English Brown Recipe

Hey hey, I'm making an English brown ale for my sister's wedding and just wanted some feedback on a recipe I put together. Let me know what you think;


10 Gallons
O.G. 1.068
F.G. 1.015

20 lbs English 2-row Pale 2.2SRM
6oz British Chocolate malt 475SRM
10oz British Crystal 55L
3oz Carapils 10srm

total: 13.8SRM

Hops

2oz Kent Golding @ 60minutes
1oz K. Golding @ 30 minutes
1oz Fuggle @ 5 minutes

APPX 32ibu

2 irish moss

152* at 70 minutes single mash infusion

add 6oz Cocoa nibs at 5minutes
add 10oz Spanish Marcona Almonds (freshly roasted in oven) to secondary.

I've never used cocoa nibs or marcona almonds before so any tips would be appreciated.

Also, would the oil from the almonds kill head retention? Thats why I have a lot of carapils...

I dunno, seems like you got 3 beer styles going on. Why cocao nibs and roasted almonds? - and why not replicate those flavors with grain and not worry about problems with head retention and other variables. Also, those grist numbers can't be correct; 3oz of carapils isn't going to do anything when you have 20lbs of base malt, same with the crystal and chocolate malts if you are looking for anything but color.

Why not just make a traditional "English" brown ale and know its gonna turn out great for your sister's big day?

I would bump up the chocolate, but that is because I like it.

I would be worried that the oils from the almonds would reduce head retention. So I might look to extract their flavors a little differently. Maybe a good solid roasting, and then let them steep with just enough vodka to cover them. Or figure out how they make Amaretto.