English Brown Ale - Flavor additions in secondary?

Here is the Beersmith report after I entered the info. Which only varied slightly from the original.

Type: Extract Date: 11/19/2011
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.00 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
Equipment: Pot ( 5 Gal) - Extract
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage

Ingredients
3 lbs 4.8 oz Amber Liquid Extract
2 lbs 3.2 oz Amber Dry Extract
1 lb Organic Honey (at 5min)
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L
4.0 oz Chocolate Malt
5.9 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine
1.00 oz Willamette [6.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min
1.00 oz Willamette [6.00 %] - Boil 15.0 min
0.25 oz Willamette [6.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min
1.0 pkg Nottingham

Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.051 SG Measured Original Gravity: 1.050 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.009 SG Measured Final Gravity:
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.5 % Actual Alcohol by Vol:
Bitterness: 23.1 IBUs
Est Color: 16.8 SRM


So I am debating pulling off a gallon or so when it's done fermenting to put in a secondary on top of some sort of flavor addition. But I am still up in the air as to what. Or maybe keep 3gal normal and 1gal each of 2 different flavors.

Maybe cacao nibs, toasted coconut or some other sort of toasted nuts?

Well the more you fuss with it the more possibility of unfavorable outcomes..

This doesn't seem like just a brown ale what are you going for? You could oak cube or chips, vanilla, the more you do the more porter stout territory you are getting into. If you do nuts make sure you have as much oils out of them as possible or buy dry peanut butter.. not sure if they have other nuts? Of course got to maintain the right SRM if you want a 'brown ale'.

I do like the honey brown beers. Used to drink them a lot back in the day, add some honey malt along with the honey (half to a pound would do). Measure out the right amount of honey (priming calculator) and use that to prime with as well as your addition. If that would be something you are going for.

That's kinda why I made this post. I was wanting some pointers, experiences or ideas. This being the first time I have flavored something I wanted to ask the more experienced folks.

There is a lot of good references for help using flavorings for dryhopping. Here's one for starters https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/ah-nuts-using-nuts-brewing-140666/index3.html

From my experience never use extracts, or if you do use very modestly. Also I've never had a beer turn out the way I wanted to using nuts. Although I've been kind of modest with additions, it seems to take a lot for the taste to come through. I've read some people dryhopping with several pounds and still being dissatisfied as well as having a lot of beer lost to trub. But roasting is a good idea I think you should look into that to get the taste to come through more.

For experimenting figure out what exactly you want to find out. Ratios, varieties, duration of conditioning, etc. Their needs to also be a control variable like maintaining same temp, duration of time, same variety etc.

I would say start with roasted nuts and then go from their, try several kinds maintaining same temp and conditioning time. But it is your experiment so go with what you feel you would like to do.

Prost!

Recipe looks good btw!

as much as it's been belittled here I've had good results with a bit in a small gallon batch of Wrights liquid smoke... it has no vinegar and is pure smoke water makes a nice smoked brown. just watch it is hickory and can be strong I prefer real smoked malts but in an "experiment" go with wrights can be found at walmart. That or go crazy with "asian 5 spice blend" in asian section of food market. Made a tasty brown with it several years back. drink it quick spice doesn't keep full punch for long. served a 5 spice ham & 5 spice brown ale at easter... both big hit!