Brown Ale Recipe

This is my first attempt to make a brown ale recipe, I wanted a lighter brown ale to appeal to more than just my dark beer drinking friends. Any suggestions on what I am missing?


6.66 lb Briess Amber Malt 72.21%
.5 lb Crystal Malt 80L 5.46%
.25 lb Brown Malt 2.73%
.25 lb Munich Malt 2.73%
1.0 oz Fuggles @ 60mins
1.0 oz fuggles @ 30mins
1 lb Louisiana Cane Syrup 10.92%
.5 lbs Dark Brown Sugar 5.46%

IBU's 27.2
Alchohol by Volume 5.9%

I think that with that much sugar, you're going to end up with something pretty thin.

Here's a couple basic ideas for a lighter brown ale:

*6.6 lbs Briess Sparkling Amber LME
**.5 lb Coffee Malt
1.0 oz Fuggles @ 60mins
1.0 oz fuggles @ 30mins

*According to Briess, their Sparkling Amber is made with 2-row, crystal and Munich. I don't think it compares to adding fresh malts but I wouldn't want to over do it. You could always go with their light LME and add some fresh crystal. I hesitate to say Munich because it really needs to be mashed but you could safely steep a half pound.

**Coffee malt is kilned to 150 lovi and has a very subtle roast flavor that isn't harsh and is also nutty. Since it's a roasted malt it doesn't require mashing.

If you want to use some sugar, I think you could easily get away with subbing out a pound of extract for a pound of sugar. Keeping the ABV around 5% should help with the drinkability. I wouldn't be afraid to go 4%.