My next brew - What do you think of the recipe?

So my next brew is going to be a New Castle Brown Ale clone. This is only my second batch, so I am still gonna use some extract as well as grains. I've found a bunch of recipes, but this one seems like something I can handle. I will be doing a 3 gallon boil and making a 5 gallon batch.

3.3lb - Amber uphopped LME
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/briess-amber-unhopped-liquid-malt-extract.html

2lb - Light plain DME
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/munton-and-fison-uk-light-dme.html

1/2lb - Crystal 50-60L Malt
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/crystal-50-60l-simpson-s.html

4oz - Chocolate Malt
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/chocolate-malt-briess-1-2-lb.html

2oz. Willamette Pellet Hops (Boiled for entire 45 minutes)
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/willamette-pellet-hops-1-oz.html

Safale S04 Ale Yeast
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/safale-ale-s-04-whitbread-strain-11-5-grams.html

I will also add some Irish Moss half way through boil.


Please let me know what you think of these ingredients and recommend any changes.

Looks good but I would probably go with 2 or 4oz of Chocolate malt instead of 8. Newcastle doesnt have a strong flavor and 8oz of chocolate is a lot for a brown, especially a southern brown like newkie. It also keeps the color lighter as newcastle is not a dark brown.

Might want to spring for a slightly better yeast. US-04 is only 2.70 and you only need 1 packet. http://www.midwestsupplies.com/safale-ale-s-04-whitbread-strain-11-5-grams.html If you don't like english yeast esters US-05 would also make a nice beer with cleaner yeast and ester profile. Nothing wrong with your selected yeast I just have no experience with it.

Let us know how it turns out!

I ran this through beersmith here is the output:
BeerSmith Recipe Printout - www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Newcastle Extract
Brewer: Scott
Asst Brewer:
Style: Southern English Brown Ale
TYPE: Extract
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 3.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.042 SG
Estimated Color: 18.7 SRM
Estimated IBU: 24.8 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: - %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
2 lbs Light Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 33.1 %
3 lbs 4.8 oz Amber Liquid Extract (12.5 SRM) Extract 54.5 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 8.3 %
4.0 oz Chocolate Malt (450.0 SRM) Grain 4.1 %
2.00 oz Williamette [4.70%] (45 min) Hops 24.8 IBU
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs SafAle English Ale (DCL Yeast #S-04) Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: None
Total Grain Weight: 0.75 lb

Thanks for the input! I didn't even you could do that on beersmith. It will help tremendously.


I will change the recipe to incorporate both of your suggestions.

I'd go with all pale malt extract. You can get all the flavor and color from amber ME from steeping grains, without the added unfermentables.

You could try 8oz of both Caramel 40 and 80 to balance things out and get some complexity.

Here's an all-grain clone: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f67/aberdeen-brown-ale-newcastle-clone-ag-36912/

Another great suggestion!

Thanks!

Another question

How long should I steep the grains for this particular recipe?

So my next brew is going to be a New Castle Brown Ale clone. This is only my second batch, so I am still gonna use some extract as well as grains. I've found a bunch of recipes, but this one seems like something I can handle. I will be doing a 3 gallon boil and making a 5 gallon batch.

3.3lb - Amber uphopped LME
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/briess-amber-unhopped-liquid-malt-extract.html

2lb - Light plain DME
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/munton-and-fison-uk-light-dme.html

1/2lb - Crystal 50-60L Malt
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/crystal-50-60l-simpson-s.html

4oz - Chocolate Malt
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/chocolate-malt-briess-1-2-lb.html

2oz. Willamette Pellet Hops (Boiled for entire 45 minutes)
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/willamette-pellet-hops-1-oz.html

Safale S04 Ale Yeast
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/safale-ale-s-04-whitbread-strain-11-5-grams.html

I will also add some Irish Moss half way through boil.


Please let me know what you think of these ingredients and recommend any changes

Click to expand...

This looks pretty close to Northern Brewers Nukey Brown Ale kit I did last year. Actually I like this much better than the real thing since the commercial bottle I opened had a skunked smell to it.

The S-04 or the Wyeast 1098 is the yeast they sell for this. Good Luck.

When I brewed extract beers I typically steeped for 45 minutes at about 160F. Anything in the ballpark of that should be fine.

I would consider the use of the mixed caramels as long as you like the sweetness provide by the extra half pound of caramel malt. I personally like my browns sweet so it sounds good to me.