Brown Ale Recipe - Suggestions Please

I'm looking to brew a brown ale this weekend, something full-bodied and toasty with hints of nuttiness and chocolate flavors but without noticeable caramel. My target is Avery Ellie's Brown Ale but I haven't found a clone after several days of searching. So I just made something up with no idea how it will come out - I'm sure someone here has some suggestions.

Amount Item Type % or IBU
7.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 53.85 %
3.00 lb Brown Malt (Crisp) (65.0 SRM) Grain 23.08 %
2.00 lb Munich Malt 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 15.38 %
1.00 lb Wheat Malt Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 7.69 %
42.00 gm Cascade [5.50 %] (60 min) Hops 26.2 IBU

Mash at 156ish for 60 minutes, boil for 60 minutes, ferment with Wyeast British Cask Ale (#1026).

I've considered swapping the Wheat Malt for toasted Rolled Oats, or possibly using some Chocolate Wheat Malt. After a little reading it seems that this amount of Brown Malt might create some harsh flavors, but I don't have any experience with it. I've also read about using Amber Malt but can't find any other names that it might be marketed under or the usage recommendations. So, can someone help?

Thanks!

I just finished up with an excellent brown ale a bit ago that had the sort of nutty/chocolate flavor you are describing, although it was more in the bitter dark chocolate mocha range, but was very pleasant, without being overly sweet. Anyway, here are the percentages:

38.4% US 2-row
38.4% Marris Otter
11.6% Brown Malt
7.9% UK Crystal (~70L)
3.8% UK Chocolate Malt

Mashed @154 for 60mins, boil for 60mins.
Hopped @EKGs for around 22 IBU
OG: 1.046
FG: 1.012

turned out great, YMMV

I am thinking about trying to clone Ellie's Brown Ale. Here is the info from the Avery website below.
I haven't been able to get ahold of this beer in many months (and have only tried it once or twice). But I'll put my recipe in this post after I work it out.


Beer Style: American Brown Ale
Hop Variety: Bullion, Cascade, Fuggles
Malt Variety: Two-row barley, chocolate, Munich 10L, caramel 120L
OG: 1.056 * ABV: 5.5% * IBUs: 17
Color: Deep Russet

Just something to keep in mind, I don't know if you have brewed with brown malt before, but I just tapped a keg of brown ale tonight that I put 2 lbs of brown malt into, and the taste is not very good. One pound would taste awesome, but 2 is way over the top, YMMV

I'd throw in some Victory malt in your recipe. That'll give a nice nutty and biscuity flavor, a good specialty malt for brown ales. Reduce the wheat malt to 1/2 lb and use 1/2 lb Victory. That's my $.02 worth.

Go to the recipe section of the forum and look in the English Brown Ale section for Lil' Spark's recipe for Nut Brown Ale. I have had mine bottled for two weeks and it is good. Everyone who has tried it has liked it. Good luck!

+1 on reducing the brown malt to 1lb (if you like lots of sweetness...think Goose Island Hexnut Brown) or even less. I brewed a brown (5G batch) with 1lb of brown malt and it was really close to hexnut. Next time, I will add .5 lb of brown with .5 of victory or biscuit.