Can someone have a look at this recipe?

[Rusty Chch]

Hey,

I'm trying to make an easy drinking lawnmower style beer at the moment. Am restricted to ales because I don't have any place to lager. I was thinking of going for something like (for 19l):

3.5kg base malt
700g vienna or munich
mash fairly low (probably 65ish)

German hops to bitter and aroma:
hallertauer 5% 20g for 60mins
tett 4.5g 15g for 15 minutes

Ferment with something fairly neutral (possibly US-05)

I know it's fairly unimaginative but I'm just after something pretty easy drinking and uncomplicated

Comments?

[JoKing]

I'd use 80-100g of Amber malt in total. Overuse of this malt can make your beer difficult to drink.

[Rusty Chch]

Thanks!

[jt]

I used amber in some extract ales a few years ago, haven't got around to using it in a grain beer.
I thought it needed someting to complement it - bit of crystal or touch of chocolate.

Would you include it with the Munich / Vienna in this quaffer Joking ?

[JoKing]

For sure: I have included it in a number of styles, and it is a good substitute for belgian biscuit malt. It needs to be used in moderation though. Here is an extract about the malt:

Amber malt: This material has a light, biscuity dry flavour and can be used to produce some Bitter and Mild Ales and sweet Stouts in the UK, as well as the traditional London Porters that have come back into favour recently. The flavour is quite intense and caution in the use of this material is required.

The material is manufactured by roasting kilned malt - a Lager malt of good modification is best - progressively raising the temperature of the material from ambient to 150/160°C. Because there is no saccharification stage the non-enzymic browning reactions follow a different pattern, and the end products are nitrogen containing heterocycles of the pyrrole and pyrazine type, the pyrazines being mainly responsible for the bitterness.

Weyermann CaraAmber is a good one to try first, it is no where near as harsh as the English Amber malts.

[jt]

Yea, maybe that's why I always think of it as a malt for more substantial ales, not a quaffer

[HerrSchnapps]

Hopefully they've fixed their grain crusher, we went around yesterday and they had only just got the roller back :(

[Rusty Chch]

Ah, no worries.

I was in the area and I rang to see if I could get over there. Worst thing that could have was that I'd come away with a couple of riggers!

Tangentially, Paul mentioned that Dakota Dark was changed from a dark lager to a stout recently. Should make for good drinking!

[HerrSchnapps]

I had the Dark the other day actually, bought maybe 3 weeks back. Didn't like it much, tasted maybe too crisp and clean and didn't go well with the dark grains. Hopefully it'll be better now?

[Rusty Chch]

I'm not certain, i'd like to try it again at stout temperature.

Are you fellas planning a run over there again this week?

[James P]

I am this week, need to make a celebration ale! :)

[Rusty Chch]

Ah, does that mean that you've got a new brewing assistant?

[James P]

Yes, a little off topic, however brewing assistant number two is a healthy 7lb 5 oz girl named Danika Jean. Looking forward to getting them home, hopefully tomorrow if mum's blood pressure is stable.