This homebrew-scaled recipe for one of Creature Comforts Brewing Co.’s (Athens, Georgia) year-round beers produces a complex and flavorful amber ale. “We set out to shine a new light on the amber style with this beer and to reclaim it from the ordinary,” says Brewmaster Adam Beauchamp.

ALL-GRAIN

Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)

Brewhouse efficiency: 85%

OG: 13.1° Plato (1.052)

FG: 2.9° Plato (1.012)

IBUs: 25

ABV: 5.5%

MALT/GRAIN BILL

5 lb (2.3 kg) Pilsner malt

2.4 lb (1.1 kg) rye malt

1 lb (454 g) Munich malt

1 lb (454 g) CaraMunich II

2 oz (57 g) flaked rye

1 oz (28 g) Carafa Special III

Rice hulls

HOPS SCHEDULE

1.5 oz (42 g) Crystal at whirlpool

1 oz (28 g) Styrian Golding at whirlpool

0.5 oz (14 g) Chinook at whirlpool

YEAST

Wyeast 1968 (London ESB)

DIRECTIONS

Mash the grains at 154°F (68°C) for 60 minutes. Mash out to 172°F (78°C). Boil for 90 minutes. Cool to 64°F (18°C) and pitch the yeast. Ferment at 66°F (19°C) until fermentation is complete.

Age on lightly toasted French oak in secondary for 1 week (cold if possible.) We use barrel pack spirals. Homebrewers need about 0.5 inch (13 mm) of one of the spirals. You could substitute a very small amount of chips or cubes.

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