Brewed: Carrot Top

By scot in Beer, Beer Recipes, Home Brewing on Monday, December 26th, 2016

Life is full of memories, not always good, not always bad, with many somewhere in-between. One of my memories growing up was the color of my brother’s and my hair. It was bright red, almost orange in color. It was an easy target for kids of my generation to poke fun at; growing up in the 70s it seems like there wasn’t much needed in order to do so and it wasn’t looked down upon.

Red hair sticks out. When it is orange at the beginning of the school year, after a summer of natural summer sun bleaching, the red and blonde hues blend to a bright orange. It almost glowed.

It didn’t take long for a myriad of nicknames to fly our way. Since my brother was older, the nicknames were already in place and known before I showed up at school. “Carrot top” was the one that I remember most. It is the one that, at the time, I think I least liked. But in hindsight, who gives a shit. It is a memory that I will have forever.

As I have grown older, I don’t get the highlights in my hair I used to (tons of skin damage – yuck) and it is turning gray. No one will mistake me for a carrot top but I am one still at heart. This beer is for all those red heads that have found their way on the back side of nickname. Enjoy!

Home Brewing Carrot Top Amber Ale

I have been brewing North East India pale ales (NEIPA) for the past few months (The Dude, The Train Man, Baller, and Used to name a few.). I have been trying to become more intimate with style. I have tried many different hops and changes to the brewing process. It has been quite the tasty experience.

I decided to take some of the NEIPA brewing processes and apply them to an American amber ale. I wanted enough malt to hold up the amber ale while getting a hoppier, non-bitter, aromatic beer. The beer needed to have the mouthfeel to hold up the style but allow clean hop flavors to shine.

Mosiac and centennial seemed to be two well suited hops that should/would play nicely together. Layered crystal malts would lend enough maltiness, sweetness and light caramel notes to remind the drinker of the malt backbone the style was once built upon. A touch of chocolate malt to give color, while oats would add to the body with some creaminess. A mash temperature at 154*F should help the body as well. An American yeast, S-05, should round the beer out nicely.

Excited to have this one in the glass as it sounds like it should be darn tasty.

Recipe for Carrot Top Amber Ale

General Information:
Brew Date: Monday, December 26, 2016
Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: S-05, not hydrated
Yeast Starter: none
Batch Size (Gallons): 5.50
Original Gravity: 1.051
Finishing Gravity: 1.008
IBU: 43.9
Color: 12.7 SRM
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70%
Alcohol by Volume: 5.64%
Primary Fermentation: 10 days @68*F

Grain Bill:
9.00 pounds 2-Row
0.50 pounds Crystal 40L
0.50 pounds Oats
0.25 pounds Crystal 20L
3.00 ounces Chocolate Malt

Mash:
Saccharification @154.0*F

Hop Bill:
1.00 ounces 2015 Mosiac @1st wort
0.50 ounces 2015 Centennial @15 minutes
0.50 ounces 2015 Mosiac @15 minutes
2.50 ounces 2015 Centennial @0 minutes, 23 minute hop stand
2.50 ounces 2015 Mosiac @0 minutes, 23 minute hop stand
1.00 ounces 2015 Centennial @dry hop 4 days
2.00 ounces 2015 Mosiac @dry hop 4 days

Extras:
1.0 tsp Irish Moss @ 15 minutes
1.0 tsp Yeast Nutrient @ 15 minutes
4.0 quarts of rice hulls

Updates

• 2016-12-27: (morning) Slow fermentation at 62.1*F. Not on heat blanket.
• 2016-12-27: (evening) Slow fermentation at 62.3*F. Not on heat blanket.
• 2016-12-28: (morning) Mild fermentation at 62.7*F. Placed on heat at 68*F.
• 2016-12-28: (evening) Good fermentation at 67.7*F.
• 2016-12-29: Slow fermentation at 67.5*F.
• 2016-12-31: Dry hopped.
• 2017-01-03: Put in freezer at 38*F.
• 2017-01-04: Bottled with 3.5 ounces of priming sugar and 2.0 cups of water. 27, 22 ounce bottles. Bottle crown label: CT.
• 2017-01-24: Tasted The Dude.

Useless Fact: US consumers spend about $5 billion a year on Christmas gifts for their pets.