US Brown Ale - help with Malt, please!!

[leigh1919]

Now then -

AM working up a recipe for a US style Brown Ale (SN Brown Ale, Brooklyn Brown) and have come up with the following:

74% MO
12% Crystal
9% Munich
3% Chocolate Malt

Couple of questions - am thinking the Crystal looks quite high? Also, what do you guys think would better serve thie style - Munich, or Caramunich? Is there a difference?

The beer will be hopped with Cascades and Williamette - US hops for a US beer.

Cheers -

[aus069]

I made this recipe a few months ago . My brew club thought it was good enough to enter it in a comp so I havs but the results won't be announced till October 5. I used my last pint bottle for the comp .
So here is the recipe:
4.9 kg JW pale
510gm caramel/crystal 40L
510gm carapils
410gm wheat malt
120gm choc malt

25gm Nthn Brewer mash hop
31gm @ 60min boil
38gm Cascade @ 15min
25gm Nthn Brewer @ 10 min
37gm Cascade @ 1 min

Mashed in at 68*C for 1 hr.Did a decoction for 20 min.Never did it before so I thought I would try it.Raised temp to 92*C
and mashed out.
Yeast was WLP 001 Cal Ale

[steve_flack]

Munich, or Caramunich? Is there a difference?

Yes, one's a crystal malt - the other isn't. They give very different flavours.

[delboy]

I'd say the ordinary munich would be fine, thats a lot of crystal though.

[mysterio]

I'd say the ordinary munich would be fine, thats a lot of crystal though.

+1, that's going to be pretty sweet. 5% crystal malt is a good starting point.

Munich malt is just to add a nice background maltiness, I think US recipes include it to make up for their bland 2-row malt.

[leigh1919]

Cheers guys - I had a feeling the crystal needed scaling down.

[flytact]

This months edition of BYO magazine has American Brown as it's style of the month. I just read through the recipes last night and can't remember a thing
Here's a link to their Brown Ale section, however it doesn't include this months brews nor does it differentiate between British and American;
http://www.byo.com/stories/recipes/reci ... -brown-ale

[leigh1919]

Cheers mate - that BYO sites not bad, some decent articles on there.

[jim williams]

I make a pretty decent american brown ale, and, I gotta say Special B does the trick.

here's my malts
UK pale 74%
Light munich 14.8%
Special B 4.9%
Caramunich 3.1%
Chocolate malt 3.1%

Good luck!

[mysterio]

Whats your hop schedule look like, Jim ?

[jim williams]

Whats your hop schedule look like, Jim ?

For 11 US gallons

Simcoe (but, any US high alpha would be fine) 50IBU 60min
Willamette 3 oz 30min
Centennial 3 oz 0min

ferment with Irish ale strain.

This beer comes out very dark, but, very brown. Think Brains Dark in color.
Malty, and, very hoppy. Oh, you want it around OG1.052

Cheers!

[leigh1919]

cheers guys - all noted. Going to be brewing this over christmas, I think.

[leigh1919]

ok, had another rejig and come up with this:

74% MO
18% Munich
4% Crystal (60L)
4% Choc

I lowered the crystal, upped the munich for flavour, and upped the choc ever so slightly for colour. You boys reckon this is closer the mark?

[aus069]

ok, had another rejig and come up with this:

74% MO
18% Munich
4% Crystal (60L)
4% Choc

I lowered the crystal, upped the munich for flavour, and upped the choc ever so slightly for colour. You boys reckon this is closer the mark?

Yeah I reckon that looks very good maybe drop the crystal and add wheat malt instead the wheat will give you a good head retention as well without adding too much sweetness . The choc will give the colour What hops and yeast are you going to use ? Wyeast 1056 or White Labs 001 Cal Ale are pretty good for this .


Brew Well
aus069

[leigh1919]

hi - was going to use willamette, a little cascade and US05