Gordon Strong’s American Amber Ale
All-Grain Recipe
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.054 FG = 1.012
IBU = 30 SRM = 15 ABV = 5.5%
Ingredients
9 lbs. (4.1 kg) pale ale malt
1 lb. (454 g) dark Munich malt (9 °L)
1 lb. (454 g) crystal malt (60 °L)
2 oz. (57 g) chocolate malt
5.5 AAU Cascade hops (first wort hop) (1 oz./28 g at 5.5% alpha acids)
4.5 AAU Mandarina Bavaria hops (10 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 9% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Hallertauer hops (5 min.)
1 oz. (28 g) Cascade hops (hopstand)
Wyeast 1272 (American Ale II), White Labs WLP051 (California V Ale),
or Mangrove Jack’s M36 (Liberty Bell Ale) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
This recipe uses reverse osmosis (RO) water. Adjust all brewing water to a pH of 5.5 using phosphoric acid. Add 1 tsp. of CaCl2 to the mash.
Put the chocolate malt in a mesh bag and steep briefly in the full volume of the hot strike water before the mash begins. Steep just long enough so that a deep reddish color appears. This should only take a few seconds, but you may have to stir the water to judge the color effect. Remove the bag when a reddish color is noticed.
Mash in pale ale and Munich malts at 151 °F (66 °C) using a 1.5 qts./lb. (3.1 L/kg) water-to-grist ratio. Rest for 60 minutes. Add the crystal malt, begin recirculating, and raise the temperature to 168 °F (76 °C) for mash out. Recirculate slowly for at least 15 minutes. Add the first wort hops to the kettle before beginning runoff.
Sparge slowly and collect 6.5 gallons (24.5 L) of wort in your kettle. Boil the wort for 90 minutes, adding remaining hops at the times indicated in the recipe. Add the last Cascade hops after heat has been turned off and the wort has cooled for 10 minutes. Give a long stir to create a whirlpool then let settle for 10 minutes.
Chill the wort to 68 °F (20 °C), pitch the yeast, and ferment until complete. After conditioning, rack the beer, prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.
Extract With Grains Recipe
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.053 FG = 1.012
IBU = 30 SRM = 15 ABV = 5.4%
Ingredients
5.9 lbs. (2.7 kg) pale liquid malt extract
0.7 lb. (318 g) Munich liquid malt extract
1 lb. (454 g) crystal malt (60 °L)
2 oz. (57 g) chocolate malt
5.5 AAU Cascade hops
(first wort hop) (1 oz./28 g at 5.5% alpha acids)
4.5 AAU Mandarina Bavaria hops
(10 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 9% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Hallertauer hops (5 min.)
1 oz. (28 g) Cascade hops (hopstand)
Wyeast 1272 (American Ale II), White Labs WLP051 (California V Ale),
or Mangrove Jack’s M36 (Liberty Bell Ale) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Use 6.5 gallons (24.5 L) of water in the brew kettle; heat to 158 °F (70 °C).
Steep the grains for 30 minutes in a mesh bag. Remove and rinse. Turn off the heat. Add the malt extract and stir thoroughly to dissolve completely. You do not want to feel liquid extract at the bottom of the kettle when stirring with your spoon. Turn the heat back on, stir in the first wort hops and bring to a boil.
Boil the wort for 60 minutes, adding hops at the times indicated. Follow the all-grain recipe for the post-boil, fermentation, and packaging instructions.
