Style: American Amber Ale

All Styles

Style Profile based on 4,485 recipes

BU:GU

0.61

Hops

4.7 g/L

Mash pH

5.48

Style Guidelines BJCP 2015 Beer
OG
1.045 1.06
1.057
FG
1.01 1.015
1.013
IBU
25 40
34
ABV
4.5% 6.2%
5.8%
SRM
10 17
Description

An amber, hoppy, moderate-strength American craft beer with a caramel malty flavor. The balance can vary quite a bit, with some versions being fairly malty and others being aggressively hoppy. Hoppy and bitter versions should not have clashing flavors with the caramel malt profile. History: A modern American craft beer style developed as a variation from American Pale Ales. Known simply as Red Ales in some regions, these beers were popularized in the hop-loving Northern California and the Pacific Northwest areas before spreading nationwide. Style Comparison: Darker, more caramelly, more body, and generally less bitter in the balance than American Pale Ales. Less alcohol, bitterness, and hop character than Red IPAs. Less strength, malt, and hop character than American Strong Ales. Should not have a strong chocolate or roast character that might suggest an American brown ale (although small amounts are OK).

Examples: Deschutes Cinder Cone Red, Full Sail Amber, Kona Lavaman Red Ale, North Coast Ruedrich's Red Seal Ale, Rogue American Amber Ale, Tröegs HopBack Amber Ale Tags

Typical Grain Bill

% of total grain weight across all recipes · sums to ~100%

Common Additions

% of American Amber Ale recipes using each malt category (addition % in brackets)

Hop Usage by Addition Type

g/L · median with IQR range

Bittering
0.4 g/L 1.37 g/L
0.9 g/L
Flavour
0.37 g/L 1.39 g/L
0.75 g/L
Aroma
0.53 g/L 1.71 g/L
1.16 g/L
Whirlpool
0.46 g/L 1.51 g/L
1.25 g/L
Dry Hop
0.64 g/L 2.27 g/L
1.33 g/L
Common Hops

% of American Amber Ale recipes using each hop

Dry-Hop Rate by Year

g/L · median with IQR range

2018
0.35 g/L 1.5 g/L
0.76 g/L
2019
0.76 g/L 2 g/L
1.16 g/L
2020
0.66 g/L 2.38 g/L
1.5 g/L
2021
0.47 g/L 1.4 g/L
1.25 g/L
2022
0.65 g/L 1.37 g/L
0.76 g/L
2023
0.58 g/L 1.37 g/L
1.17 g/L
2024
0.95 g/L 2.73 g/L
1.88 g/L

dated American Amber Ale recipes with at least one dry-hop addition

Mash Profile
  • 81% Single Infusion
  • 16% Step Mash
  • 3% Decoction

432 recipes with mash data

Typical Water Profile
  • 80 ppm Ca²⁺
  • 5 ppm Mg²⁺
  • 25 ppm Na⁺
  • 75 ppm Cl⁻
  • 80 ppm SO₄²⁻
  • 100 ppm HCO₃⁻

median across recipes with a declared water profile

Similar Styles

Ranked by similarity across OG, IBU, ABV, hop rate, and grist composition.