All-Grain - Gila Monster

**Malticulous** · 09-03-2009, 11:02 PM

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: US-05
Batch Size (Gallons): 5.5
Original Gravity: 1.057
Final Gravity: 1.013
IBU: 40
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: 20
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 7 low 60's
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 14 mid 70's
Tasting Notes: My favorite Brown ale.

Gila Monster
American Brown Ale

85% efficiency for a OG of 1.057, 20 SRM and 40 IBU.

70% 7 lb 8 oz American Two-row Pale
9% 1 lb Franco Belges Crystal Munich 80L
9% 1 lb Victory Malt
4% 8 oz Torrified Wheat
4% 7 oz Chocolate Malt 350L
1% 1 oz Pale Chocolate Malt 165L
1% 1 oz Coffee Malt 165L
2 oz Malto Dextrin (I add it at bottling)
Mashed at ~153
60 mins 1.0 Palisades pellet 8.0
20 mins 0.5 Vanguard leaf 4.5
5 mins 0.5 Williamette leaf 4.5
US-05 dry yeast

Carbed to ~2.4 volumes

I've brewed a number of different renditions of this recipe. My last one (V10) placed third in brown ales in the Morebeer forum comp. I subbed a few hops and used some different crystals in that batch. The one I posted here is better.

Score sheets say it needs more chocolate malt. Updated with more than enough. This one tastes like a liquid Snickers bar.

The finished beer is great. Malty and chocolaty aroma, good mouth feel with medium carbonation, substantial but not chewy. The flavor is like sweet chocolate, caramel and peanuts with some spicy hops. It finishes by coating the mouth with chocolate goodness and the hops still lingering, fading together in unison. The balance is perfect. I liked the lower chocolate level of V10 but this will score higher in BJCP contests. The aroma is the biggest improvement. I think this is getting too close to a robust porter (4 oz black patent and it would be a good one.)

V11, the latest revision. http://hopville.com/recipe/185634/american-brown-ale-recipes/gilamonsterv11

**Malticulous** · 10-03-2010, 01:04 AM

I've simplified it and it may be the best Brown I've ever had. It's ready so fast you'll freak.

5 gallons. OG 1.057 (82% Eff.) FG 1.016. 28 SRM. 40 IBU.

73% 7 lbs Great Western Pale Ale Malt 3L
10% 1 lb Great Western Crystal 75L
10% 1 lb Weyermann Dark Munich Malt 9L
5% 8 oz Hugh Baird Chocolate Malt 450-500L
1% 2 oz Hugh Baird Pale Chocolate Malt 200-250L

Mashed 155F 1.3 qt/lb mashed out and double batch sparged.

60 minutes .75 Target 11.9% AA
15 minutes 1 oz Vanguard 4.5% AA
0 minutes 1 oz Willamette (post-boil 10 minutes before chilling)

1/2 cup Nottingham slurry from the cake of a previous brew that was racked the same day. Fermented by pitching at 60F and raising the temp 1 degree per day.

I kegged this batch on day six and chilled it to 32F for a day. Then I hooked the gas to the out port and shook it about one hundred times. I left it at 30 psi for a few days. After that I moved the gas to the in port and connected the tap.

The first pull was a winner, the last was even better. It only lasted two weeks in the keg.