Too much chocolate/special b in my Brown Ale?

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Klickmania

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Wanting some feedback on my brown ale recipe from you fellas. I'm planning on toasting the pound of 2 row @350* for 10 minutes in the oven, then milling with the rest of the specialty grains. Just wondering if the toasted flavor is going to get lost with the chocolate and special b malts in there. I've never used special b before either, and I'm not sure how much flavor it's going to impart. If the levels need to be adjusted, I'll probably just get more 60L. Thanks for taking a look, and I look forward to hearing back.

[size=+2]Flavors of Fall Toasted Brown Ale[/size]
[size=+1]10-C American Brown Ale[/size]
Author: Klickmania
Date: 10/8/12



Size: 5.5*gal
Efficiency: 75.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 182.59*kcal per 12.0*fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.055 (1.045 - 1.060)
|==================#=============|
Terminal Gravity: 1.014 (1.010 - 1.016)
|=================#==============|
Color: 21.74 (18.0 - 35.0)
|===========#====================|
Alcohol: 5.4% (4.3% - 6.2%)
|=================#==============|
Bitterness: 32.3 (20.0 - 40.0)
|=================#==============|

[size=+1]Ingredients:[/size]
5.5*lb (68.8%) 5.5*lb Dry Light - added during boil, boiled 60.0*m
1.0*lb (12.5%) 1.0*lb 2-Row Brewers Malt (Roasted at home) - added during mash
0.5*lb (6.2%) 0.5*lb 2-Row Chocolate Malt - added during mash
0.5*lb (6.2%) 0.5*lb Special B - Caramel malt - added during mash
0.5*lb (6.2%) 0.5*lb 2-Row Caramel Malt 60L - added during mash
0.75*oz (33.3%) 0.75*oz Target (10.0%) - added during boil, boiled 60.0*m
0.5*oz (22.2%) 0.5*oz Cascade (5.5%) - added during boil, boiled 30.0*m
1.0*oz (44.4%) 1.0*oz Fuggle (4.8%) - added during boil
1.0*ea 1.0*ea WYeast 1028 London Ale™
2.0*tsp 2.0*tsp Finings Gelatin - added during storage
 
Yep, I'd take it down to 1/3 a lb of both chocolate and special B. A half lb of chocolate malt will overpower everything else. Special B isn't as strong; think of it as a raisiny crystal 120 with a slightly stronger flavor.
 
Thanks for the reply man. Does bumping up the 60L to compensate make sense? Maybe i should nix the special b all together and go with a breadier malt? I kinda want the toasted flavor to stand out more.
 
My usual way to do things is c-60 + c-120 for amber-type ales, and c-40 + chocolate malt + special roast for brown ales, with various variations. I think with special B you are adding another flavor that is going to muddy things up. I usually brew beer by dimensions. In your case you want caramel, chocolate, and toast. Raisin is incongruous with those, I think.

I think something like this would work nicely:

0.5 lb c-60
0.33 lb chocolate malt
0.5 lb special roast

Maybe someone else wants to chime in. I routinely brew a really hoppy big American brown ale and an English mild. I've only brewed a medium-gravity brown ale twice, and it was a long time ago.
 
This look a little better? I know the OG is a little high for the style, but I wasn't wanting this to be too dry or anything. I haven't used special roast before, but it sounds like it would be interesting. I don't really want a big hop flavor with this, kinda looking for a middle ground easy to drink, slightly toasty brown ale. Not looking for any major nutty or fruity flavors and isn't too dry. How does swapping out the toasted malt for victory sound as well?

[size=+2]Flavors of Fall Toasted Brown Ale[/size]
[size=+1]10-C American Brown Ale[/size]
Author: Klickmania
Date: 10/8/12



Size: 5.5*gal
Efficiency: 75.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 201.65*kcal per 12.0*fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.060 (1.045 - 1.060)
|========================#=======|
Terminal Gravity: 1.015 (1.010 - 1.016)
|=====================#==========|
Color: 23.87 (18.0 - 35.0)
|=============#==================|
Alcohol: 5.96% (4.3% - 6.2%)
|=====================#==========|
Bitterness: 32.3 (20.0 - 40.0)
|=================#==============|

[size=+1]Ingredients:[/size]
6.0*lb (68.0%) 6.0*lb Dry Dark - added during boil, boiled 60.0*m
1.0*lb (11.3%) 1.0*lb 2-Row Brewers Malt (Roasted at home) - added during mash
1.0*lb (11.3%) 1.0*lb 2-Row Caramel Malt 60L - added during mash
0.5*lb (5.7%) 0.5*lb Special Roast Malt - added during mash
0.33*lb (3.7%) 0.33*lb 2-Row Chocolate Malt - added during mash
0.75*oz (33.3%) 0.75*oz Target (10.0%) - added during boil, boiled 60.0*m
0.5*oz (22.2%) 0.5*oz Cascade (5.5%) - added during boil, boiled 30.0*m
1.0*oz (44.4%) 1.0*oz Fuggle (4.8%) - added during boil
1.0*ea 1.0*ea WYeast 1028 London Ale™
2.0*tsp 2.0*tsp Finings Gelatin - added during storage
 
Just a personal preference, but I don't like c-60 in any amount greater than 0.75 lbs. It has a very distinct caramel taste. If you want to make a sweeter beer, use wyeast 1968 instead. It is my house yeast for everything non-Belgian and it makes the best malt-focused beers, IMO. Also it is very fast. It took a 1.055 pumpkin beer from grain to glass in 7 days, with absolutely no off-flavors.
 
Decided to use 40L, swap the toasted malt for 1/2 pound of biscuit malt and put in a few oz of black patent. The ESB yeast looked great to me so i swapped that out too. Thanks for the input man.

[size=+2]Flavors of Fall Toasted Brown Ale[/size]
[size=+1]10-C American Brown Ale[/size]
Author:Klickmania
Date: 10/8/12



Size: 5.5*gal
Efficiency: 75.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 186.29*kcal per 12.0*fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.056 (1.045 - 1.060)
|===================#============|
Terminal Gravity: 1.014 (1.010 - 1.016)
|==================#=============|
Color: 19.97 (18.0 - 35.0)
|=========#======================|
Alcohol: 5.5% (4.3% - 6.2%)
|==================#=============|
Bitterness: 35.5 (20.0 - 40.0)
|====================#===========|

[size=+1]Ingredients:[/size]
6.0*lb (75.6%) 6.0*lb Dry Light - added during boil, boiled 60.0*m
1.0*lb (12.6%) 1.0*lb 2-Row Caramel Malt 40L - added during mash
0.5*lb (6.3%) 0.5*lb Biscuit Malt (Mout Roost 50) - added during mash
0.33*lb (4.2%) 0.33*lb 2-Row Chocolate Malt - added during mash
1.75*oz (1.4%) 1.75*oz American Black Patent - added during mash
0.75*oz (33.3%) 0.75*oz Target (10.0%) - added during boil, boiled 60.0*m
0.5*oz (22.2%) 0.5*oz Cascade (5.5%) - added during boil, boiled 30.0*m
1.0*oz (44.4%) 1.0*oz Fuggle (4.8%) - added during boil, boiled 5.0*m
1.0*ea 1.0*ea WYeast 1968 London ESB Ale™
2.0*tsp 2.0*tsp Finings Gelatin - added during storage
 
Pay more attention to the percentages than the specific amounts. I used 5.2% Chocolate malt in my American Brown and it came out fantastic.

I would make sure you have at least as much chocolate as biscuit or victory, if not a little more but that's just me. I wouldn't go with the black malt, if you're shooting for a to style brown ale it's not necessary and I think it will interfere with the flavors you want. If you want toasty I would swap your base malt for pale ale malt (either Maris otter or American 2 row-based is fine).

From what you described, I would try something like:

84% Pale extract- just find something that's about 4L
8% Crystal 40
4% Chocolate
4% Victory

See how you like it, and go tweak from there.

Edited for extract.
 
I was looking at the percentages mostly when I came up with the last recipe I posted since I kinda cross-referenced with Ray Daniels' designing great beers for an American Brown ale. He mentioned some guys using some black malt in no more then 2% of the grain bill, and I figured it'd give some color and sharpness, but I've dropped that. I'm pretty sure Muntons Light DME is right at 5L though. I don't really wanna have to get another bag since that's the bulk of the cost of my brew day purchases. I've also been trying to stick with using light dme as my base malt for all my stuff since that's pretty much the closest I can get to 2 row pale malt. I really need an all grain setup... :mad:

But here's what I did came up with (approx values):

78% Light DME
13% Crystal 40
4% Victory
4% Chocolate
Same hop bill & yeast
 
Naw the 5L stuff will be perfect. The rest looks good too. Yea, you can use a little bit of black malt to give it a sharper edge- it just didn't seem to fit your description. Let us know how it turns out!
 
I'll be brewing this up either late sunday or monday after work! Gonna go to the store tomorrow after work and make the starter when I get home! Thanks a bunch fellas! :mug:
 
Got this in the keg earlier today and it was pretty much spot on! I might tone the hops down a little next time but we'll see once it's cold and carbed up. Can't wait since its actually starting to feel like fall down here in SC. Now that all the winter brews are out.
 
Give this a try I have done 3 batches of this. It has a place in my permanent rotation.

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 14.13 gal
Post Boil Volume: 13.00 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 11.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 10.75 gal
Estimated OG: 1.049 SG
Estimated Color: 15.1 SRM
Estimated IBU: 23.5 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 80.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 87.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
15 lbs 10.8 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM) Grain 1 78.7 %
1 lbs 7.9 oz Special Roast (50.0 SRM) Grain 2 7.5 %
15.9 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 3 5.0 %
15.9 oz Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 4 5.0 %
8.0 oz Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 5 2.5 %
4.1 oz Honey Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 6 1.3 %
2.41 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.40 %] - Boil 60.0 Hop 7 21.0 IBUs
1.77 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 8 -
1.45 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.40 %] - Boil 5.0 Hop 9 2.5 IBUs
1.8 pkg London Ale (White Labs #WLP013) [950.00 Yeast 10 -


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, No Mash Out
Total Grain Weight: 19 lbs 14.6 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 28.07 qt of water at 166.0 F 152.0 F 60 min

Sparge: Fly sparge with 10.30 gal water at 168.0 F
 
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