There’s something about chasing the perfect amber ale that’ll make you feel like Ahab after the white whale.

Ok, not quite.

Maybe it makes you feel like a homebrewer who’s spent too many hours sniffing specialty malts at the LHBS.

Ever since Cambridge Brewing Company shut its doors (moment of silence), Mike has wanted to brew an American Amber Ale that scratches the itch for that classic, balanced, drink-all-day pint. He’s been tinkering away, dialing in mash pH, chasing efficiency, and keeping a big homebrewing process reveal a little mysterious, even from the rest of us.

This week’s batch is his fourth serious attempt at the style, and each round gets us a little closer to Amber Ale enlightenment.

American Amber Ale – Version 4

This recipe is for a 3.5 gallon batch.

Grain Bill:

60% Pale Malt (Valley Malt)
34% Light Munich Malt (6°L, Valley Malt)
5% CaraAroma (180°L)
1% Chocolate Malt (450°L)

Hop Schedule:

15 g Target @ 60 min (clean bittering)
Just under 1 oz Centennial @ 10 min (grapefruit/citrus aroma)

Yeast: 1 packet of  Verdant IPA

Mash Schedule:

Mash at 145°F for 60 minutes
Raise to 158°F for 10 minutes
Raise to 168°F for 10 minutes (mash out)

Mash pH: 5.4

Boil Length: 60 minutes

Fermentation:

Primary: 68°F for 2 weeks
Cold crash: 3 days
Keg condition for 1 week before serving

Notes:

No post-boil finings used; Whirlfloc tablet in boil.
Focused on water chemistry for clarity and yeast health (especially calcium levels).
CaraAroma provided great color but more toastiness than desired. Future tweaks will balance toast and caramel more evenly.

The Verdict? Close But Not Quite There

Well, we liked this beer’s clarity and color but it’s just a bit too toasty in flavor. That 5% CaraAroma brings the color but also piles on the toast, making it almost too rich for back-to-back pints.

Mike wants those caramel and toasty notes to level out and not wrestle for attention. Next round, he is thinking of dialing back the CaraAroma, blending in some Crystal 40 and Crystal 80, and maybe rethinking the Munich.

Amber ale is all about balance. It needs to be a little malty, a little dry, some hop flavor, but nothing screaming for attention. That’s the magic he is after.

If you Amber Ale tips, let us know what works for you. More to come from us!

BREW ON!