How much Caramel ??

[ndytskr16]

Hi guys,

I am trying to make a clone of 'Marstons Merrie Monk Mild' long since discontinued.

Rumors say it was Marstons Pedigree Bitter with Caramel in to darken it.

Could anybody tell me how much Caramel I should add please?

Cheers
Andy

[IPA]

Hi guys,

I am trying to make a clone of 'Marstons Merrie Monk Mild' long since discontinued.

Rumors say it was Marstons Pedigree Bitter with Caramel in to darken it.

Could anybody tell me how much Caramel I should add please?

Cheers
Andy

You can use black malt instead. Using caramel imparts an off taste. As to the recipe I doubt it was as strong as Pedigree.
I suggest that you brew Pedigree to 3.4% and add the required amount off black malt to get the colour

[MashBag]

Good shout.
You could even steep the black malt separately and add it gradually into the fv.

[Eric]

It has been common practice by British commercial brewers to add caramel to a pale beer and name it XYZ Mild.

https://www.murphyandson.co.uk/wp-conte ... v-4-CD.pdf

From the above datasheet it can be derived that 6ml of their caramel (also sold by Brewpaks) in 10 litres of beer will increase colour by 20 EBC.

I have used caramel to good effect, it can alter the character of the beer if used in larger quantities, but not necessarily in a disappointing way. My latest 30 litres of Mild used 100g Black Malt for extra colour, but it also had 3 other dark malts, so wasn't totally responsible for the final colour. In the past I found some Black Malts adding taste I didn't wish to have, but maybe today that has changed as the range of beer flavours changes by demand and marketing.

From Simpsons website.

Our Black Malt is excellent for darkening beer colour without imparting too much astringency or roast characteristics. The flavour is surprisingly neutral, with a clean dryness that makes it an incredibly versatile product.

[Marshbrewer]

Hi guys,

I am trying to make a clone of 'Marstons Merrie Monk Mild' long since discontinued.

Rumors say it was Marstons Pedigree Bitter with Caramel in to darken it.

Could anybody tell me how much Caramel I should add please?

Cheers
Andy

You can use black malt instead. Using caramel imparts an off taste. As to the recipe I doubt it was as strong as Pedigree.
I suggest that you brew Pedigree to 3.4% and add the required amount off black malt to get the colour

Brewers caramel doesn't impart any taste at all, if you can get hold of it, although not may home brew supplier's stock it (I've been trying to get hold of some for ages, but the only places I can find that have it don't have anything else I want so postage makes it very expensive. I might just have to suck it up)

[richard080561]

Hi guys,

I am trying to make a clone of 'Marstons Merrie Monk Mild' long since discontinued.

Rumors say it was Marstons Pedigree Bitter with Caramel in to darken it.

Could anybody tell me how much Caramel I should add please?

Cheers
Andy

You can use black malt instead. Using caramel imparts an off taste. As to the recipe I doubt it was as strong as Pedigree.
I suggest that you brew Pedigree to 3.4% and add the required amount off black malt to get the colour

Brewers caramel doesn't impart any taste at all, if you can get hold of it, although not may home brew supplier's stock it (I've been trying to get hold of some for ages, but the only places I can find that have it don't have anything else I want so postage makes it very expensive. I might just have to suck it up)

I wonder how different brewer's caramel is to gravy browning, which is also caramel and doesn't add flavour.

[drjim]

I had the same thought!

[Cobnut]

I'm pretty sure I've read somewhere that they are one and the same.

[Marshbrewer]

I used to think that, but then I read somewhere that it's slightly different, in that it won't drop out of suspension. I did colour a historic brown ale recipe with gravy browning a few years ago , and it was completely fine in terms of not adding any taste component and coloured it up perfectly, but it did seem to gradually come out of suspension. Unfortunately, I drank it all before I could see of this was an issue over time. I'll see if I can dig out the article suggesting the difference.

I think if I were colouring up a mild or something that was going to be consumed quite quickly, I'd be happy to use gravy browning.

[ARNWD]

Gravy Browning - now sold as "Sarsons Rich & Dark Browning Colour" Morrisons and ASDA stock it.

I have some here and it does say on the back label "Home Brewed Beer" with some made up doseage amount. I have used it as Eric suggests for "Brupaks Brewers Caramel Liquid" ie 6mls/10 litre for 20 EBC's.

[MashBag]

Good spot that man.

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