India Brown Ale recipe critique

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Chello

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I have been wanting to clone the Terrapin India Style Brown Ale and i took information from their website to try to come up with something that would be close. They have pretty good info as to grains, hops, ibus, but no proportions. How does this look, particularly the grain bill. I'v never used Victory or Special Roast so i'm not sure if the amounts used will be overpowering/not noticed. I just added them to get the color to my liking in Beersmith.

Grain
6 lbs Munich Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain
3 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain
1 lbs Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain
12.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain
8.0 oz Special Roast (50.0 SRM) Grain
4.0 oz Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM)

Hops
60 min 1.00 oz Nugget [13.00 %] (60 min)
30 min 0.50 oz Centennial [9.10 %] (30 min)
15 min 0.50 oz Cascade [6.10 %] (15 min)
5 min 0.50 oz Centennial [9.10 %] (5 min)
0 min 0.50 oz Centennial [9.10 %] (0 min)

Mash at 154 for 60min

Yeast - US-05 or US-04 most likely.

O.G. - 1.061
IBU's - 65
SRM - 21.7


Thanks for the input!
 
I would think you would need some chocolate or black patent malt to get this into the brown category for color. Just shooting from the hip here on that, but I'm sure someone else can chime in here to verify that.
 
Yeah, they had Chocolate listed as a malt used, but by the time i put the others in if i added the chocolate then it would have been a deep black color.

I could back off on the Victory or Caramel 60 and put some chocolate in, i just dont think the amount i would add would be very noticeable among the current grain bill.
 
FWIW, I brewed a brown ale that beersmith said was 23.5 SRM and gave nearly black in the little color square, and the beer didn't turn out nearly as dark as indicated. It actually turned out a pretty classic brown ale color. My recipe had 1/2 lb of caramel 120L and 1/5 lb of chocolate as well as a 1/10 lb carafa II.....then again, I used all Pale malt as a base. Your munich might make it a bit darker, but other things being equal, I'd use a little chocolate if I were you.
 
Ok, i lowered the Crystal 60 from 1lb to 3/4 lb and added in 1/4 lb of Chocolate.
 
Mainly because i have a few sacks of 2-row sitting around and i figure no one would miss a couple pounds of Munich in this grain bill.
 
I am interested in finding out how this turns out, be sure to update with the results. I just brewed my attempt at an India Brown Ale.
 
A full pound of Victory is an awful lot on its own, much less in combination with Special Roast. Either alone or in combination, I think it unwise to exceed 10% of the grist. You've got 13% of the grist with that combo. IMO, you'd be wise to reduce the Victory to 0.5 lbs.

Cheers!

Bob
 
A full pound of Victory is an awful lot on its own, much less in combination with Special Roast. Either alone or in combination, I think it unwise to exceed 10% of the grist. You've got 13% of the grist with that combo. IMO, you'd be wise to reduce the Victory to 0.5 lbs.

Cheers!

Bob

Agreed! Victory can over power pretty easily.
 
FWIW, here's what I'm going to brew tomorrow. It's not going to be Terrapin Brown, but it's similar in gravity and style.... I made a lighter version of this (scaled back to a mild 1.043) and it is the best beer I've ever made thus far.....so I'm F'ing with it now! that's how I roll.... :)

Type: Partial Mash
Date: 1/7/2009
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Brewer: bradley leland
Boil Size: 3.08 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: Brew Pot (5 Gallon)
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.0
Taste Notes:

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
3.75 lb Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Extract 36.8 %
3.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 29.5 %
1.00 lb Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 9.8 %
1.00 lb Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 9.8 %
0.60 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 5.9 %
0.50 lb Special Roast (50.0 SRM) Grain 4.9 %
0.25 lb British Chocolate Malt (450.0 SRM) Grain 2.0 %
0.13 lb Carafa II (412.0 SRM) Grain 1.3 %
0.75 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00%] (60 min) Hops 8.4 IBU
0.75 oz Fuggles [4.50%] (60 min) Hops 7.6 IBU
0.25 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00%] (15 min) Hops 1.4 IBU
1 Pkgs English Ale (White Labs #WLP002) Yeast-Ale (w/ starter)


Est Original Gravity: 1.060 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.019 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.3 %
Bitterness: 17.4 IBU
Est Color: 23.8 SRM

The oats for this recipe are doubled (%-wise) from the last recipe, and I toasted them last week, so that will be a new element as well.

what say you, gentlemen? is this a go, as well or should I also cut the victory down? (Not trying to hijack here, but perhaps a comparison will help us both out....)
 
Yeah, i think i will lower the victory. I was afraid it could overpower. Thanks for the heads up.

I will probably be brewing this later this week, like Friday or Saturday. I"ll be sure to update.
 
Again, this isn't the exact Terrapin recipe, but I have brewed Mike McDole's Janet's Brown Ale multiple times and it replicated the hoppy brown ale style perfectly. I have never tried it side by side with Terrapin, but both beers are favorites of mine.

Here's the recipe:

Batch Size (Gal): 6.00 Wort Size (Gal): 6.00
Total Grain (Lbs): 16.00
Anticipated OG: 1.066 Plato: 16.20
Anticipated SRM: 19.3
Anticipated IBU: 63.2
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70 %
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
75.0 12.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) America 1.036 2
7.8 1.25 lbs. Cara-Pils Dextrine Malt 1.033 2
7.8 1.25 lbs. Crystal 40L America 1.034 40
6.3 1.00 lbs. Wheat Malt America 1.038 2
3.1 0.50 lbs. Chocolate Malt America 1.029 350

Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.00 oz. Northern Brewer Pellet 6.50 19.0 Mash H
1.25 oz. Northern Brewer Pellet 6.50 30.8 60 min.
1.00 oz. Northern Brewer Pellet 6.50 6.6 15 min.
1.50 oz. Cascade Pellet 6.00 6.8 10 min.
1.50 oz. Cascade Pellet 6.00 0.0 0 min.
2.00 oz. Centennial Pellet 9.00 0.0 Dry Hop

Yeast
-----
White Labs WLP001 California Ale Yeast

Mash Schedule
-------------
Saccharification Rest Temp : 154 Time: 30
Mash-out Rest Temp : 165 Time: 15
Sparge Temp : 170 Time: 45
 
I'm about to get started on my brew day for this India Brown. Here is my final recipe.

Grain
5.00 lb Munich Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 40.82 %
5.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 40.82 %
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 4.08 %
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 4.08 %
0.50 lb Special Roast (50.0 SRM) Grain 4.08 %
0.50 lb Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 4.08 %
0.25 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 2.04 %

Hops
1.00 oz Centennial [9.10 %] (60 min) Hops 28.1 IBU
1.00 oz Nugget [12.90 %] (15 min) Hops 19.7 IBU
0.50 oz Cascade [6.10 %] (10 min) Hops 3.4 IBU
1.00 oz Centennial [9.10 %] (5 min) Hops 5.6 IBU
0.50 oz Cascade [6.10 %] (0 min) Hops -


Mash at 154 F for 60min
Boil 60 min
Pitching onto US-05 cake.
 
Quite the brew day. I had my first boil over because i was distracted by my siphon tube spilling out of my keg while racking...

So needless to say it took a lot longer due to clean up!

But as far as this beer, all is good. Hit an OG of 1.060 which puts me at 73% efficiency which is just fine by me.

I'll update this thread in a few weeks once its done and in the keezer.

Cheers
 
Of course! It tasted pretty good. The hops were similar to the real deal, i think due to the late Nugget addition.

I'm very excited to see the final results of this one!
 
I need to dry hop this, well i think i do. I'm going to transfer to keg and give her a taste tomorrow and if i need/want to dry hop it i will.

I am trying to decide between Centennial and Cascade for the dryhop, any input?
 
I need to dry hop this, well i think i do. I'm going to transfer to keg and give her a taste tomorrow and if i need/want to dry hop it i will.

I am trying to decide between Centennial and Cascade for the dryhop, any input?

I say Centennial. I dry hopped my American Brown Ale with it and it is has a nice aroma. I only used a half ounce, but I will up that amount on my next batch to maybe an ounce.
The Terrapin Label says they dry hop it with Columbus.
 
This looks tasty, I hope I get to try some. If you are going for a clone then I would go with Columbus since that is what Terrapin uses, but if not perhaps a half ounce of Centennial and Cascade each.
 
Well, i figure my hop schedule wasn't accurate from the get-go as Terrapin doesn't use Cascade at all so i may as well just dry hop with what i'v got.

Half and Half sounds like a good plan to me.
 
I would think you would need some chocolate or black patent malt to get this into the brown category for color. Just shooting from the hip here on that, but I'm sure someone else can chime in here to verify that.


He's got 4ozs. o' choco... Maybe add 2ozs. of kiln black or experiment with some debitterized/dehusked #3. I have a little fun with this stuff...:tank:
 
Not to hijack but I thought this might contribute to this thread.

I just had the Terrapin IBA last night and compared it to my American Brown Ale (which is heavier on the Chocolate Malt than Special Roast). I have never isolated the taste of Chocolate or Special Roast, but after the comparison I am thinking that the T. Chief IBA is much heavier on the Special Roast than Chocolate Malt. Am I way off base here?
 
Just tapped this keg and i am pleased with it. I think the malt bill is pretty solid for a none overpowering brown.

The overall taste is not close at all to the real deal and i'm guessing thats because my hop bill isn't remotely correct. But it is still good. I'll make this again.

And Ed i'll bring you some once the keg clears more.
 
I always hate reviving old threads, but the Terrapin ISBA has become one of my favorite recipes and I have put together a clone and I was hoping to get some feed back. Here is what the Terrapin website says:
The Terrapin India Style Brown Ale is a head on collision between a hoppy, west coast IPA and a complex, malty brown ale. Brewed with 5 varieties of hops and 7 different malts, this hybrid style represents the best of both worlds.

ABV: 6.0%

IBU’s: 65

O.G.: 15.1

Malt: 2-Row Pale, Dark Munich, Victory, Special Roast, Crystal 65, Crystal 85, Chocolate

Hops: Nugget, Chinook, Centennial, Willamette, Columbus (Dry Hop)

And here is what I came up with, input is greatly appreciated.

ecipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 12.00 gal
Boil Size: 14.72 gal
Estimated OG: 1.061 SG
Estimated Color: 20.4 SRM
Estimated IBU: 66.7 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
20.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 73.39 %
3.00 lb Munich Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 11.01 %
1.00 lb Special Roast (50.0 SRM) Grain 3.67 %
1.00 lb Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 3.67 %
0.75 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 2.75 %
0.75 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 2.75 %
0.75 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 2.75 %
2.00 oz Chinook [13.00 %] (60 min) Hops 36.5 IBU
1.75 oz Nugget [13.00 %] (30 min) Hops 24.5 IBU
2.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] (5 min) Hops 5.0 IBU
2.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] (Dry Hop 3 Hops -
2.00 oz Williamette [5.50 %] (1 min) Hops 0.7 IBU
 
I thought my recipe's malt bill tasted very similar to the real thing, but the hops were not correct. I think yours looks pretty good. But for some reason i am thinking they use Nugget toward the end of the boil but i'm not sure why i think that...
 
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