American Amber Ale
As I walked back from Mount Rushmore, I began to think about what kind of beer I would enjoy when I got back to my RV. I was feeling somewhat inspired, patriotic and quite hot and sweaty. I was much more impressed by Mount Rushmore than I anticipated and it seemed obvious that I needed something uniquely American. By the time I reached the refrigerator, my choice was clear — American amber ale.
American amber spans a wide range of characteristics. The color ranges from amber to coppery brown, the hop aroma from low to moderate, and the hop flavor from moderate to high. This is often a beer with a very clean fermentation profile, though some examples will have up to a modest amount of fruity esters. The body is medium to medium-full. The alcohol is usually restrained, but can be fairly substantial and slightly warming.
While it might be debatable how much crystal malt is appropriate for American pale ale, American amber ale should always have significant caramel flavors with a little more residual malt sweetness than American pale ales, which helps balance the hop bitterness. Some American ambers are modest and restrained while others are big, hoppy and bold. Regardless, this should always be a great, easy-drinking beer.
The BJCP style guide mentions that this style is called red ale in some regions and amber ale in others. While there is ambiguity, I feel that people are beginning to think of the two as different substyles: amber as a gentler, more malt-focused beer with an even balance, lighter color, and more restrained hop character and red as trending toward bigger, bolder, hoppier beers like those from the U.S. West Coast, which often have higher alcohol (in some examples over 6.5% ABV), increased bold, dark crystal flavors, and bold hop character full of American citrusy/piney flavors and aromas.
You have some flexibility in choosing base malt for American amber/red. Domestic 2-row will give the beer a clean, subtle background malt character. North American pale ale malt adds a slightly richer background malt character, somewhat of a light bready note. Less common is British pale ale malt, which provides an even greater depth of malt character to the beer, mainly a biscuit-like taste and aroma common in many British beers. I enjoy the more obvious malt background of British pale malt and this is one style that can handle it. However, some folks feel it can be too much, so if you prefer a more subtle, restrained malt background, go with North American 2-row or pale ale malt. Extract brewers can use a British pale ale malt extract if they want a richer malt background or a light color North American malt extract if they want a more subtle taste. All-grain brewers can use a single infusion mash and should target a mash that will leave enough long chain sugars to help fill out the body. A temperature around 152–154 °F (67–68 °C) creates wort with a nice balance between fermentable and non-fermentable sugars.
A great deal of an American amber or red’s character comes from specialty malts. Every American amber/red needs a firm caramel note and experimenting with the amounts and colors of crystal malts is a great way to change the character. You can use mid-color crystal (40–60 °L), darker crystal (80–150 °L) or a combination of colors. The mid-color crystal malts add more caramel flavors, while the darker crystal malts add progressively more plum, raisin, and burnt caramel notes as they get darker. Darker crystal malts also tend to be less sweet than the lighter crystal malts. If you’re brewing a more restrained version of this style, you’ll want to focus mainly on the mid-color crystal malts and you’ll want to use less overall. If you’re brewing a bigger, bolder version of this style, you’ll want to include some darker crystal malts. The darker crystal malts have a more complex, bolder flavor and can help balance the higher alcohol and hop levels. Even though you have a lot of leeway, don’t add a lot of low color crystal malt (< 30 °L) as it adds sweetness without much caramel character. Also watch the quantity. If the crystal malt exceeds 15% of the grist it can result in an overly sweet and heavy beer.
Even with a high level of bitterness, there is a limit to how much sweetness is acceptable. While you can balance hop bitterness with malt sweetness, that is true only to a point and it doesn’t take much before the drinkability of the beer suffers. One of the other benefits of the darkest crystal malts is that any dark roasted malt can enhance the perception of dryness, and in bigger examples this can be a welcome accent. When making a big American red ale I like to add a little dark-kilned malt like pale chocolate (200 °L) to help balance the finish and add more character. Highly-kilned grains are also useful for enhancing the red color. For a deep red, a couple ounces (28–57 g) of 500 °L or darker grains can help.
For a clean, gentle pub amber, keep it simple with only the crystal malts. For a bigger, richer beer, this style can support other character grain additions. I can’t get enough bready-toasty-biscuit character so I like to add Munich and Victory malts for about 10% of the grist on a big red ale.
You have quite a bit of flexibility in hopping American amber/red ales. The bittering can range from slightly sweet to boldly bitter, with the bigger reds often being a bit more bitter. Target a bitterness to starting gravity ratio (IBU divided by OG) of 0.5 to 0.7 for a more balanced amber or 0.7 to 1.0 for a bold red. Hop flavor and aroma also varies from minimal in some ambers to over the top in some reds. Generally, reds have higher levels of hop flavor and aroma. Hops for American amber/red should be American varieties. Cascade, Centennial, Columbus, Simcoe, and Amarillo are all suitable choices.
American amber/red most often has a clean fermentation profile with very low to no fruity esters. A slight fruitiness can be welcome, as long as it isn’t excessive. I prefer a clean, moderately attenuating yeast, such as Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) or White Labs WLP001 (California Ale). Oxygenate the wort and pitch an appropriate amount of clean, healthy yeast to help create a clean, American pub-style profile. Ferment around 67 °F (19 °C). Maintain temperature throughout fermentation for a proper level of attenuation and avoiding off-flavors. Temperature swings can result in the yeast flocculating early or producing solventy and/or estery beers.
American Amber by the Numbers
OG: 1.045–1.060 (11.2–14.7°P)
FG: 1.010–1.015 (2.6–3.8°P)
SRM: 10–17 IBU: 25–40 ABV: 4.5–6.2%
Amber Waves
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.051 (12.6 °P)
FG = 1.013 (3.2 °P)
IBU = 35 SRM = 10 ABV = 5.1%
Ingredients
9.5 lb. (4.3 kg) Great Western 2-row malt (2 °L)
(or light, North American 2-row)
0.75 lb. (340 g) Great Western crystal malt (40 °L)
0.5 lb. (227 g) Durst Munich malt (8 °L)
0.25 lb. (113 g) Great Western crystal malt (120 °L)
6.5 AAU Horizon hops, (60 min)
(0.5 oz./14 g at 13% alpha acids)
1.5 AAU Cascade hops, (10 min)
(0.25 oz./7 g at 6% alpha acids)
2.25 AAU Centennial hops, (10 min)
(0.25 oz./7 g at 9% alpha acids)
1.5 AAU Cascade hops, (0 min)
(0.25 oz./7 g at 6% alpha acids)
2.25 AAU Centennial hops, (0 min)
(0.25 oz./7 g at 9% alpha acids)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale), White Labs WLP001
(California Ale) or Fermentis Safale US-05 yeast
Step by Step
Mill the grains and dough-in targeting a mash of around 1.5 quarts of water to 1 pound of grain (a liquor-to-grist ratio of about 3:1 by weight) and a temperature of 154 °F (68 °C). Hold the mash at 154 °F (68 °C) until enzymatic conversion is complete. Infuse the mash with near boiling water while stirring or with a recirculating mash system raise the temperature to mash out at 168 °F (76 °C). Sparge slowly with 170 °F (77 °C) water, collecting wort until the pre-boil kettle volume is around 6.5 gallons (25 L) and the gravity is 1.040 (9.9°P).
Total wort boil time is 90 minutes. Add the bittering hops with 60 minutes remaining in the boil. Add Irish moss or other kettle finings with 15 minutes left. Add other hop additions at 10 minutes remaining and flame out. Chill the wort to 67 °F (19 °C) and aerate thoroughly. The proper pitch rate is 9 grams of rehydrated dry yeast, 2 packages of liquid yeast or 1 package of liquid yeast in a 1.5-liter starter.
Ferment at 67 °F (19 °C) until the yeast drops clear. Fermentation should be complete in about one week. Allow the lees to settle and the brew to mature without pressure for another two days after fermentation appears finished. Rack to a keg and force carbonate or rack to a bottling bucket, add priming sugar, and bottle. Target a carbonation level of 2 to 2.5 volumes.
Amber Waves
(5 gallons/19 L, extract plus grains)
OG = 1.051 (12.6 °P)
FG = 1.013 (3.2 °P)
IBU = 35 SRM = 10 ABV = 5.1%
Ingredients
6.0 lb. (2.72 kg) Alexander’s light liquid malt extract (2 °L)
0.75 lb. (340 g) Great Western crystal malt (40 °L)
0.5 lb. (227 g) Durst Munich malt (8 °L)
0.25 lb. (113 g) Great Western crystal malt (120 °L)
6.5 AAU Horizon hops, (60 min)
(0.5 oz./14 g at 13% alpha acids)
1.5 AAU Cascade hops, (10 min)
(0.25 oz./7 g at 6% alpha acids)
2.25 AAU Centennial hops, (10 min)
(0.25 oz./7 g at 9% alpha acids)
1.5 AAU Cascade hops, (0 min)
(0.25 oz./7 g at 6% alpha acids)
2.25 AAU Centennial hops, (0 min) (0.25 oz./7 g at 9% alpha acids)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale), White Labs WLP001
(California Ale) or Fermentis Safale US-05 yeast.
Step by Step
Mill or coarsely crack the specialty malts. Mix them well and place loosely in a grain bag. Avoid packing the grains too tightly. Steep the bag in about 1 gallon (~4 liters) of water at roughly 170 °F (77 °C) for about 30 minutes. Lift the grain bag out of the steeping liquid and rinse with warm water. Allow the bags to drip into the kettle without squeezing for a few minutes while you add the malt extract. Add water to the steeping liquor and malt extract to make a volume of 5.9 gallons (22.3 liters) and a gravity of 1.043 (10.8°P). Stir thoroughly and bring to a boil.
Once the wort is boiling, add the bittering hops. Total wort boil time is one hour after adding the bittering hops. During that time add the Irish moss or other kettle finings at 15 minutes before shut-down. Add other hop additions at 10 minutes remaining and flame out. Chill the wort to 67 °F (19 °C) and aerate thoroughly. The proper pitch rate is 9 grams of rehydrated dry yeast, 2 packages of liquid yeast or 1 package of liquid yeast in a 1.5-liter starter. Follow the remaining instructions for the all-grain version.
West Coast Blaster
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.067 (16.4°P)
FG = 1.015 (3.9 °P)
IBU = 66 SRM = 17 ABV = 6.9%
Ingredients
11.4 lb. (5.17 kg) Muntons pale ale malt (3°L)
(or Great Western British pale ale malt)
1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) Great Western crystal malt (40 °L)
1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) Durst Munich malt (8 °L)
0.5 lb. (227 g) Victory malt (28 °L)
0.5 lb. (227 g) Great Western crystal malt (120 °L)
2.5 oz. (71 g) pale chocolate malt (200 °L)
11.44 AAU Horizon hops (60 min.)
(0.88 oz./25 g at 13% alpha acids)
6 AAU Cascade hops (10 min.)
(1.0 oz./28 g 6% at alpha acids)
9 AAU Centennial hops (10 min.)
(1.0 oz./28 g 9% at alpha acids)
6 AAU Cascade hops (0 min.)
(1.0 oz./28 g 6% at alpha acids)
9 AAU Centennial hops (0 min.)
(1.0 oz./28 g 9% at alpha acids)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale), White Labs WLP001
(California Ale) or Fermentis Safale US-05 yeast
Step by Step
Mill the grains and dough-in targeting a mash of around 1.5 quarts of water to 1 pound of grain (a liquor-to-grist ratio of about 3:1 by weight) and a temperature of 152° F (67 °C). Hold the mash at 152 °F (67 °C) until enzymatic conversion is complete. Infuse the mash with near boiling water while stirring or with a recirculating mash system raise the temperature to mash out at 168 °F (76 °C). Sparge slowly with 170 °F (77 °C) water, collecting wort until the pre-boil kettle volume is around 6.5 gallons (25 L) and the gravity is 1.052 (12.9 °P).
The total wort boil time is 90 minutes. Add the bittering hops with 60 minutes remaining in the boil. Add Irish moss or other kettle finings with 15 minutes left in the boil. Add other hop additions at 10 minutes remaining and flame out. Chill the wort to 67 °F (19 °C) and aerate thoroughly. The proper pitch rate is 12 grams of rehydrated dry yeast, 2 packages of liquid yeast or 1 package of liquid yeast in a 2.5-liter starter.
Ferment at 67 °F (19 °C) until the yeast drops clear. Fermentation should be complete in about one week. Allow the lees to settle and the brew to mature without pressure for another two days after fermentation appears finished. Rack to a keg and force carbonate or rack to a bottling bucket, add priming sugar, and bottle. Target a carbonation level of 2 to 2.5 volumes.
West Coast Blaster
(5 gallons/19 L, extract plus grains)
OG = 1.066 (16 °P)
FG = 1.015 (3.8 °P)
IBU = 66 SRM = 17 ABV = 6.7%
Ingredients
7.0 lb. (3.17 kg) John Bull Maris Otter or Edme Maris
Otter English pale ale liquid malt extract
(or English-style pale ale liquid malt extract) (3.5 °L)
1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) Great Western crystal malt (40 °L)
1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) Durst Munich malt (8 °L)
0.5 lb. (227 g) Victory malt (28 °L)
0.5 lb. (227 g) Great Western crystal malt (120 °L)
2.5 oz. (71 g) Beeston pale chocolate malt (200 °L)
11.44 AAU Horizon hops (60 min.)
(0.88 oz./25 g at 13% alpha acids)
6 AAU Cascade hops (10 min.)
(1.0 oz./28 g 6% at alpha acids)
9 AAU Centennial hops (10 min.) (
1.0 oz./28 g 9% at alpha acids)
6 AAU Cascade hops (0 min.)
(1.0 oz./28 g 6% at alpha acids)
9 AAU Centennial hops (0 min.)
(1.0 oz./28 g 9% at alpha acids)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale), White Labs WLP001
(California Ale) or Fermentis Safale US-05 yeast
Step by Step
Mill or coarsely crack the specialty malts. Mix well and place loosely in a grain bag. Avoid packing the grains too tightly. Steep the bag in about 2 gallons (~8 liters) of water at roughly 170 °F (77 °C) for about 30 minutes. Lift the grain bag out of the steeping liquid and rinse with warm water. Allow the bags to drip into the kettle without squeezing for a few minutes while you add the malt extract. Add water to the steeping liquor and malt extract to make 5.9 gallons (22.3 liters) and a gravity of 1.056 (13.7 °P). Stir thoroughly and bring to a boil.
Once the wort is boiling, add the bittering hops. Total wort boil time is 1 hour after adding the bittering hops. During that time add the Irish moss or other kettle finings at 15 minutes before shut-down. Add other hop additions at 10 minutes remaining and flame out. Chill the wort to 67 °F (19 °C) and aerate thoroughly. The proper pitch rate is 11 grams of rehydrated dry yeast, 2 packages of liquid yeast or 1 package of liquid yeast in a 2.5-liter starter. Follow fermentation and packaging instructions for the all-grain version.
