Big Brother Peanut Butter Brown

Torchiest · 05-29-2007, 11:07 PM

Recipe Type: Extract
Yeast: White Labs WLP013 London Ale
Yeast Starter: 1 quart w/ 1 cup DME
Batch Size (Gallons): 5
Original Gravity: 1.053
Final Gravity: 1.015
IBU: 15
Boiling Time (Minutes): 20
Color: 24 SRM
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 11 @ 68ºF
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 9 @ 68ºF

7 lbs Amber LME
1 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine
1 lb Crystal 80
1/4 lb Aromatic
1/4 lb Chocolate Malt
1/4 lb Special B
1 oz East Kent Goldings (20 mins)
1/2 oz Willamette (20 mins)
1 lb Natural Peanut Butter

You'll need to but the peanut butter a couple months in advance in order to drain off as much oil as possible before brewing. It helps to keep it in a warm place and pour off the oil that settles on top every few days. The first time I brewed this, I added the peanut butter after the steeping grains were removed, but now I think it might be better to put the peanut butter in first, in order to scoop off floating oils before getting to the brew proper. This could run the risk of boiling off aroma, but with a pound of peanut butter, it's probably be fine. I'll probably update this the next time I try with a slightly different technique.

**ShortSnoutBrewing** · 01-31-2008, 04:18 PM

You never checked back in. How did this turn out?

Evan! · 01-31-2008, 04:20 PM

Torchy h'aint been round these parts much, actually...

**ShortSnoutBrewing** · 01-31-2008, 06:56 PM

Well that's just no fun.

Torchiest · 03-07-2008, 08:07 PM

I took some time off over the last summer, moved into a new house, but I'm trying to get back on track. I did three batches in November, and I'm about to brew up some beers for my upcoming wedding in June, so hopefully I'll be around more. Got kegging equipment for Christmas, and we just picked up a second fridge, so I've got some big motivators now.

As for the beer: It was extremely tasty the first few months. However, after about six months or so, the peanut butter flavor faded to nothing. I'd recommend drinking this one sooner rather than later. I've got another jar of peanut butter ready to go, so this is on my list of soon-to-be-brewed. I don't think anything in the recipe needs to be changed much, if at all. I've been draining the peanut butter longer this time, so I don't think the oil will be as much of a problem.

Torchiest · 11-04-2008, 01:18 AM

Well, I finally brewed this again, and letting the peanut butter sit and settle for more than a year (!) really helped a lot. There was almost no oil in it at all when I added it to the brew. Here's the updated recipe I used this time:

7.00 lb Amber Liquid Extract (12.5 SRM)
1.00 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM)
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM)
0.25 lb Aromatic Malt (26.0 SRM)
0.25 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM)
0.25 lb Special B Malt (180.0 SRM)
1.00 oz Willamette [5.10%] (60 min) 10.3 IBU
1.00 oz Goldings, East Kent [4.20%] (30 min) 6.5 IBU
0.50 oz Burton Water Salts
16.00 oz Dried Peanut Butter (Boil 30.0 min)
1 Pkgs London Ale (White Labs #WLP013)

Estimated OG: 1.053 SG
Estimated FG: 1.015 SG
Estimated Color: 25.2 SRM
Bitterness: 16.9 IBU
Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 4.97%

Now, the bitterness includes adding three gallons of top off water at the end, so if you're doing a full boil, the IBUs will be a lot higher. I was doing full boils for a while, but since I brew at home now, cooling is a hassle, and it's easier to cool down two gallons partway and then just add cold water. Also, technically, I had less than 16oz of peanut butter after draining so much oil, but, whatever.

HawaiianHippie · 08-13-2009, 08:50 AM

Took a stab at this tonight. With subtle improvisation, of course!

Was surprised at the amount of PB that survived the boil, just floating crud on the top of the wort. I'm guessing what we scooped off was nearly the whole jar. Hopefully all the peanutty goodness was boiled out!

CessnaDriver · 08-25-2009, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HawaiianHippie

Took a stab at this tonight. With subtle improvisation, of course!

Was surprised at the amount of PB that survived the boil, just floating crud on the top of the wort. I'm guessing what we scooped off was nearly the whole jar. Hopefully all the peanutty goodness was boiled out!

Have you been able to taste this yet?

I love PB and want to try this.

TIA!

HawaiianHippie · 08-25-2009, 08:16 PM

Not yet. I expect to bottle it this weekend. I'll sneak a taste of the flat beer then, but it'll be a few weeks before I know for sure!

HawaiianHippie · 09-01-2009, 06:24 AM

Ok, it's now resting comfortably in 46 bottles. Tasting in 2 weeks!

There was a layer of floating unpleasantness in the primary, but I opted not to rack to a secondary. I was just cautions racking into the priming bucket, and stopped when the absorption of that layer was imminent.

The fermentation was quiet. Didn't need the BOT at all.

The dregs smelled, and tasted, peanutty! I'm pretty optimistic.