Can I have some advice on an American Brown Ale?

Hey y'all. A local brewery has a Nut Brown Ale that I really enjoy, so I e-mailed them for advice on formulating my recipe.

This is the response I received:

all East Kent Golding (3 additions), og= 13.0p tg= 2.5p, all briess: 2row, carapils,c-60,c-120,choc.,and black.

This is a recipe that I created for a 5 US gallon brew based on these ingredients: (all grains are Briess)

9lb two-row
6oz chocolate
4oz c-120
4oz c-60
2oz carapils
1oz black barley for color

For hops, I am using Columbus and Willamette rather than the EKG because I have lots of them in my freezer. My additions are as follows:

1oz Willamette 4.8% for 60
.5oz Columbus 14.7% for 20
.5 Willamette for 10
.5 Willamette at 0

S-05 yeast

What I am looking for is a nutty and SLIGHTLY sweet flavor, with hop flavor present but balanced with the malts.

Do you see anything here that is striking that you would change? How would you formulate the recipe?

If you want it sweet you could boost the C60 to 8 oz. I might also switch to a different yeast, US-05 has a tendency to dry a beer out more than most other strains. Otheerwise looks good to me, hope it turns out well.

I'd go s-04 and maybe add some victory. Or toast some of the base malt in the oven. Palmer has a good chart for guidelines on that.

Oldsock said:

If you want it sweet you could boost the C60 to 8 oz. I might also switch to a different yeast, US-05 has a tendency to dry a beer out more than most other strains. Otheerwise looks good to me, hope it turns out well.

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Agreed. If you want sweeter you need more crystal. I wouldn't be against upping the 60 to 1lb. Since caramel/toffee notes are standard for a brown, I think you are way low. Also, since 05 dries beers out, I would mash high around 154.

Use wl002 and you will get a sweet finish you could add 4oz of special b.

Thank you all very much for the advice, I will certainly "up" the C-60. I have tried the S-04 yeast before and did not like the results very much, so I will likely go for Wl002 as harlan suggests, or the wyeast London ESB...although the higher mash sounds very appealing too, and is an excellent idea.

Yes, Boy, during my innitial research, the Victory malt DOES sound like a very tasty thing for a Brown Ale, but I am still trying to hold on to the original ingredients as much as possible. (except for the hops of course) Thanks for that tip though...I like the Brown Ales, so will undoubetedly create another some day with some Victory.

Did they give you any idea on the yeast? I would up the C60 quite a bit, mash at 155 and use WLP007 fermented at 68 degrees. Additionally, I think the columbus is a little out of place in this beer at 20. I would go all willamete.

9lb two-row
1#c-60
6oz chocolate
4oz c-120
4oz carapils
2oz black barley for color
WLP007
Mash at 155

1 oz willamette at 60
1 oz willamette at 20
1 oz willamette at 5

mmm, mmm good

Permo the WL007 is reportedly a whitbread strain, same as s-04.

Honestly I brewed an amber ale with 60, 120, for color and sweetness and victory for toasty/nuttiness and it came out very red with excellent toast/nutty results. Up your sweet/nut and I think you'll be perfect for a custom recipe.

Have you considered dumping some hazel nuts in secondary yet. All about trial and error right?

Ok, so I got distracted by some other beers for a while. This will be next on the list...just in time for the Autumn.

I have considered all the advice here and have settled on a recipe I did end up using some Victory after all, I could not resist. This is what I came up with for 5 USG...

9.5# two-row
12oz C60
8oz Victory
4oz C120
4oz black barley
4oz carapils

For yeast I am going to use the Wyeast 1332 Northwest Ale. I've never used it before but I think it sounds interesting...

Hops have changed to either all Willamette or all Hallertauer, just for bitterness and maybe a half ounce for aroma.

OG 1.059
23 IBU
SRM 20
Mash at 154F for 60 mins...
est. ABV 5.4%

Thank you all once again for the wonderful advice, it is greatly appreciated!
...now I am thirsty and want beer

Boy said:

I'd go s-04 and maybe add some victory. Or toast some of the base malt in the oven. Palmer has a good chart for guidelines on that.

Click to expand...

+1 on the victory. THe nuttyness won't come through as well if the beer is too sweet so I wouldn't up the crystal. Victory in a nut brown is a must IMO.

2 oz of carapils isn't really going to add anything either.

I like everyone's advice so far. However, the last time I used Columbus hops, they were very pungent/dank. Nothing like EKG. Might wanna go all williamette.

Chinook and Willamette I think would be a really good mix for a brown.