American Brown

[watsons27]

Been working out this beer all business law class and I think I finally got a recipe I like besides the yeast. I would also like people thoughts on sugars like honey and maple syrup in brown ales. Let me know what you think of the recipe.

Fermentables
Mash
Maris Otter 6lb
US 2 Row 3lb
Caramel 20L .5lb
Caramel 60L .5lb
Biscuit .5lb
Chocolate .25oz
Sugar
Maple Syrup Or Honey 1lb

Hops
Mash Hops 1oz Mt. Hood
60 min 1oz Mt. Hood
15 min 1oz Mt. Hood
Turn Off 1oz Willamette
Dry Hop 1oz Willamette

Yeast
Wyeast 1318 is my current first choice but 1968 and 1098 are also on the list of possible yeast strains.

Stats
OG 1.051
FG 1.010
ABV 5.4%
IBU 28.9
Color 14.3 SRM

 

[TimTrone]

Tommyknocker uses maple sugar in a nut brown. It's a really tasty beer. I believe they ferment with a English strain. Not sure which one though

 

[greatschmaltez]

This looks really good. Add the honey at flameout so that you can keep some of the aroma. Or if you have a little more guts, add it directly to the fermenter. Point is to maintain the honey aroma (which is all you'll get from honey versus sugar) you gotta minimize boil time.

 

[watsons27]

Yeah I was hoping to get a real flowery aroma honey to go with the hops. I am not sure if I'm that gutsy to put it straight into the fermentor but maybe. Thanks for the input

 

[Brew-boy]

I think you need more Chocolate and an American style yeast if you want an American brown.

 

[CastleHollow]

Yeah I was hoping to get a real flowery aroma honey to go with the hops. I am not sure if I'm that gutsy to put it straight into the fermentor but maybe. Thanks for the input

I've had good luck maintaining the honey characteristics by adding it 3-4 days into primary fermentation, sometimes in the secondary. I boil up 2 pints of water, let it cool until warm, add the honey until I get a thin soup, then pitch. Honey can take awhile to get eaten, and tends to dry out your beer depending on quantity.

 

[Zamial]

I think you need more Chocolate and an American style yeast if you want an American brown.

+1 Hit the nail on the head!

I would take the choc up to at least 3/4 if not a full pound and use US-05. Honey and sugar are going to dryout your beer and give you a very thin body, that is not what I would want in a AM Brown.

If you want honey flavor you are money ahead to use Honey malt. I would use 1 lbs or less...IMO 1/2 is plenty in a brown. (I can see the draw to a honey nut flavor and it is a good idea!)

 

[watsons27]

Thank you for all the advice. I have decided to bottle with maple syrup to get maple taste in beer. I have also added carapils to aid with body and head retention.

Mash
Maris Otter 7lb
US 2 Row 4lb
Chocolate 12oz
Caramel 20L 8oz
Caramel 60L 8oz
Biscuit 8oz
Carapils 8oz

Hops
Mash Hops 1oz Mt. Hood
60 min 1oz Mt. Hood
15 min 1oz Mt. Hood
Turn Off 1oz Willamette
Dry Hop 1oz Willamette

Yeast
Wyeast 1450 Denny's (don't think HB store will have) or 1332 Northwest

Stats
OG 1.053
FG 1.015
ABV 5.7%
IBU 27.4
Color 23.7 SRM