DFH Indian Brown Ale Recipe

Who here has sucessfully brewed a spot-on clone of Dog Fish Head's Indian Brown Ale?

I tried the recipe in Sam's book, converted it from partial to all grain. The taste was good but not the same. I would say no cloned if following the CYBI process.

I was surprised as it's direct from the brewery.

The brown ale goodness wasn't there as I expected it to be. Tasting side by side with a DFH bottle, the bottled beer was far better.

Anyone else have this problem with the published recipe? If yes, what did you do to overcome the taste difference?

There's also a version in the BYO 250 recipes. I tried that one and wasn't impressed either. Hopefully you can get some luck on here.

I've had pretty good luck with this one:http://www.brew365.com/beer_dogfish_head_indian_brown_ale.php

Beach

Frankly, I think Janet's Brown from BCS is pretty damned close.

Bobby - BCS?

Bobby_M said:

Frankly, I think Janet's Brown from BCS is pretty damned close.

Click to expand...

Ya know, the first time I saw that recipe I thought to myself "there's way too much carapils in this". But, seeing as though it wasn't my recipe I brewed it as is. Great great beer!

Morning, I brewed this batch of DFH Indian Brown Ale 2 times so far.
I think it turned out just like their bottles. Friends love it too.

I don't remember where I got it from, but UMMMMMM. Give it a try !



Caramelize the brown sugar before the boil, right in your Brew Kettle.


Re: Clone for Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale
BYO also has a clone recipe as well

BeerSmith Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Dogfish Head India Brown Ale
Brewer: Drew Morgan
Asst Brewer:
Style: Specialty Beer
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 8.04 gal
Estimated OG: 1.070 SG
Estimated Color: 17.6 SRM
Estimated IBU: 44.2 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
11 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) UK (1.0 SRM) Grain 73.33 %
1 lbs Corn, Flaked (1.3 SRM) Grain 6.67 %
12.0 oz Amber Malt (22.0 SRM) Grain 5.00 %
12.0 oz Brown Malt (65.0 SRM) Grain 5.00 %
12.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 5.00 %
4.0 oz Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 1.67 %
0.50 oz Liberty [4.30 %] (Dry Hop 3 days) Hops -
0.50 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (Dry Hop 3 dHops -
0.75 oz Warrior [15.00 %] (60 min) Hops 34.6 IBU
1.25 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (15 min) Hops 9.5 IBU
1.25 oz Liberty [4.30 %] (0 min) Hops -
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
8.0 oz Brown Sugar, Light (8.0 SRM) Sugar 3.33 %
1 Pkgs British Ale (White Labs #WLP005) Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 14.50 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 18.13 qt of water at 165.9 F 154.0 F


Notes:
------
Caramelize the brown sugar before the boil.

ultravista said:

Bobby - BCS?

Click to expand...

Brewing Classic Styles

That recipe differs greatly from the one published by DFH. Theirs has no corn and different hops and yeast.

ultravista said:

That recipe differs greatly from the one published by DFH. Theirs has no corn and different hops and yeast.

Click to expand...

yes it does, And I am going to make it again next week.. I have a keg with it's namee on it! It's VERY good.

I brewed this exact recipe last year as well and to me it was spot on!

Esmitee said:

Morning, I brewed this batch of DFH Indian Brown Ale 2 times so far.
I think it turned out just like their bottles. Friends love it too.

I don't remember where I got it from, but UMMMMMM. Give it a try !



Caramelize the brown sugar before the boil, right in your Brew Kettle.


Re: Clone for Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale
BYO also has a clone recipe as well

BeerSmith Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Dogfish Head India Brown Ale
Brewer: Drew Morgan
Asst Brewer:
Style: Specialty Beer
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 8.04 gal
Estimated OG: 1.070 SG
Estimated Color: 17.6 SRM
Estimated IBU: 44.2 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
11 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) UK (1.0 SRM) Grain 73.33 %
1 lbs Corn, Flaked (1.3 SRM) Grain 6.67 %
12.0 oz Amber Malt (22.0 SRM) Grain 5.00 %
12.0 oz Brown Malt (65.0 SRM) Grain 5.00 %
12.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 5.00 %
4.0 oz Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 1.67 %
0.50 oz Liberty [4.30 %] (Dry Hop 3 days) Hops -
0.50 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (Dry Hop 3 dHops -
0.75 oz Warrior [15.00 %] (60 min) Hops 34.6 IBU
1.25 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (15 min) Hops 9.5 IBU
1.25 oz Liberty [4.30 %] (0 min) Hops -
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
8.0 oz Brown Sugar, Light (8.0 SRM) Sugar 3.33 %
1 Pkgs British Ale (White Labs #WLP005) Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 14.50 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 18.13 qt of water at 165.9 F 154.0 F


Notes:
------
Caramelize the brown sugar before the boil.

Click to expand...

overtsilence said:

I brewed this exact recipe last year as well and to me it was spot on!

Click to expand...

I love some of the DFH brews, I really like the IBA, and IMO this one rocks.

Esmitee said:

Caramelize the brown sugar before the boil, right in your Brew Kettle.

Click to expand...

How did you caramelize your brown sugar?

I'm guessing that's probably a key component in nailing the flavor profile of this beer. Yet it seems to be absent in nearly all of the clone recipes I can find.

Thinking I'll draw off a portion of the wort and reduce it down in a separate pot to attain some kettle caramelization.

But I also see that DFH calls out "caramelized brown sugar" on their bottle label. Just curious how you did yours--seems like brown sugar could go from "caramelized" to "scorched" in an instant.

coldcrash said:

How did you caramelize your brown sugar?

I'm guessing that's probably a key component in nailing the flavor profile of this beer. Yet it seems to be absent in nearly all of the clone recipes I can find.

Thinking I'll draw off a portion of the wort and reduce it down in a separate pot to attain some kettle caramelization.

But I also see that DFH calls out "caramelized brown sugar" on their bottle label. Just curious how you did yours--seems like brown sugar could go from "caramelized" to "scorched" in an instant.

Click to expand...

I've done it 2 times so far, 1 st time, I used a saucepan on the stove top.
I added enough water to "MELT" the sugar into a liquid form. Not much, just a few table spoons or so. Then put heat under it to make very small bubbles for about 40 seconds. turned the heat off. Scraped it out into My BK.

2nd Time, I had read somewhere to do it in your BK. Made sense to me, so I did. If you do it in your BK, watch your heat.It wont take much to burn it. U don"t want that.

:rockin:

Brewed this on Saturday. One of the best smelling mashes/worts I've done in awhile.

I used the malt bill Beach posted for an India Brown with different hops and it was great! I cut the caramel in half to dry it out a little. I liked it so much, I scaled it down and did a 5.5% version with a lot less hops that I'm about to bottle (added oatmeal, too). Plenty of malty brown ale goodness in my book.

I'm going to revive this thread. Anyone have a followup on their attempts? I'm ready to mimic this beer myself. I think I agree with several of you in that caramelizing the sugar before hand makes all the difference. You can taste that on the finish of this beer. I'm saving one to compare to my recipe when I finally get around to it as this beer is not available in my area.

I made a recent batch (not DFH) that called for 1 pound of raisins. I caramelized raisins in a cast iron pan with a blow torch until the skin smoldered and blistered. Drawing wort off the kettle, I pureed the raisins and dumped them into my hop bag for boil.

The batch is an imperial porter so the raisins may not come through.

Don't be afraid to use too much molasses or brown sugar. That is what really makes this recipe in my opinion.

I never caramelized the sugar. I have never had DFH IBA. I think the link in post #3 is a great malt bill that serves as either a base for a hoppy beer or a nice malty brown without too much caramel flavor.

tennesseean_87 said:

I never caramelized the sugar. I have never had DFH IBA. I think the link in post #3 is a great malt bill that serves as either a base for a hoppy beer or a nice malty brown without too much caramel flavor.

Click to expand...

Try it, for sure you can get a 6 pack in Philly, You just may like it.

I am weird--I drink almost exclusively homebrew because beer is way too expensive in Philly, and the pipeline is full. I'm sure it's good, but for the cost of a sixer I can brew 2 gallons of a clone of it (at least).

The bottled stuff is great. I can't find DFH Indian Brown on tap here in Vegas but De'Etre is a few places.

This is what I'm going with tomorrow. I agree the caramelized brown sugar is key here.



HOME BREW RECIPE:
Title: Dogfish Head Indian Brown Clone
Author: KR

Brew Method: Partial Mash
Style Name: Specialty Beer
Boil Time: 90 min
Batch Size: 5 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 6.5 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.021
Efficiency: 50% (brew house)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.070
Final Gravity: 1.021
ABV (standard): 6.44%
IBU (tinseth): 50.15
SRM (morey): 27.8

FERMENTABLES:
2 lb - Dry Malt Extract - Light (21.1%)
5 lb - Dry Malt Extract - Light - (late addition) (52.6%)
10 oz - United Kingdom - Amber (6.6%)
10 oz - American - Caramel / Crystal 80L (6.6%)
9 oz - American - Chocolate (5.9%)
3 oz - American - Roasted Barley (2%)
8 oz - Brown Sugar (5.3%)

HOPS:
0.5 oz - Warrior, Type: Pellet, AA: 16, Use: Boil for 90 min, IBU: 42.12
1 oz - Goldings, Type: Pellet, AA: 4.5, Use: Boil for 10 min, IBU: 8.03
1 oz - Liberty, Type: Pellet, AA: 4, Use: Aroma for 0 min
0.5 oz - Goldings, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 4.5, Use: Dry Hop for 7 days
0.5 oz - Liberty, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 4, Use: Dry Hop for 7 days

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Infusion, Temp: 152 F, Time: 45 min, Amount: 1.5 qt

YEAST:
White Labs - British Ale Yeast WLP005
Starter: Yes
Form: Liquid
Attenuation (avg): 70.5%
Flocculation: High
Optimum Temp: 65 - 70 F
Fermentation Temp: 68 F
Pitch Rate: 0.5 (M cells / ml / deg P)

NOTES:
Mash grain at 152 for 45 minutes in 3qts /water.

Sparge with 6 qts at 170 (20 minutes)...= 2.25 gallon.

1 gallon in kettle and caramelize 8oz brown sugar then add the 2.25 gallons to kettle and start boil (= 3.25 in kettle)

Add another 3.25 gallons to kettle and begin 90 minute boil. 6.5 gallon total boil volume.

Generated by Brewer's Friend - http://www.brewersfriend.com/
Date: 2013-11-08 16:49 UTC
Recipe Last Updated: 2013-11-08 16:48 UTC

When I brewed this for a wedding this year, I used Wyeast 1187 (Ringwood) because that's what people said DFH uses. We brewed a 5 gallon test batch, fermented around 67F, and then dumped the whole keg. It was awful, even with a D-rest.

We re-brewed it with WLP013 and it turned out much, much better, and was very well received at the wedding. In my opinion it was the best of the three beers we had on tap.

Found at http://www.beersmith.com/forum/index.php?topic=2751.0 and adjusted the bittering hops upwards to be closer to the stated IBU:

(10 gallons)
21lbs 4.2oz Rahr 2-Row
1lb 4.2oz Crystal 60L
1lb 4.2oz Thomas Fawcett Amber
1lb Briess organic Chocolate 350L
4.2oz Briess organic roast barley 300L
1lb dark brown sugar (from Trader Joes I think)

Mash @ 152F

2oz Warrior @ 15.7%AA 60m
2oz Vanguard @ 5.4%AA 6m

WLP013 yeast, whirlfloc, Wyeast yeast nutrient

their website says that they dry hop it similar to 60 and 90 min IPA