Caramel Amber Ale Recipe (All-Grain): 5 to 30 Gallons
An all-grain Caramel Amber Ale recipe you can brew at 5 to 30 gallons: 5.0% ABV and 42 IBU, with the grain bill, hop schedule, yeast and step-by-step process.
In this post
Caramel Amber Ale at a glance: 5.0% ABV, 42 IBU, OG 1.050. A rich American amber with deep caramel flavour from crystal 80 and homemade amber candi syrup, balanced by Chinook and Willamette.
Recipe credit: Caramel Amber Ale by KingBrianI on HomeBrewTalk, #24 on HomeBrewTalk’s all-time Top 100. We’ve put it in our recipe card, scaled to 5 gallons at 72% efficiency, and kept the brewer’s gravity and hop schedule. See the original for the brewer’s own notes and the discussion.
Bräu Supply recipe · All-grain
Caramel Amber Ale
Grain · for 5 gal into the fermenter
| 7.55 lb (3.42 kg) | Pale 2-row malt | 83% |
| 1.6 lb (0.73 kg) | Crystal 80 | 17% |
| 1.1 lb (0.5 kg) | Amber candi syrup, homemade (see the original thread), last 15 min |
Hops
| 0.8 oz (23 g) | Chinook · 13% AA | First wort |
| 1 oz (28 g) | Chinook · 13% AA | At flameout, steep |
| 1 oz (28 g) | Willamette · 5.5% AA | At flameout, steep |
Yeast and water
| 1 pkg | American ale yeast (US-05) | |
| Water | Balanced water. | |
Process
- Mash: 150°F (66°C) for 60 minutes
- Boil: 60 minutes
- Ferment: 62 to 65°F (17 to 18°C)
- Condition: Package when stable
- Carbonate: 2.5 volumes of CO₂
Brew it on
Based on 72% brewhouse efficiency and about 5.5 gal after the boil for a 5 gal batch. Adjust the base malt if your system runs higher or lower. Hops scale in a straight line; larger kettles extract a little more bitterness.
About this recipe
The key ingredient is the homemade candi syrup: the brewer calls it imperative to the recipe and links a simple method in the original thread for making a pound of it. It adds a smooth, deep caramel flavour that crystal malt alone can’t. Chinook first wort hops give a firm bitterness, and a flameout steep adds aroma.
How to brew it
- Make the amber candi syrup ahead of time, following the original thread.
- Mash at 150°F (66°C) for 60 minutes. Add the first wort Chinook as you run off.
- Boil 60 minutes, adding the candi syrup for the last 15 minutes.
- At flameout, add the aroma hops and let them steep.
- Chill, pitch and ferment at 62 to 65°F (17 to 18°C). Package at about 2.5 volumes of CO₂.
Tips
- Store-bought amber candi syrup is a quick substitute, but the homemade version is the heart of this beer.
- Ferment cool to keep the caramel clean.
Frequently asked questions
What is candi syrup?
Caramelized sugar syrup, as used in Belgian beers. Darker versions add caramel, toffee and dark fruit.
How does it compare with your amber?
It’s maltier and more caramel-forward than our Amber Horizon.