Recipe opinions on brown ale?

[dogchillibilly]

HI,

In my typical running before you can walk failing i would like to try something different for my 3rd AG (the first 2 were IPA's).

I had a bottle of Jackie Brown http://www.mikkeller.dk/index.php?id=61 ... =42&land=1 from Beers of Europe and absolutely loved it. Chocolate, coffee and malty but with a real, almost IPA hop finish.

I figure the only way you learn is by experimentation and whilst i realise i am unlikely to get close, i would like to create something that was at least drinkable. I can then have a tweak and another go in the future, rather than be fearful of chucking another £25-30 quid down the drain (literally),

Hence i would like some one educated to say "yes that looks ok" or "hmmm - undrinkable" to the below recipe.

These are some of the notes that i have found and would agree with http://www.ratebeer.com/Ratings/Beer/Be ... erID=62660.

For the recipe i took a US brown ale, reviewed how other recipies used the Simcoe, Centennial and Nugget/ Brewers Gold hops and played. I have the ibu / sg ratio the same as for snpa which it felt like bitterness wise.

The beer uses nugget hops - i couldnt source so have sub'ed Brewers Gold.

Also - yeast - what would work?

Batch Size 23l (efficiency 75% - proved in my last 2 brews). Should be just over 6%

Amount Item Type % or IBU
Amount Item Type % or IBU
4.50 kg Pale Malt (2 Row) US (3.9 EBC) Grain 65.22 %
1.00 kg Munich Malt (17.7 EBC) Grain 14.49 %
0.40 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (118.2 EBC) Grain 5.80 %
0.30 kg Brown Malt (128.1 EBC) Grain 4.35 %
0.30 kg Cara-Pils/Dextrine (3.9 EBC) Grain 4.35 %
0.30 kg Chocolate Malt (886.5 EBC) Grain 4.35 %
0.10 kg Oats, Flaked (2.0 EBC) Grain 1.45 %
23.00 gm Simcoe [13.00 %] (90 min) Hops 26.1 IBU
20.00 gm Brewer's Gold [8.00 %] (90 min) Hops 15.5 IBU
20.00 gm Centennial [11.70 %] (15 min) Hops 10.5 IBU
30.00 gm Centennial [11.70 %] (0 min) Hops -
20.00 gm Simcoe [13.00 %] (0 min) Hops -
5.00 gm Irish Moss (Boil 15.0 min) Misc



Thank you in advance.

[mysterio]

I would say good job if that's the first recipe you've designed. The quantities look like very good guesses to what they might use. I'll have to check out that beer it sounds great.

One thing I would add is, toast those oats. Bake them in the oven until they smell great and turn golden. You won't get any flavour from them otherwise.

Brown malt is a powerful, unusual malt (by todays standards), it's wise to limit how much you use if you're not used to it, but 4 or 5 % should be fine.

I think US-05 ('UK-05') would be a decent choice, or Nottingham. It will help give a decent attenuation as it's gravity is on the higher side. Also it will allow the hops to come through. It's also a blank canvas. If you feel it needs more fruitiness then you can look into one of the liquid yeasts for next time.

[dogchillibilly]

Thank you for that. I'll give it a go on Thursday.
It is my first attempt at a recipe, but i have been lurking for a while and picked up lots of knowledge on this forum.

I have some Nottingham and US05. I'll use the Nottingham to see how it ferments (i used 05 in my first brew).

In terms of buying some of the original i've ordered a case and can't recommend it enough.

[mysterio]

It ferments a little quicker, flocculates more readily, and is not a top-cropper like US-05. Flavour is similar by and large