Madison Rainbow Trout Amber Ale

A trout breaking water at golden hour

An American amber ale named for the Madison River, caramel and citrus at 5.6%, for evenings on the bank.

Brewed to order

Madison Rainbow Trout Amber Ale is an American amber whose label shows a rainbow trout leaping through swirls of river water. The label pairs a sage green panel with a copper brown band, and the fish carries a rose stripe and dark spots.

ABV: 5.6%
IBU: 32
Colour: 14SRM
OG to FG: 1.0571.014

American amber ale, 5.6% ABV
Caramel malt with Cascade and Centennial
32 IBU, 14 SRM copper colour
Rainbow trout on sage and copper
Second batch level, first pint 35 days

In the glass

A glass of American Amber Ale: clear copper-amber, off-white head.

14SRM

caramel, toasted bread crust, orange peel, a light pine finish

Serve: at 45°F in a nonic pint glass
Alongside: smoked trout, grilled burgers, sharp cheddar

Sage green up top, dark lettering, and a rainbow trout bursting out of teal and cream swirls. Below it the colour drops to copper brown, the same shade that pours into the glass. Behind it the Madison runs fast and silver under blue mountains.

Caramel and toasted crust come first, then orange peel and a little pine on the way out. Medium body, dry finish, 32 IBU of quiet bitterness. Open one when the waders are drying on the tailgate and the light goes long.

Crystal 120L is the grain to watch. Seven ounces gives the copper and a hint of dark fruit; any more and the beer turns brown and heavy.

The numbers

5.6%Alcohol by volume

(1.057 − 1.014) × 131.25

32Bitterness, IBU

Bitterness only means anything against the style. This one is a American amber ale.

14Colour, SRM

The swatch above is this number on the standard reference ramp, not an impression of it.

Gravity1.057 down to 1.014 — 75% apparent attenuation.

Named for the Madison River

Southwest Montana · MT

The water it is named for

Water type: Freestone

Details

River: Madison River
Style: American amber ale
ABV: 5.6%
Tasting notes: caramel, toasted bread crust, orange peel, light pine
Colors: sage green, copper brown, teal, cream, rose pink

Make it yourself

A home brew day set up in a garage: kettle steaming on a burner, mash tun and chiller beside it.

At a glance

Style: American amber ale
Gravity, OG → FG: 1.057 → 1.014
ABV: 5.6%Derived from OG and FG
Bitterness: 32 IBU
Colour: 14SRMdeep amber
Difficulty: Second batchit asks for a steady mash temperature and a timed dry hop, but nothing more involved.
First pint: 35 daysFrom brew day, including conditioning
Brew day: 2 h 10 minKettle on to kitchen clean. The rest is the yeast.
You supply: brew kettle, mash tun, fermenter with airlock, wort chiller, hydrometer, thermometer, sanitiser, siphon
Written for: 5 gal (18.9 L)
Efficiency assumed: 72%Brew-in-a-bag, full-volume. House guidance

Grain bill

5 malts · 11.44 lb for 5 gal

Piles of pale, amber and dark malted barley on a wooden bench beside a scale.

Milled grain, weighed for each batch size. The percentage is each malt's share of the grist and stays the same at every size.

Malt	% of grist	12-pack batch · 1.25 gal	Classic · 5 gal	12×12 batch · 15 gal
Pale 2-row	78.7%	2.25 lb (1.02 kg)	9 lb (4.08 kg)	27 lb (12.25 kg)
Munich	8.7%	4 oz (113 g)	1 lb (0.45 kg)	3 lb (1.36 kg)
Crystal 60L	6.6%	3 oz (85 g)	12 oz (340 g)	2.25 lb (1.02 kg)
Crystal 120L	3.8%	1.8 oz (50 g)	7 oz (198 g)	1.31 lb (0.6 kg)
Victory	2.2%	1 oz (28 g)	4 oz (113 g)	12 oz (340 g)
Total grain	100%	2.86 lb (1.3 kg)	11.44 lb (5.19 kg)	34.31 lb (15.56 kg)

Hop schedule

4 additions · 60 min boil

Whole green hop cones and hop pellets on slate, one cone split to show the yellow lupulin.

Pellet hops, weighed in grams. Boil times count down to the end of the boil, so 60 minutes means the first thing in the kettle.

Hop	Use	Time	12-pack batch · 1.25 gal	Classic · 5 gal	12×12 batch · 15 gal
Centennial	Boil	60 min	5.3 g (0.19 oz)	21 g (0.75 oz)	64 g (2.25 oz)
Cascade	Boil	10 min	7.1 g (0.25 oz)	28 g (1 oz)	85 g (3 oz)
Cascade	Whirlpool	20 min	7.1 g (0.25 oz)	28 g (1 oz)	85 g (3 oz)
Cascade	Dry hop	4 days	7.1 g (0.25 oz)	28 g (1 oz)	85 g (3 oz)

Yeast and pitch

American ale yeast · 1 dry pack for 5 gal

American ale yeast (Chico strain, such as US-05). Pitch at 64°F.

Yeast	12-pack batch · 1.25 gal	Classic · 5 gal	12×12 batch · 15 gal
American ale yeast	1 dry pack	1 dry pack	3 dry packs

One pack per 5 gal, and one more above 1.060 OG in a batch over 3 gal. Never fewer than one. House guidance

Water

8.16 gal into the mash for 5 gal

Full-volume brew-in-a-bag: all the water goes in at the start and there is no sparge. Volumes are the total to heat, so the kettle has to hold the mash and still leave room to boil: the 12-pack kit sells a 5 gal stockpot and the 12×12 kit a 30 gal kettle for that.

Water	12-pack batch · 1.25 gal	Classic · 5 gal	12×12 batch · 15 gal
Into the mash	2.13 gal (8.1 L)	8.16 gal (30.9 L)	20 gal (75.7 L)
Boiled off	0.5 gal (1.9 L)	1.25 gal (4.7 L)	1.25 gal (4.7 L)
Held by the grain	0.23 gal (0.9 L)	0.92 gal (3.5 L)	2.75 gal (10.4 L)
Left as trub	0.15 gal (0.6 L)	1 gal (3.8 L)	1 gal (3.8 L)
Into the fermenter	1.25 gal (4.7 L)	5 gal (18.9 L)	15 gal (56.8 L)

Boil-off, grain absorption and trub are typical figures for a stovetop pot and a propane kettle, not measurements of your own gear. Brew once, note what you end up with, and adjust. House guidance

Water profile a balanced profile with sulfate and chloride roughly even keeps the malt soft and lets the hops stay crisp.

Mash

154°F · 60 min

The mash turns starch into sugar. Hold the temperature steady and the beer finishes the way the recipe intends.

Rest154°F for 60 minutes
Strike waterHeat to 164°F; the grain cools it to the rest temperature. House guidance
Mash-outRaise to 168°F and hold 10 minutes, then lift and drain the bag. House guidance

Mash ina warmer rest leaves the body round enough to carry the caramel

Boil

60 min · 3 hop additions

Hops go in on a countdown from the end of the boil. Early additions give bitterness; late ones give aroma.

Length60 minutes
60 minCentennial
20 minCascade (whirlpool)
10 minCascade
15 minA kettle fining (whirlfloc or Irish moss) clears the beer if you have one. House guidance

Chillto 64°Fpitch cool so the yeast stays clean

Also on the recipe's brew-day card:

Spargeto a pre-boil volume of 6.5 US gallons

Brewing in a bag, lifting and draining the bag takes the place of a sparge. House guidance

Fermentation

4 steps · 1 dry hop · first pint in 35 days

A glass fermenter of amber beer with foam on top and an airlock.

The recipe's own schedule, in order. Temperature control matters more than almost anything else on this page.

10 days at 66°F
Add the dry hop on day 8
Raise to 68°F for 3 days
Cold crash 2 days at 35°F

Dry hopCascade, 4 days

First pint 35 days from brew day.

Packaging and carbonation

2.4 volumes CO₂ · bottle or keg

Plain aluminium cans and a small keg on a workbench beside a priming-sugar measure.

Target 2.4 volumes of CO₂.

Bottling	12-pack batch · 1.25 gal	Classic · 5 gal	12×12 batch · 15 gal
Corn sugar to prime	1.03 oz (29 g)	4.12 oz (117 g)	12.37 oz (351 g)
12 oz bottles it fills	12	50	144

Dissolve the sugar in a little boiled water, stir it gently into the beer, then bottle. The amount is worked out for 68°F, the warmest the beer got while it fermented.

Kegging Set the regulator to 10.2 psi at 38°F.

Kegging instead Skip the bottles with 3 × 5 gal ball-lock kegs, 1 × 5 lb CO₂ tank, 1 × dual-gauge regulator, 1 × gas and beer lines with picnic taps: the kegging upgrade for the 15 gal home brewery, $594.

Brewer's notes

3 tips

Weigh the Crystal 120L carefully; a few extra ounces push the colour past copper toward brown.From the recipe
Keep the dry hop to four days so the citrus stays bright and the grassy notes stay out.From the recipe
Hold fermentation at 66°F for the first week; warmer and the yeast adds fruit that crowds the malt.From the recipe

A fermenter, airlock, siphon, hydrometer, thermometer and bench capper. — The kit

Every kit size

Ingredients only

Ingredient kit · 12-pack batch

$22.73

$1.89 a bottle

Grain milled, hops bagged per addition, yeast, priming sugar and 12 caps, for 1.25 gal.

Includes Pale 2-row · Munich · Crystal 60L · Crystal 120L · and 10 more

Every item in this kit · 14 items

Ingredients

Pale 2-row$5.152.25 lb (1.02 kg) · Milled to order
Munich$0.654 oz (113 g) · Milled to order
Crystal 60L$0.543 oz (85 g) · Milled to order
Crystal 120L$0.321.8 oz (50 g) · Milled to order
Victory$0.181 oz (28 g) · Milled to order
Centennial (60 min)$1.505.3 g (0.19 oz)
Cascade (10 min)$1.507.1 g (0.25 oz)
Cascade (whirlpool, 20 min)$1.507.1 g (0.25 oz)
Cascade (dry hop, 4 days)$1.507.1 g (0.25 oz)
American ale yeast$6.491 pack · Dry yeast
Milling and kitting$31

Packaging

Corn sugar for priming$0.401 oz · Primes to 2.4 volumes of CO₂
Crown capsIncluded12

Guide

Printed brew guideIncluded1

Ingredient kit · 12×12 batch

$165.38

$1.15 a bottle

Grain milled, hops bagged per addition, yeast, priming sugar and 144 caps, for 15 gal.

Includes Pale 2-row · Munich · Crystal 60L · Crystal 120L · and 10 more

Every item in this kit · 14 items

Ingredients

Pale 2-row$61.8327 lb (12.25 kg) · Milled to order
Munich$7.773 lb (1.36 kg) · Milled to order
Crystal 60L$6.502.25 lb (1.02 kg) · Milled to order
Crystal 120L$3.791.31 lb (0.6 kg) · Milled to order
Victory$2.1712 oz (340 g) · Milled to order
Centennial (60 min)$8.9864 g (2.25 oz)
Cascade (10 min)$11.9785 g (3 oz)
Cascade (whirlpool, 20 min)$11.9785 g (3 oz)
Cascade (dry hop, 4 days)$11.9785 g (3 oz)
American ale yeast$19.473 packs · Dry yeast
Milling and kitting$81

Packaging

Corn sugar for priming$4.9612.4 oz · Primes to 2.4 volumes of CO₂
Crown caps$6144

Guide

Printed brew guideIncluded1

Complete home brewery

Complete home brewery · 12-pack batch

$216.55

$18.05 a bottle

Bought separately $238.09 · you save $21.54

All the equipment, then the ingredient kit, for 1.25 gal. Works on a kitchen stove.

Includes 5 gal stainless stockpot · Fine-mesh brew bag · 1.5 gal glass fermenter with drilled bung · 3-piece airlock · and 24 more

Every item in this kit · 28 items

Equipment

5 gal stainless stockpot$49.991
Fine-mesh brew bag$9.991
1.5 gal glass fermenter with drilled bung$17.991
3-piece airlock$2.491
No-rinse sanitizer, 4 oz$12.991
Hydrometer and test jar$15.991
Digital probe thermometer$14.991
Mini auto-siphon with tubing$13.991
Spring-tip bottle filler$5.991
12 oz amber bottles$16.9912
Wing capper$19.991
Brewery wash, 1 lb$9.991
0.1 g kitchen scale$14.991
Long stainless spoon$8.991

Ingredients

Pale 2-row$5.152.25 lb (1.02 kg) · Milled to order
Munich$0.654 oz (113 g) · Milled to order
Crystal 60L$0.543 oz (85 g) · Milled to order
Crystal 120L$0.321.8 oz (50 g) · Milled to order
Victory$0.181 oz (28 g) · Milled to order
Centennial (60 min)$1.505.3 g (0.19 oz)
Cascade (10 min)$1.507.1 g (0.25 oz)
Cascade (whirlpool, 20 min)$1.507.1 g (0.25 oz)
Cascade (dry hop, 4 days)$1.507.1 g (0.25 oz)
American ale yeast$6.491 pack · Dry yeast
Milling and kitting$31

Packaging

Corn sugar for priming$0.401 oz · Primes to 2.4 volumes of CO₂
Crown capsIncluded12

Guide

Printed brew guideIncluded1

Complete home brewery · 12×12 batch

$1,261.38

$8.76 a bottle

Bought separately $1,383.16 · you save $121.78

All the equipment, then the ingredient kit, for 15 gal. You supply a propane tank and water.

Includes 30 gal stainless kettle with ball valve and thermometer · 72 · 30 gal brew bag · 50 ft copper immersion chiller · and 27 more

Every item in this kit · 31 items

Equipment

30 gal stainless kettle with ball valve and thermometer$3991
72,000 BTU propane burner and stand$991
30 gal brew bag$44.991
50 ft copper immersion chiller$1291
7.9 gal fermenting buckets with lids and airlocks$89.973
No-rinse sanitizer, 32 oz$32.991
Brewery wash, 4 lb$34.991
Hydrometer and test jar$15.991
Refractometer$29.991
Digital thermometer$24.991
½" auto-siphon with tubing$24.991
Bottling buckets with spigots$55.982
Bottle filler$5.991
12 oz amber bottles (6 cases)$119.94144
Bench capper$59.991
Mash paddle$24.991
Digital scale$24.991

Ingredients

Pale 2-row$61.8327 lb (12.25 kg) · Milled to order
Munich$7.773 lb (1.36 kg) · Milled to order
Crystal 60L$6.502.25 lb (1.02 kg) · Milled to order
Crystal 120L$3.791.31 lb (0.6 kg) · Milled to order
Victory$2.1712 oz (340 g) · Milled to order
Centennial (60 min)$8.9864 g (2.25 oz)
Cascade (10 min)$11.9785 g (3 oz)
Cascade (whirlpool, 20 min)$11.9785 g (3 oz)
Cascade (dry hop, 4 days)$11.9785 g (3 oz)
American ale yeast$19.473 packs · Dry yeast
Milling and kitting$81

Packaging

Corn sugar for priming$4.9612.4 oz · Primes to 2.4 volumes of CO₂
Crown caps$6144

Guide

Printed brew guideIncluded1

The creator

Dekasso

@dekasso

Wherever the truck rolls to a stop.

See everything by @dekasso

Remixes

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Where this came from

river beer · made September 15, 2026

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american amber ale
amber ale
madison river
rainbow trout
trout
fly fishing
homebrew recipe
cascade
centennial
caramel malt
copper
sage green