Belgian Brown Ale Recipe Critique

MaynardX · 01-05-2009, 03:33 PM

Hey! I'm new to these forums and I have to say this place is great! Just tons of info here that has really helped me along. I'm also kind of new to recipe formulation and wanted to run this by you guys before I started the boil. I was looking to make something along the lines of a belgian brown style ale, so any suggestions would be appreciated!

.5 lbs. English Brown Malt
.25 lbs. Belgian Chocolate Malt
.25 lbs. Belgian Aromatic
.5 lbs. American Caramel 40°L
6 lbs. Dry Amber Extract
.5 oz. Galena (Pellets, 10.00 %AA) boiled 60 min.
.5 oz. Fuggle (Pellets, 4.75 %AA) boiled 15 min.
Yeast : WYeast 1024 Belgian Ale

imaguitargod · 01-05-2009, 03:47 PM

"Needs more cowbell."

Bob · 01-05-2009, 06:26 PM

The only recommendation I can make is to use Light extract instead of Amber. Light extracts tend to be 100% pale malt based, where Amber and darker extracts contain a proportion of Crystal and other malts to make them Amber and darker. In other words, you have greater control over the finished beer by using Pale/Light extract as your base. Should you already have purchased the ingredients, omit the 40L Caramel malt and save it for something else.

You've got a good recipe there! Let us know how it turns out!

Bob

MaynardX · 01-05-2009, 08:39 PM

Thanks! I haven't purchased anything yet. I was gonna run to the brew store tomorrow morning, so I will give your suggestion a try. My only concern with changing the extract from amber to light is the color. I don't seem to get quite enough dark color according to the "beertools recipe calculator." Is there a specialty malt that anyone suggests changing to give a browner tint?

Bob · 01-06-2009, 11:52 AM

You could always increase the Chocolate Malt slightly. That'll give you a red/brown tint. Or you could get some de-bittered black malt or Carafa. A couple ounces of that should get a nice deep brown color without imparting astringent black-malt flavors.

Good luck!

Bob

fivehoursfree · 01-08-2009, 10:32 PM

I am also interested in how this turns out. I wanted to make a "Belgian Brown", if there is such a thing. I was looking at regular american or english browns, and planning on switching to the equivalent Belgian grains, adding a pound of dark candi sugar, use a Belgian yeast, and decreasing the flavor and aroma hops to let the effects of the yeast shine through.
Is that basically what you did, or did you make it from scratch?

IllWill · 02-26-2010, 05:30 AM

Karl Strauss came out with a winter seasonal this year called Fullsuit. It is the best brown I have ever tasted. Firm toasted malt and roasted nut flavors, hint of vanilla that comes from French oak. Belgian ale yeast makes the beer! If you see it buy it! I finished a six pack and am now formulating a clone.

Brew-Happy · 04-13-2010, 03:08 PM

any bump info on this?

I am thinking along similar lines.