks again for setting a noob straight!