Feedback on my Imperial Brown Ale?

I'd like to start brewing a huge beer every January and save them over the years. I just brewed an American barleywine a couple months ago so I think I'll inaugurate this tradition with a double brown ale. I took a northern brown ale recipe that I've liked and doubled it, and then adjusted the character malts down a little bit.

5.25gal
OG - 1.100
IBU - 50

11.5# Maris Otter
1.5# Crystal 40
.5# Crystal 120
1# Special Roast
1# Victory
.5# Chocolate
.5# Flaked Barley
1# table sugar, lightly caramelized
~2# DME (whatever I need post-mash to get to 1.100)

Mash at 152*

.5oz Columbus - 75 min (~35 IBU)
.75oz Kent Goldings -15 min (~5 IBU)
.75oz Fuggle - 15 min (~5 IBU)
.75oz Kent Goldings - 5 min (~2.5 IBU)
.75oz Fuggle - 5 min (~2.5 IBU)

Wyeast 1968

I've got a lot of character malts here, and a lot of crystal, and a less attenuative yeast - is there a chance it'll be too sweet? Does it have enough chocolate? Should I get 1-4oz of black patent in there for some depth to the dark grains?

Thanks!

Black Patent is for stouts, leave it out. I personally don't like that much crystal malt, but it's your beer. Also, and this is just a suggestion, why not replace the pure sugar with something like maple syrup? That's what I use for my Imperial Nut Brown and it's excellent. Check out my recipe if you'd like. It's extract, but easily convertable to all-grain. It's the only extract brew I still do since I didn't wanna mess with the recipe.

I think it is a little too much crystal. Cut the C40 down to a pound and the C120 to maybe a quarter of a pound. You may want to even take out the 120 and hop down to an 80 or so. That's just my thought.

I would also bump the IBUs up since you plan on aging. Perhaps 75-80. These will mostly drop out over time, but they will also help balance the sweetness of such a big beer.

No worries using a less attenuative yeast, just mash around 149-150 for 90 minutes or so. I am getting ready to do a 1.090 Old Ale with 1968.

Suthrncomfrt1884 said:

Black Patent is for stouts, leave it out.

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Black patent is usually for robust and baltic porters. Stouts tend to use roasted barley.

I've actually done a maple nut brown with a half gallon of maple syrup in it (!!!) - wish I had saved more bottles because that mellowed nicely as time went by.

For some extra flavor, I caramelize my table sugar on the stovetop. I just cook it until it turns into a thick, ruby-colored goo. It's basically candi sugar when you're done.