Madison Riffle Trout Amber Ale
by @sunny
Low gold light on a fast riffle
An American amber ale named for the Madison, caramel malt and citrus hops at 5.4%, for evenings beside moving water.
Brewed to order
An American amber ale for the Madison River, its label showing rainbow trout swimming through curling water around a central oval. The design is coloured in rust brown, sage green, teal blue and cream with gold flourishes.
- ABV
- 5.4%
- IBU
- 32
- Colour
- 14SRM
- OG to FG
- 1.0551.014
- Caramel malt with citrus and pine hops
- 5.4% ABV, 32 IBU, 14 SRM
- Rainbow trout swirl around a rust oval
- Cascade and Centennial, dry hopped four days
- Second batch level, first pint in 35 days
In the glass
Caramel and toasted bread up front, orange peel and pine on the finish
- Serve
- Nonic pint at 45°F
- Alongside
- Smoked trout on rye, grilled bratwurst, sharp cheddar
Rainbow trout circle the label, pink stripes and dark spots against teal and sage waves. A rust oval sits in the middle, trimmed with gold. Behind it the river riffles over stones, sagebrush flats glow, and blue mountains hold the last of the day.
Copper in the glass with a cream head. Caramel and toasted bread come first, then orange peel and a little pine to dry it out. Open one when the hatch is done and the waders are hanging off the tailgate.
Crystal 120L is only six ounces here, and it does a lot. It brings the deep copper and a raisin edge, so weigh it on a scale and resist the urge to add more.
The numbers
5.4%Alcohol by volume
(1.055 − 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.
Gravity1.055 down to 1.014 — 75% apparent attenuation.
Details
Details
- River
- Madison River
- Style
- American Amber Ale
- ABV
- 5.4%
- Tasting notes
- caramel, toasted bread, orange peel, pine
- Colors
- rust brown, sage green, teal blue, cream, gold
Make it yourself
At a glance
- Style
- American Amber Ale
- Gravity, OG → FG
- 1.055 → 1.014
- ABV
- 5.4%Derived from OG and FG
- Bitterness
- 32 IBU
- Colour
- 14SRMdeep amber
- Difficulty
- Second batcha steady mash and a timed dry hop reward a little practice.
- 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, thermometer, hydrometer, wort chiller, bottling bucket, caps and capper, sanitiser
- Written for
- 5 gal (18.9 L)
- Efficiency assumed
- 72%Brew-in-a-bag, full-volume. House guidance
Grain bill
4 malts · 10.88 lb for 5 gal
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 | 78.2% | 2.13 lb (0.96 kg) | 8.5 lb (3.86 kg) | 25.5 lb (11.57 kg) |
| Munich | 9.2% | 4 oz (113 g) | 1 lb (0.45 kg) | 3 lb (1.36 kg) |
| Crystal 60L | 9.2% | 4 oz (113 g) | 1 lb (0.45 kg) | 3 lb (1.36 kg) |
| Crystal 120L | 3.4% | 1.5 oz (43 g) | 6 oz (170 g) | 1.13 lb (0.51 kg) |
| Total grain | 100% | 2.72 lb (1.23 kg) | 10.88 lb (4.93 kg) | 32.63 lb (14.8 kg) |
Hop schedule
4 additions · 60 min boil
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 | 15 min | 7.1 g (0.25 oz) | 28 g (1 oz) | 85 g (3 oz) |
| Cascade | Boil | Flameout | 7.1 g (0.25 oz) | 28 g (1 oz) | 85 g (3 oz) |
| Centennial | Dry hop | 4 days | 7.1 g (0.25 oz) | 28 g (1 oz) | 85 g (3 oz) |
Yeast and pitch
Chico American ale yeast · 1 dry pack for 5 gal
Chico American ale yeast (US-05). Pitch at 64°F.
| Yeast | 12-pack batch · 1.25 gal | Classic · 5 gal | 12×12 batch · 15 gal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chico 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
8.12 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 | 2.12 gal (8 L) | 8.12 gal (30.7 L) | 19.86 gal (75.2 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 | 0.22 gal (0.8 L) | 0.87 gal (3.3 L) | 2.61 gal (9.9 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 near 1:1 sulfate to chloride keeps the caramel round and the hops crisp.
Mash
152°F · 60 min
The mash turns starch into sugar. Hold the temperature steady and the beer finishes the way the recipe intends.
- Rest152°F for 60 minutes
- Strike waterHeat to 162°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 inhold it steady, because this rest sets the body
- Mash outit loosens the sugars for a clean sparge
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
- 15 minCascade
- FlameoutCascade
- 15 minA kettle fining (whirlfloc or Irish moss) clears the beer if you have one. House guidance
- Chillto 64°Fa cool pitch keeps the yeast quiet and clean
Fermentation
3 steps · 1 dry hop · first pint in 35 days
The recipe's own schedule, in order. Temperature control matters more than almost anything else on this page.
- 7 days at 66°F
- 3 days at 68°F
- 2 days cold crash at 36°F
- Dry hopCentennial, 4 days
First pint 35 days from brew day.
Packaging and carbonation
2.5 volumes CO₂ · bottle or keg
Target 2.5 volumes of CO₂.
| Bottling | 12-pack batch · 1.25 gal | Classic · 5 gal | 12×12 batch · 15 gal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corn sugar to prime | 1.1 oz (31 g) | 4.39 oz (124 g) | 13.17 oz (373 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 11.2 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
- Add the dry hop after fermentation slows so the citrus stays bright.From the recipe
- Weigh the Crystal 120L carefully; a few extra ounces turn the beer heavy.From the recipe
- Cold crash before packaging for a clear copper pour.From the recipe
Every kit size
Ingredients only
Ingredient kit · 12-pack batch
$22.44
$1.87 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 9 more
Every item in this kit · 13 items
Ingredients
- Pale 2-row$4.87
- Munich$0.65
- Crystal 60L$0.72
- Crystal 120L$0.27
- Centennial (60 min)$1.50
- Cascade (15 min)$1.50
- Cascade (flameout)$1.50
- Centennial (dry hop, 4 days)$1.50
- Chico American ale yeast$6.49
- Milling and kitting$3
Packaging
- Corn sugar for priming$0.44
- Crown capsIncluded
Guide
- Printed brew guideIncluded
Ingredient kit · 12×12 batch
$161.73
$1.12 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 9 more
Every item in this kit · 13 items
Ingredients
- Pale 2-row$58.40
- Munich$7.77
- Crystal 60L$8.67
- Crystal 120L$3.25
- Centennial (60 min)$8.98
- Cascade (15 min)$11.97
- Cascade (flameout)$11.97
- Centennial (dry hop, 4 days)$11.97
- Chico American ale yeast$19.47
- Milling and kitting$8
Packaging
- Corn sugar for priming$5.28
- Crown caps$6
Guide
- Printed brew guideIncluded
Complete home brewery
Complete home brewery · 12-pack batch
$216.26
$18.02 a bottle
Bought separately $237.80 · 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 23 more
Every item in this kit · 27 items
Equipment
- 5 gal stainless stockpot$49.99
- Fine-mesh brew bag$9.99
- 1.5 gal glass fermenter with drilled bung$17.99
- 3-piece airlock$2.49
- No-rinse sanitizer, 4 oz$12.99
- Hydrometer and test jar$15.99
- Digital probe thermometer$14.99
- Mini auto-siphon with tubing$13.99
- Spring-tip bottle filler$5.99
- 12 oz amber bottles$16.99
- Wing capper$19.99
- Brewery wash, 1 lb$9.99
- 0.1 g kitchen scale$14.99
- Long stainless spoon$8.99
Ingredients
- Pale 2-row$4.87
- Munich$0.65
- Crystal 60L$0.72
- Crystal 120L$0.27
- Centennial (60 min)$1.50
- Cascade (15 min)$1.50
- Cascade (flameout)$1.50
- Centennial (dry hop, 4 days)$1.50
- Chico American ale yeast$6.49
- Milling and kitting$3
Packaging
- Corn sugar for priming$0.44
- Crown capsIncluded
Guide
- Printed brew guideIncluded
Complete home brewery · 12×12 batch
$1,257.73
$8.73 a bottle
Bought separately $1,379.51 · 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 26 more
Every item in this kit · 30 items
Equipment
- 30 gal stainless kettle with ball valve and thermometer$399
- 72,000 BTU propane burner and stand$99
- 30 gal brew bag$44.99
- 50 ft copper immersion chiller$129
- 7.9 gal fermenting buckets with lids and airlocks$89.97
- No-rinse sanitizer, 32 oz$32.99
- Brewery wash, 4 lb$34.99
- Hydrometer and test jar$15.99
- Refractometer$29.99
- Digital thermometer$24.99
- ½" auto-siphon with tubing$24.99
- Bottling buckets with spigots$55.98
- Bottle filler$5.99
- 12 oz amber bottles (6 cases)$119.94
- Bench capper$59.99
- Mash paddle$24.99
- Digital scale$24.99
Ingredients
- Pale 2-row$58.40
- Munich$7.77
- Crystal 60L$8.67
- Crystal 120L$3.25
- Centennial (60 min)$8.98
- Cascade (15 min)$11.97
- Cascade (flameout)$11.97
- Centennial (dry hop, 4 days)$11.97
- Chico American ale yeast$19.47
- Milling and kitting$8
Packaging
- Corn sugar for priming$5.28
- Crown caps$6
Guide
- Printed brew guideIncluded
The creator
Remixes
No remixes yet — make your own version.
Where this came from
river beer · made
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- american amber ale
- madison river
- rainbow trout
- amber ale
- homebrew recipe
- cascade
- centennial
- caramel malt
- fly fishing
- trout
- montana
- riffle