The American Amber Ale recipe :
- Color: Deep amber (23.4 EBC)
- Alcohol: 5.7%
- Quantity: 20L
- Bitterness: Clean (36.7 IBU)
- Brewing time: 5h
- Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients :
Grains :
- 3.7kg Pale Ale Malt
- 0.55kg Munich 25 Malt
- 0.5kg Carared Malt
- 0.25kg Special W Malt
Hops :
- 10g Centennial hops (Boil – 60min)
- 10g Cascade hops (Boil – 5min)
- 40g Centennial hops (Whirlpool – 20min à 90°C)
- 40g Cascade hops (Whirlpool – 20min à 90°C)
Yeast and water :
- 2 sachets of Lax – WHC
- Total water volume: 33L
- Ideal Sulfate/Chloride ratio: 2/1
- Mash pH: 5.2
- Ideal sparge water pH: 6
Brew our American Amber Ale recipe step by step :
Step 1 :
Pour 17 liters of water into your kettle and set the heat to 70°C.
Add your grains and stir well to avoid lumps. Continue until the temperature drops to 67°C.
Hold it there for 60 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat 16 liters of water to 77°C; this will be used for sparging.
Once the saccharification rest is complete, raise the temperature to 75°C for a 10‑minute Mash‑Out.
Step 2 :
When the Mash‑Out is finished, proceed with lautering and sparging.
Step 3 :
Heat your kettle for a 60‑minute boil.
At the start of the boil, add the first 10 grams of Centennial for a soft, lemony bitterness.
With 15 minutes remaining, add 10g of Cascade.
Step 4 :
Once the boil is finished, turn off the heat and steep 40g of Centennial and 40g of Cascade for 20 minutes.
Step 5 :
Cool the wort to 18°C. Take the gravity reading, which should be around 1.053, and transfer it into the fermenter.
Add the 2 sachets of LAX yeast. This “Chico” strain is typical of American ales. Its aromatic neutrality allows the hops to fully express themselves while letting the malts shine. Its strong attenuation also enhances the drinkability of the beer.
Maintain a temperature of 18°C for about 3 weeks. This is the time the yeast will need to reach the final gravity of 1.010.
*After this period, you may optionally raise the temperature to 21°C for an additional week. This will ensure the yeast finishes its work cleanly.
Step 6 :
Once the final gravity is reached, you can proceed with bottling. A Cold Crash is of course possible, and even recommended before bottling.
Sterilize 6g/L of sugar and carry out the bottling.
For the “iso team,” carbonate to 2.4 volumes of CO₂.
Conclusion :
Frozen Flame is a classic yet highly effective American Amber Ale.
Its biscuit‑like malt base brings roundness and depth. Beyond the color, the Crystal malts (Carared and Special W), used generously, provide a caramel character that pairs beautifully with the resinous and citrus aromas of Centennial and Cascade hops. This balance embodies the spirit of American craft brewing from the 1980s–90s, still just as relevant today.
A warm beer with firm bitterness and bold hop aromas—dangerously drinkable and ideal for winter, yet just as enjoyable in any season.