American Amber Ale
Simply put, an Amber ale is a pale ale that has been brewed with amber malt, and possibly some crystal malt, which gives it that amber color. Similar to other American styled beers, it gets its name from the American ingredients that it uses; most notably are the hops. In typical American fashion, there is a lot of leeway on the interpretation of the Amber Ale. With the addition of the pale malt, it is said to balance the hops better. Why stop at pale malt though? Some even use specialty malts like Victory, Biscuit or Munich to give the American Amber a bit more complexity. American ingredients usually mean the beer will include some piney American hops, but not so much that the balance shifts back to an IPA though. Choosing Warrior or Centennial hops are sound selections. Yes, you could go the Cascade or Columbus route too, but those are both higher and lower on the alpha acids. Centennial is right in between. An American Amber could be considered just a bit heavier than an Irish red ale. A little more malt and hops gives this beer the traditional American feel of having "more."
Typical Color:
Amber to Chestnut
IBU Range:
20 - 40
Typical Alcohol Range:
4% - 6%
Enjoy at Temperature:
45 - 50 degrees F
Food Pairing:
Cheese and Beef
Glassware:
Pint Glass or Mug
Examples of American Amber:
Fat Tire Amber Ale Red Rocket Ale California Amber