My Hell Creek Amber Ale–a first attempt at incorporating wild hops into a recipe–just kicked. Thankfully, I got a tasting in before the keg was totally drained.

• The Basics
  • Original gravity = 1.060; final gravity = 1.014; abv = 6.1%; estimated IBU = 33
• Aroma
  • Malty, with a honey-sweet background.
• Appearance
  • A deep amber color, with a thin ivory head that has decent persistance. The beer dropped fairly clear after a few weeks in the keg.
• Flavor
  • Malt-forward, with a toasty and biscuity character. Hop flavor is pretty clean, with moderate bitterness.
• Mouthfeel
  • The hop finish is a touch harsh, perhaps a little out of balance, so I might drop the bittering just a touch next time, or go with a “cleaner” bittering hop.
• Would I brew this again?
  • Yes! This is a decent, middle of the road amber ale, and has been popular with guests to the house. I might up the biscuit malt a touch, and swap out the Special B with some crystal 120 (per the original recipe). I don’t pick up much in the way of hop character, so would probably add a bit more on the whirlpool if possible.
• Overall: 
  • 6/10