Critique my Nut Brown Ale extract recipe please

Needsanamebrewery · 09-17-2008, 09:56 PM

36.00 oz Amber Dry Extract (12.5 SRM) Dry Extract 32.43 %
60.00 oz Pale Liquid Extract (8.0 SRM) Extract 54.05 %
6.00 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 5.41 %
5.00 oz Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 4.50 %
4.00 oz Chocolate Malt (450.0 SRM) Grain 3.60 %
1.25 oz Fuggles [4.50 %] (60 min) Hops 20.9 IBU
0.50 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (15 min) Hops 4.6 IBU
1 Pkgs Ringwood Ale (Wyeast Labs #1187) [Starter 125 ml] Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.048 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.010 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.014 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.005 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.39 %
Bitterness: 25.5 IBU

I played around with Beersmith and came up with the above recipe for a Nut Brown Ale. The Est FG is just a little higher for the style but I couldn't figure out how to get it down. I'm sure it will make drinkable beer; question is, does anybody see any glaringly obvious mistakes in the recipe? I realize that Victory should be mashed, but I plan to steep it. Will any flavor be extracted or am I just throwing grain into hot water for nothing?

Thanks in advance.

Bob · 09-17-2008, 11:37 PM

I've steeped Victory before and had good results. The recipe sounds pretty tasty!

I plugged the ingredients into ProMash and came up with:

OG: 1.049
IBU: 28.2
SRM: 15

The SRM is in-style for Northern English Brown Ale. Maybe another ounce or two of Chocolate...?

I think you're on to a pretty tasty beer! Ringwood can be a real pain, though it can be dealt with if you pay attention. It produces quite a lot of diacetyl, and has a bad habit of quitting before the fermentation is complete. Keep an eye on it; when the krausen starts to fall, take a gravity. If you're not at least 65% attenuated, gently swirl the carboy to get Ringwood back into suspension.

I love the flavors Ringwood provides. Prost! to you for trying it!

Cheers,

Bob

Fat Guy Brewing · 09-18-2008, 02:35 AM

Wyeast says diacetyl rest is recommended with Ringwood and they are not kidding. I would say at least a couple of extra weeks in the bottle after using that yeast.

Needsanamebrewery · 09-18-2008, 07:18 PM

Thanks guys for the advice, and especially for the heads up on the diacetyl rest with the Ringwood yeast. I think the plan will be to do a not-quite-thorough-diacetyl-rest; I'd like to retain just a tiny hint of diacetyl flavor. I'll be sure to let you know how it comes out.

Bob · 09-19-2008, 10:47 AM

Believe me, even with a good, long diacetyl rest, you're gonna have more than a tiny hint of diacetyl. If you want an commercial example, try a bottle of a Shipyard beer if you can get it.

But don't let that frighten you! I love Ringwood! My advice would be to design your procedure as though you didn't want any diacetyl in the finished beer at all; that ought to tame Ringwood to "barely-discernible" diacetyl levels.

Bob

**AZ_IPA** · 09-19-2008, 03:17 PM

Listen to Bob! he's the king of Ringwood!

Bob · 09-19-2008, 05:38 PM

Thanks, AZ. I worked waaaay too long in a Ringwood microbrewery to not have learnt something.

Ringwood has a very unique and wonderful flavor profile which I adore, but there's a reason even Wyeast calls it "notorious".

Bob

Needsanamebrewery · 09-23-2008, 09:47 PM

Thanks again Bob for the heads up. I'll be brewing this on Saturday. I plan to ferment it @~65* and keep a close eye on it. When it ferments out, I'll bring the temp up to ~74* and let it sit for a week to ten days. Then an extra couple of weeks in the bottles. I'll be sure to report my results.

Needsanamebrewery · 10-30-2008, 09:56 PM

UPDATE: After a month in the primary, we bottled this baby last night. OG was 1.052 and FG was 1.015. Bob, I took your advice and added another 2 oz chocolate.

The Ringwood behaved quite admirably. After week one in the primary I gave the bucket a little swirl lest the little buggers were thinking of going to sleep. After week two I took a hydro: 1.015. Dead on target. Hopefully during the last two weeks they did their job with the diacetyl.

In honor of the bottling, my brewbuddy and I were drinking Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale. "Wow", my brewbuddy said as he was sampling the hydro, "these taste just about the same". I wouldn't go as far as just about the same, but it was damn sure tasty!

The only (minor) issue is that it will be a little more carbonated than I wanted because I planned on five gallons going into the bottle but got just over four because I wasn't paying attention when we were racking and left more beer on the trub than I intended.

Look for another update in about a month.

Fat Guy Brewing · 10-31-2008, 01:01 AM

I will be waiting with you. If you are close to SS Nut Brown Ale, then I will have to put this recipe into my line up.