It begins: Amber

This year, I decided my project ale would be amber ales. I didn’t really have a specific reason: I like the style well enough and don’t see it terribly often in stores so why not! The first batch has come up for review and here we go.

The nose is sweet, but good sweet with hints of caramel and not cloying.

The flavor profile is a little strange though: I get tangerine in there. The beer is still on the sweeter side, but sweet citrus not sweet malt. The finish is rather sparkly too: it really bounces around my tongue but it isn’t sweeping flavors away, either. The aftermath of this ale still has a bitter note to it-not overpowering by any measure but it lingers.

Hm.

On the one hand: this beer is good. I like it.

On the other hand: this beer should be malt forward. That’s the style.

And on the third hand: This is my first shot at the style this year so I’m not upset. Plenty of more beer to brew!

Brew date: 1/14/18

Steeping grains
4 lb Lamonta
1.5 lb lC 80
1 lb Victory
1 lb Munich

Fermentables: 5 lb LME

Hops
.5 oz of Warrior and Centennial hops @ 60
.5 oz of Centennial @ 30
.5 Centennial @ 5

Yeast: Imperial Tartan (for Scottish ales. I picked this because why not?)

OG: 1.073

FG: 1.01

Put into secondary: 2/18

ABV: 8.5%