Trying to narrow down your “must brew” list to a single beer for your next project is quite possibly one of the most awesome first world problems that a guy and a girl with an empty keg and a free Sunday afternoon can face.
With our “big beer” Christmas brew in secondary promising a 9+% ABV, we were looking for a two-glass school-night easy-drinking brew. We’re big fans of amber and red ales. Our 29 Ale was a red/amber ale that was as easy to drink as it was beautiful to look at. Enter the Caramel Amber Ale.
You whip up a specialized caramel syrup, pushing it just to the verge of burning. What you get is a gorgeous deep amber-colored caramel full of complex flavors that range from raisins to toasted caramel. There’s a lot going on, it’s sweet and sophisticated. And it’s very exciting.
So we added that beautiful, amazing caramel near the end of the boil. Right now, the brew is still in primary but will be ready before Christmas. And we can’t wait.