Uses for Amber malt?

[Jim Brewster]

I have a bag of amber malt in my stock cupboard but can't remember what possessed me to buy it. I haven't found many recipes with it in the grain bill and most beers described as amber don't seem to use it. I've seen it called biscuit malt so I assume it gives biscuit flavours when used in small amounts.

What can I add it to? Does anyone have any recipes to share?

 

[NormanHurst]

I use a 3-4% in an English IPA recipe and it works well. I've also used it in Porters but all low volume. I think I bought a 1kg bag 6 months ago and still have most of it left...

 

[An Ankoù]

Some of the so called "vintage" recipes contain quite a lot of Amber Malt. It makes the beer biscuity as said above and also dry. I'll look up a recipe for small all from Cobb and Co from the Durden Park booklet.
It's also used in Five Points best bitter if I remember right. Increasing the Amber and reducing The Crystal wouldn't do any harm at all, especially if you find this beer a bit too sweet, as I do.

 

[JockyBrewer]

A touch in a bitter is good, but where it really shines is used in larger quantities in a porter or brown ale.

My very first all grain brew (85 brews and 7.5 years ago) was a brown ale following a Randy Mosher recipe:

OG 1.063
66% Thomas Fawcett Mild malt
30% Crisp Amber
4% Crisp Brown
25 IBU any English hop @ 60m
Ferment with WLP002
Mash at 69c for a FG of around 1.018.

From memory it was delicious, with the residual sweetness combining beautifully with the biscuity notes from the malts.

I think it’s time I revisit this one.

 

[alefric LeHendz]

Me and my dad each made a beer using 1/3 to 2/3 amber to pale malt from the durden park book, turned into a really nice beer

 

[matt76]

I've been using it a lot recently as I perfect my "Hoppy Amber Ale".

Don't be taken in by the name, Session IPA would probably be a better descriptor.

(If you want it stronger I would just bump up the base malt and leave the rest alone.)

Getting the grist right was easy, it was the hopping that's taken some trial and error. In this latest version the hops and malt combine like marmalade on toast!

I might be wrong but I believe one way to think of amber malt is kind of like a Munich+, i.e. adding richness and a bit of colour - which is no bad thing if you're making lower strength beers like me.

Just for fun I have plans to re-use the same grist with an English yeast and hopped with EKG (so like a bitter but without the crystal malt), and then again with a lager yeast and suitable hops (Saaz maybe) to make something like a Vienna Lager.

The idea of using it in Porter is interesting though I use Brown malt in mine which I believe is one notch further up the roasted scale from Amber Malt.

 

[Jim Brewster]

I've been using it a lot recently as I perfect my "Hoppy Amber Ale".

Don't be taken in by the name, Session IPA would probably be a better descriptor.

Sounds good, I'm going to give that a try, thanks. To start off with I think 70% pale, 30% amber to get a feel for it. I've been wanting to use Jester so maybe I'll give that hop a try and use either M-44 west coast yeast or as you say maybe an English ale yeast.

I've probably got enough to brew a mild as well. Thanks @JockyBrewer

 

[matt76]

Sounds good, I'm going to give that a try, thanks. To start off with I think 70% pale, 30% amber to get a feel for it. I've been wanting to use Jester so maybe I'll give that hop a try and use either M-44 west coast yeast or as you say maybe an English ale yeast.

I've probably got enough to brew a mild as well. Thanks @JockyBrewer

Just read the descriptor for Jester, it sounds good - have fun, report back

 

[An Ankoù]

I'd go easy. 30% is pretty much what my Cobb And Co recipe uses and it's a bit of an acquired taste and takes a while to mellow down in the bottle. I'd suggest you start with half that. Jester, too, has a unique flavour so go easy to start with would be my advice.

 

[matt76]

I'd go easy. 30% is pretty much what my Cobb And Co recipe uses and it's a bit of an acquired taste and takes a while to mellow down in the bottle. I'd suggest you start with half that. Jester, too, has a unique flavour so go easy to start with would be my advice.

Good point AA

For reference @Jim Brewster , my Hoppy Amber Ale uses 12.5% Amber malt - it's noticeable but not overpowering or in your face.

 

[Michael Burnley]

Five Points use it in their 'Best' bitter

https://fivepointsbrewing.co.uk/beer/five-points-best/

I have started using it in my best bitter and I love it

 

[phildo79]

You can use it as a sub for victory, biscuit, melanoidin and kiln amber.

 

[Jim Brewster]

Thanks for all the helpful comments

Brewed today, I went for about 12% Amber in the final recipe. Pale, Amber and a handful of malted wheat, hopped with Jester.
Looks OK so far, a little dark looks perhaps like light Crystal. Now just to wait and see

Good point AA

For reference @Jim Brewster , my Hoppy Amber Ale uses 12.5% Amber malt - it's noticeable but not overpowering or in your face.