37 replies to this topic

[HVB]

Back in 2007 I brewed up 10g of brown ale and bottled them all as part of our wedding favors.  I am not sure if I brewed that beer since then so I thought it would be a good time to re-brew it and see if 10 years of brewing helps any.  Same recipe and yeast just adjusted for a 30 minute boil and this time I will adjust the water.

 

OG - 1.050 Mash Temp 152

 

10# Maris Otter

.5# C-60

.5# Caravienne

.25# Victory

.25# Chocolate (regular)

 

42g Northern Brewer - 30

28g Willamette - 5

28g Willamette - 1

 

Yeast - S-04

 

Ca - 69

Cl - 71

SO4-71

pH - 5.39

 

[neddles]

A good brown ale is underrated. I think I would enjoy that beer quite a bit.

[HVB]

A good brown ale is underrated. I think I would enjoy that beer quite a bit.

I agree with you.  I am looking forward to having it back on tap.  Nice mix from the hop bombs I normally brew.

[neddles]

I agree with you.  I am looking forward to having it back on tap.  Nice mix from the hop bombs I normally brew.

 

Yep. On my list to brew again is an English Brown I did last winter. One of my favorite recipes.

[Big Nake]

I've had a few that were a tad too roasty for me. I have some pale chocolate and then there is MW. Would either of those two defeat the purpose of the beer? Is the roast character of the chocolate a part of the overall character and a required piece? I recall this guy at the LHBS saying that the double-roasted crystal I bought "absolutely MAKES a brown ale". I thought I would mention that for anyone thinking of a beer like this and had the DRC in stock.

[neddles]

I've had a few that were a tad too roasty for me. I have some pale chocolate and then there is MW. Would either of those two defeat the purpose of the beer? Is the roast character of the chocolate a part of the overall character and a required piece? I recall this guy at the LHBS saying that the double-roasted crystal I bought "absolutely MAKES a brown ale". I thought I would mention that for anyone thinking of a beer like this and had the DRC in stock.

 

Mine relies heavily on pale chocolate.

[HVB]

I've had a few that were a tad too roasty for me. I have some pale chocolate and then there is MW. Would either of those two defeat the purpose of the beer? Is the roast character of the chocolate a part of the overall character and a required piece? I recall this guy at the LHBS saying that the double-roasted crystal I bought "absolutely MAKES a brown ale". I thought I would mention that for anyone thinking of a beer like this and had the DRC in stock.

I do not remember this beer being roasty at all.  Back when I was making it I am sure I would not have cared for a roasty beer. I do not think chocolate has to be in there and think you could get the color from MW if you wanted.

[denny]

A brown ale was the first beer I won an award for nearly 20 years ago.  This recipe is still one of my favorites....http://wiki.homebrew...rg/NotiBrownAle

I've had a few that were a tad too roasty for me. I have some pale chocolate and then there is MW. Would either of those two defeat the purpose of the beer? Is the roast character of the chocolate a part of the overall character and a required piece? I recall this guy at the LHBS saying that the double-roasted crystal I bought "absolutely MAKES a brown ale". I thought I would mention that for anyone thinking of a beer like this and had the DRC in stock.

 

Castle chocolate malt was what turned mine from OK to great.

[Big Nake]

In the old days there was black patent, chocolate and the like and they had some roasty character. Then came dehusked black, blackprinz, midnight wheat, etc. with very little roast. There is also brown malt and amber malt, both of which had some amount of roastiness to them but in my experience with the roasty malts, your brewery would smell very coffee-like on brewday and the beer would have that character when it was young but eventually the roast would fade and just become an overall part of the beer. Carafa does that a little bit but to a lesser degree.

[realbeerguy]

My go to beer when I visit a brewery that has it on tap.  It's like when a chef auditions, and they are asked to cook an omelet.   My go to Brown has chocolate, a touch of black patent, and a touch of roast in addition to the crystal.  Love the old school hop charge. 

[Big Nake]

Okay, I'm intrigued and I know it's probably been a VERY long time since I made a brown ale. What if I made the recipe the same way (pale ale malt, C60, CaraVienne, Victory) and then used 2 ounces of MW plus 2 ounces of pale chocolate? I have the Northern Brewer and the Willamette too although I should check their health. I have US Goldings, Styrian Goldings, Crystal, Glacier and Mt. Hood as well. I also have a bunch of East Kent. Make it with the 1469 or something more like 1056/WL001/Omega West Coast? Seems like 1469 is the way to go here.

[neddles]

Great brown ale can be made with 1056. I use 1469 in mine and love it. I would make the recipe as Drez has it with the exception of swapping yeast for 1469 but S-04 would work well too. 2oz. of pale chocolate will be almost undetectable and MW is really just going to net you some color. I think 4oz of regular chocolate (the way he has it) will net you a nice subtle roast to go with the MO and victory and caramel undertones plus some color. 

Edited by neddles, 01 November 2017 - 09:06 AM.

[HVB]

swapping yeast for 1469 but S-04 would work well too.

Funny, I thought about using 1469 but just decided to stick with S-04 since that is what I did the original with.  I think the next time I brew this I will hit it it with 1469.

[Big Nake]

I have no issues with S-04 except that I did get a hint of diacetyl from it on one batch last time I used it. Gotta warm it up a little bit, swirl it, etc. to clean it up. Otherwise I thought it had a pleasant English character.

[denny]

Broken record time...use 1450 for a brown.

[HVB]

Broken record time...use 1450 for everything ale...

[neddles]

Broken record time... always use 1450 for a brown unless you want some English character or must/want to use dry yeast.

[denny]

 

Broken record time... always use 1450 for a brown unless you want some English character or must/want to use dry yeast.

 

 

Yeah, but why would you want to do either of those? 

[Big Nake]

Yeah, but why would you want to do either of those? 

Get some English character? I love me some English character!

[denny]

Get some English character? I love me some English character!

 

Yes, I realize there are people with that particular affliction!