Working on a Brown Ale recipe

I've been working on a Brown Ale recipe and I am not sure if using Munich Malt is correct for the style. Here is what I came up with so far:

Ingredients Amount Item Type % or IBU
6.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 64.17 %
2.00 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 21.39 %
0.50 lb Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 5.35 %
0.25 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 2.67 %
0.25 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt -90L (90.0 SRM) Grain 2.67 %
0.25 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 2.67 %
0.10 lb Debittered Black Malt (500.0 SRM) Grain 1.07 %
0.75 oz Galena [12.80 %] (60 min) Hops 33.0 IBU
0.25 oz Amarillo Gold [8.60 %] (15 min) Hops 3.7 IBU
0.25 oz Amarillo Gold [8.60 %] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
1.00 tbsp PH 5.2 Stabilizer (Mash 60.0 min) Misc
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
1.00 items Yeast Nutrient (Boil 10.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs Windsor Yeast (Lallemand #-) Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile
Estimated Original Gravity: 1.057 SG (1.045-1.060 SG)
Estimated Final Gravity: 1.014 SG (1.010-1.016 SG)
Estimated Color: 19.8 SRM (18.0-35.0 SRM)
Bitterness: 36.7 IBU (20.0-40.0 IBU)
Alpha Acid Units: 11.8 AAU
Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 5.67 % (4.30-6.20 %)
Actual Calories: 255 cal/pint

UPDATE: - Here is the recipe I used:
Ohio's Best Brown
Brew Type: All Grain Date: 6/20/2010
Style: American Brown Ale Brewer: Anthony Vaccani
Batch Size: 5.00 gal Assistant Brewer:
Boil Volume: 6.27 gal Boil Time: 60 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 85.00 % Equipment: My Equipment
Actual Efficiency: 86.70 %

Ingredients Amount Item Type % or IBU
7.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row)
0.50 lb Biscuit Malt
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt -60L
0.30 lb Chocolate Malt
0.25 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine
0.25 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt -90L
0.10 lb Debittered Black Malt
0.65 oz Galena [12.80 %] (60 min) Hops 28.2 IBU
0.25 oz Amarillo Gold [8.60 %] (15 min) Hops 3.6 IBU
0.25 oz Amarillo Gold [8.60 %] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep)
1.00 tbsp PH 5.2 Stabilizer (Mash 60.0 min)
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min)
1.00 items Yeast Nutrient (Boil 10.0 min)
1 Pkgs Nottingham Yeast (Lallemand #-)

Mashed at 152 for an hour

Measured Original Gravity: 1.055 SG
Estimated Final Gravity: 1.014 SG
Estimated Color: 20.8 SRM (18.0-35.0 SRM)
Bitterness: 31.8 IBU (20.0-40.0 IBU) Alpha Acid Units: 10.5 AAU
Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 5.48 % (4.30-6.20 %)
Actual Calories: 245 cal/pint


Can't wait to see how this turns out.

Can you get any brown malt? I've been wanting to brew with that malt for years an my lhbs can't get it. I can order it online, but I'd pay 5x more than I have to. Where do you get debittered black malt from?

avidhomebrewer said:

Can you get any brown malt? I've been wanting to brew with that malt for years an my lhbs can't get it. I can order it online, but I'd pay 5x more than I have to. Where do you get debittered black malt from?

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I am sure that I can, I don't have any at my house though and never really thought about brewing with it.....heard it is "harsh", but I usually use Austin Homebrew for most of my purchases. That is where I got the debittered black malt from http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_21_71_112&products_id=119


as for the recipe, do you think the Munich will work ok? Or should I use Vienna, or just more base malt?

I've heard that to make a good brown ale, one must use brown malt. As for the base malt, both Munich and Vienna can be used for a base malt (you can make an entire batch with either as the base malt). If you want to be true to style, try Marris Otter. But, pale ale will work just as well. I use pale ale for all of my ag batches and haven't noticed any differences in taste.

That recipe looks fine, though I probably wouldnt use the munich. Stick with a good pale or marris otter and you want a good bit of crystal for flavor/aroma (10%) if using BJCP style. biscuit malt is nice touch, though black malt is not really necessary. 3% chocolate is about perfect.

Personally, I am NOT a fan of widsor yeast. Actually I loath the stuff. Any US yeast is good, though if you really want to accentuate the malt and hops I think 1187 is great if you can maintain a clean, cool ferment. wy1968 also makes a nice malty brown. nottingham if you cant get any of the above.

If you are interested this is best american brown ale I have ever had:

82% Pale
6% Caramunich
6% Crystal 90/or 120
3% Biscuit
3% Chocolate malt

Warrior for 30 IBU and cascade/willamette at 10 & flameout.

bierhaus15 said:

That recipe looks fine, though I probably wouldnt use the munich. Stick with a good pale or marris otter and you want a good bit of crystal for flavor/aroma (10%) if using BJCP style. biscuit malt is nice touch, though black malt is not really necessary. 3% chocolate is about perfect.

Personally, I am NOT a fan of widsor yeast. Actually I loath the stuff. Any US yeast is good, though if you really want to accentuate the malt and hops I think 1187 is great if you can maintain a clean, cool ferment. wy1968 also makes a nice malty brown. nottingham if you cant get any of the above.

If you are interested this is best american brown ale I have ever had:

82% Pale
6% Caramunich
6% Crystal 90/or 120
3% Biscuit
3% Chocolate malt

Warrior for 30 IBU and cascade/willamette at 10 & flameout.

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Really? I have used Windor a few times and besides not flocc. great, it has been ok. I have US-56 and Notty to sub though. The only reason I use black is to darken the beer, not for flavor. I easilty could sub out a lb of munich for another lb of 2row though. Cool thank you for the suggestions. If I had caramunich on hand I would of added it in.

Windsor is a terrible attenuator. It's 'ok' for milds and low gravity bitters, but for something like a brown you do not want to end up with an overly sweet beer. Though on the same note, you don't want to dry it out too much. Good luck with the brew.

bierhaus15 said:

Windsor is a terrible attenuator. It's 'ok' for milds and low gravity bitters, but for something like a brown you do not want to end up with an overly sweet beer. Though on the same note, you don't want to dry it out too much. Good luck with the brew.

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Do you think I should switch to Notty? You think even Mashing at 150, the Windsor would crap our early? At about 1.057-1.059, I wouldn't consider it a mild, but it definetly not a high gravity brew. I have no problem switching the recipe around, that is why I asked, to get some advice.

I would use Notty or US-05. Both would be better than Windsor in my opinion. And with those you can mash around 154-56 and still get some good maltiness without under attenuation.

bierhaus15 said:

I would use Notty or US-05. Both would be better than Windsor in my opinion. And with those you can mash around 154-56 and still get some good maltiness without under attenuation.

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Good deal, might just have to do that. Thank you for the suggestion!