How to make 'Monkey bread' Beer?

Hello,

So I was thinking about doing a more complicated recipe for my next batch. Down the Jersey shore we have something called monkey bread which consists of:

4 cans refrigerated biscuits
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter (3/4 cup)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 Tablespoons cinnamon

So I was thinking, would it be better to formulate a malt extract / flake recipe or actually make the monkey bread and soak it in the wort. Anyone have any ideas which would potentially bring out the flavor profile better? Icing flavor is a tricky one, any suggestions?

Thanks in advance,
Adam

My friend Kiki says to make monkey bread and then run a half gallon of golden grain through it.


Seriously though, you will never make beer as sweet as that stuff.

Thank God my wife only makes monkey bread during the holidays. Man that sticky stuff is good.

She spent here childhood running around Ocean City (NJ), so I guess that's where she learned to make it. She does it in a bundt pan.

Can help with your actual question tho. Sorry.

Forgive me for any mistakes here, as I've had a few tonight.

I would imagine you'd have a difficult time making something like this. You certainly wouldn't want butter at all, as that would destroy so many things about beer that make beer so great. And the sugars would ferment out leaving no sweetness. To get the biscuit flavor, of course biscuit malt, maybe victory and a Maris Otter base, at a high mash temp, and then cinnamon at 5 min left in the boil.

But the problem is then this just seems like a winter ale. Something like this seems like translating into beer is difficult because the defining feature is not only the sweetness, but the fatty butter too! I never want to discourage people, but it seems any attempts would be more towards a spiced ale, and nothing more specific. Of course this is not bad, but just not the intent.

I do wish you good luck!

The monkey bread sweetness would be so over the top cloying you wouldn't want to drink it. That said you HAVE go try this!!! There is SO MANY reasons to not do this beer it has to be done!

I'm with the Marris Otter, Biscuit and some Crystal 20-40 that'll get you bready, toasty and caramel. Honey malt will add sweetness without drying out, Lactose(milk sugar) isn't fermentable so that'll sweeten you up. Honey also ferments dry bit leaves flavor.

I'm a big proponent of NOT boiling spices. The steam and fee erasing activity in my experience drive off so much of the characteristics. I add them at secondary or bottling.

So
60% Marris Otter
30% Biscuit
5% Honey Malt
5% Crystal 20
3 lbs raw honey

1.5 oz Styrian Goldings 2.5% AA 60 mins

Since you are spicing this beer I would NOT add flavor or aroma hops, they don't play nice with spice oils.

Cinnamon, All Spice and nutmeg small amounts are enough - 1/4 tsp each for 5 gals to start with.

Yeast - Scottish ale or Irish ale

Prime with 3 oz of lactose and 3 oz of corn sugar

#5 Thank you very much. Yes I just listed the ingredients of how monkey bread is made I never intended to put butter! Yes that is where I get the monkey bread from, Ocean City - it's delicious! I know it might seem like a winter beer but the sweetness of monkey bread I get on the boardwalk during the summer.

Has anyone watched the discovery channel show BrewMasters with Dogfish head? They baked some bread and soaked it in the wort that's why I was seeing if it was better off. However, based on your comments it seems malt extracts are the best idea for this. I'll be getting the ingredients at the end of the week I definitely will keep you updated on my progress.

I'd recommend the MO & biscuit malt method as well. Use one to two 4" cinnamon sticks with a few minutes left in the boil, as well as in the fermenter during primary. Brown sugar might be good too, or look into some of the other types of sugars used in brewing.

Also, the DFH crew used actual bread. Monkey bread does not sound like actual bread so I wouldn't bother trying to emulate their process, especially with all that butter.

This has total disaster written all over it. I'm excited to hear how it turns out!

Yeah that's true it's more biscuits than real baked bread. I will use the malt extract technique. I'll def keep you updated how it turns out!