Help me with this Am. Amber Ale

[Thirsty Mallard]

Ok, here is the recipe for 5.5 gallons:

8 lbs Pale Malt
1 lb. Crystal 55L
1 lb. Munich Malt 10L
2 oz. Chocolate Malt - 450L

1 oz. Columbus (14.5%AA) - FWH
0.75 oz. Mt. Hood (4.2%AA) - 60 Min
0.50 oz. Mt. Hood (4.2% AA) - 2 Min
1 oz. Columbus (14.5%AA) - Dry Hop

Wyeast American Ale

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I'm concerned about the hops. The recipe says I should get 35 IBUs from that FWH addition, but BeerSmith says I get 69.4. Should I go with the recipe or with BeerSmith (since I have never done FWH before Im not sure how the utilization works). Right now BeerSmith is saying I should come out with estimated IBUs of 79.2. I want 50 or below.

Thoughts?

[Bugeater]

I (along with Denny Conn and many others) have found that FWH contributes approximately the same bitterness as a 20 minute addition. It sounds like Beersmith is treating FWH close to the same as a 60 minute addition. Try refiguring it as a 20 minute flavor addition and see how the IBU's work out. You can then go back into your system settings and adjust how Beersmith handles FWH. I had to do this on Promash too.

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

[numsquat]

I had to do this on Promash too.

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

Wayne, how did you make the change in Promash?

[Push Eject]

Bug, can you turn the flashing off on your new avatar? It's funny otherwise.

Where did you get the recipe from, Thirsty?

Push Eject

[Thirsty Mallard]

To be honest I can't remember. I have been looking all over the internet for a descent American Amber recipe, and this one was the closest I could find that sounded like what I was looking for (Solid malt bill, 1.046-1.054, about 40-50 IBUs).

I wrote it down at work, and then when I was at home putting the recipe in BeerSmith my IBU's were way out of whack.

I brewed it this weekend, I just decided to hell with FWH, and I adjusted my amounts and times to get the IBUs I wanted from the same hops.

I changed to:
0.7 oz Columbus (14.5%AA) - 60 Min
0.7 oz Mt. Hood (4.2%AA) - 35 Min
0.5 oz Mt. Hood - 5 Min
1 oz Columbus - Dry

Total IBUs = 50.2

[J.Brew]

I'm getting all different numbers with Pro Mash. Confusing I'd say.

[Chris_J]

Any news yet? Looks like a promising recipe.

[Thirsty Mallard]

It's fermenting nicely. I am going to cold crash it on Wednesday and keg it on Saturday.

My gravities were right on and it has a great smell. I think this will be a solid start for my house Am. Amber.