American Brown Ale BBD Brown Biscuit

[ChshreCat]

Recipe Type

Partial Mash

Yeast

US-04

Batch Size (Gallons)

5

Original Gravity

1.058

Final Gravity

1.015

Boiling Time (Minutes)

60

IBU

21.7

Color

23.7

Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)

21

Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)

7

Tasting Notes

A good brown. Little biscuit coming through with nice notes from the special B.

This was my first recipe and I think I can be proud of it. It's a very easy, simple brown ale. The flavor is fantastic. Just a bit from the biscuit malt with some dried fruit flavor coming out from the special B. It's malty and a little sweet, but in a good way. My craft brew drinking friends and my BMC drinking friends both love it. This was my first, but it's going to be a regular recipe in my house. Call it my house brown.

I didn't set out to do a clone brew, but I think this is very close to Deschutes Buzzsaw Brown seasonal. I'd have trouble telling them apart if I didn't know better. If you're looking for a Buzzsaw clone, or just a good brown, give it a shot.

Yes, this is the recipe from https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/time-83712/.



BBD Brown Biscuit
Brew Type: Partial Mash
Style: American Brown Ale
Brewer: BBD Brewing
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Time: 60 min



Ingredients Amount Item Type % or IBU
7.00 lb Amber Liquid Extract (12.5 SRM) Extract 73.68 %
1.00 lb Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 10.53 %
0.50 lb Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 5.26 %
0.50 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 5.26 %
0.50 lb Pale Malt (6 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 5.26 %
1.00 oz Fuggles [4.50 %] (45 min) Hops 14.1 IBU
1.00 oz Fuggles [4.50 %] (15 min) Hops 7.6 IBU
1 Pkgs SafAle English Ale (DCL Yeast #S-04) Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile Estimated Original Gravity: 1.058 SG
Estimated Final Gravity: 1.015 SG
Estimated Color: 23.7 SRM
Bitterness: 21.7 IBU
Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 5.65 %

 

[Pete08]

I am going to make this soon, with a few minor differences.

Based on 80% efficiency, here's where I'm at (AG).

8 lbs pale malt
1 lb munich
1 lb special b
.5 lb biscuit
.5 lb flaked barley instead of carapils

1oz Williamette @ 50 min.
1 oz Williamette @15 min.

Wyeast English Ale (An LHBS sent me a $3 discount birthday card)

OG 1.057
IBU 23
SRM 21

I'm thinking of mashing at 155* for body.
Thanks for the inspiration!

 

[ChshreCat]

Thanks! let me know how it comes out.

 

[Pete08]

It is in the fermenter, waiting for my silly 1098 Wyeast to swell. OG was 1.060. Sample is tasty!

Scratch that, the yeast is now busy!

 

[ChshreCat]

Excellent. Your recipe looks like it should come out pretty close in flavor to my PM. The hops are pretty close. The bulk amber extract I use is a little higher in unfermentables than some others so the munich is a nice touch. Hope you like it!

 

[Pete08]

Brewed on Sat. Double pitched yeast, don't ask, the story has been posted. Anyhow, I think the vigorous fermentation is over. I sampled for the heck of it (I was in a sampling mood; I racked my blackberry wine over to a new carboy, then racked my oatmeal stout into the just-vacated and cleaned wine carboy, after dumping in .5 lb of coffee grounds and 6 oz of cocoa powder). The Brown Biscuit is very good so far! FG is 1.016, or close. That's what I was hoping for; I didn't want it too dry.

 

[ChshreCat]

Yeah. This one shouldn't be very dry. It has a nice sweetness to it.

 

[Pete08]

I really enjoy this beer. I have been "sampling" it over the last couple of weeks. It is good and getting better with age! I will make this again. Thanks for the recipe!!

 

[ChshreCat]

Thanks! Glad you liked it.

 

[user 39730]

So I slacked off and ended up buying fresh grains and I brewed your BBD Brown Biscuit (partial) ~5 weeks ago. I think I made some steeping mistakes (time or temp) and should have done a yeast starter (I decided to try the sprinkle method - I won't do that again), but regardless the samples I took tasted quite promising regardless. If the real deal tastes as I expect, I will be brewing it again to correct my mistakes.

I just kegged it a few nights ago, and I will be getting my first real taste on Christmas day That'l be a nice present, along with 6 month aged Ed Wort's Apfelwein completing at the same time.

I will let you know how the first pour is

 

[ChshreCat]

Thanks!

btw... a starter isn't needed for dry yeast. Either sprinkle it on or just rehydrate it in a little water while you're cooling your wort. Starters are only for liquid yeast.

This one doesn't use a ton of grains, so being a little off on temp or time won't make that big of a difference. Probably won't even be noticeable.

 

[user 39730]

Ah - my bad on the terminology. I meant rehydrate, done according to Palmer's How To Brew. My first three brews, I rehydrated, but this time I tried just sprinkling it direct from the packet. I'm not sure what accounts for the big difference I am seeing - could it be that my basement was colder, due to it being winter, so the yeast were less active? It should have still been mid 60's during active fermentation.

My OG was 1.053 I believe, FG 1.022. By my calculations that means my ABV% is ~4.0% - a pretty big difference from 5.65% - my other brews were all pretty close to the reference numbers of their respective recipes.

 

[ChshreCat]

It might have finished high, but that can happen with some extracts. Since you kegged, it's not much of a worry. Might be a little sweeter is all. Fermenting cooler will make th yeast work slower and more gently, but it also helps keep down off flavors.

I started rehydrating my dry yeasts after a few batches when I learned it's better for the yeast, but all the batches I sprinkled on came out just fine. I figured rehydrating just helps stack the odds a little more in your favor, so why not do it.

 

[Pete08]

You will like this beer. Myself, I would rather this particular finish high than low. Enjoy it, I sure do!! As do others that have tried it. Thanks again 'Cat!

 

[rhulbert]

Thanks for the recipe, ChshreCat! I let mine sit in the fermenter 5 weeks and bottled about 4 days ago. I tried one tonight, even though I new it wouldn't be fully carbed - I couldn't wait. It was PHENOMENAL!! Great recipe, I recommend it to everyone! This is my best brew to date.

 

[ChshreCat]

Thanks guys. Glad you enjoyed it.

 

[frazier]

+1 from me. I brewed this 10 days ago, it's still in the primary but the hydro sample tastes great! I'll be bottling this weekend.

I can foresee "Cheshire Cat Brown Ale" becoming a regular here.

 

[ChshreCat]

Thanks! I think you're gonna like it. I'd suggest giving it another week past this weekend before bottling it, though.

 

[frazier]

Wow, you're a strict teacher!

 

[ChshreCat]

You'll appreciate the results if you can wait.

 

[ChshreCat]

BrianTheBrewer:

I tried to reply to your PM about this recipe, but it said you either aren't allowed to receive private messages or you have it turned off in your settings.

 

[frazier]

So a couple nights ago, I cracked a bottle of this which is now two weeks in the bottle. Still a little young, but wow it was great. A little sweet, an understated hops flavor with good malt. Definitely a success.

Then yesterday, SWMBO picked up a 6-pack of pick-your-own at the store, two of them being the New Belgium 1554. Damn if it didn't taste a lot like the BBD. I'm going to have to do a side-by-side with these.

 

[ChshreCat]

1554? Really? I have a six pack of that sitting in my fridge along side a couple bottles of BBD and I'll give that a shot. I thought it was pretty close to Deschutes' Buzzsaw Brown, but never really thought about 1554. They're really different kinds of beers. I'll crack one of each tonight and see what I think. Could just be your batch that came out like that. If not... then it'd be kinda cool.

 

[frazier]

Gosh Cat, don't take my word for anything. All I can really say is, I liked them both a lot. At this stage, my tastes aren't discriminating enough, which is why I need to do more research. In fact, I've got some research in the fridge right now.

 

[ChshreCat]

Ahhhh... research... the things we do for intellectual advancement...

 

[ChshreCat]

Ok. Just had a 1554 and a Brown Biscuit back to back and I can kind of see where you're coming from. There's definitely a flavor in there common between the two, but there was definitely some things missing between the two. But the bottle of Biscuit I was drinking was most of a year old so it might have lost a few things over time.

 

[frazier]

This beer has changed a lot (for the better) in the last week and a half. Gone is the alcohol sharpness that made me think "home-made". Now it is smoooth, tasty, and (finally) well-carbonated with a lasting head. I served this at a family gathering yesterday, and the wine-snob BIL (a very nice guy, actually) immediately asked if I could provide a case for his upcoming party. I'm probably going to turn him down, but it was nice to get props anyway.

 

[ChshreCat]

Drinking a glass of this that's about a year old and I can say it cellars very well.

 

[TheHunk]

Brewed on 9/13/09 with very slight differences in grain and hops (Kent Goldings to finish). Kegged after 16 days in the primary (9/26/09). Tasted after a month in the keg (10/30/09). Tasted OUTSTANDING! Drank very slowly over the winter months. Got better with age. Will brew again and again.... Thanks for a great recipe Cat! BROWN ALES RULE!

 

[frazier]

Over the past six months, I’ve done a Brown Biscuit, an IPA, a cherry wheat, an Irish Stout, a Haus Pale Ale, a Centennial Blonde, and Yooper’s hopped-up amber (just bottled). My fanbase is now clamoring for – drumroll please – Brown Biscuit!

There was a lot of competition for the next spot in line. Many worthy contenders, including the ever-present “Something New”. But I like to keep the crowd happy, and right now that means Brown Biscuit. Something New will just have to wait.

I’m going to try an all-grain recipe here, using 2-row with some 60L Crystal in place of the amber extract. Stylistically, this recipe seems to be somewhere between an English Brown and a Robust Porter. I’m not sure what yeast I’ll use. I just tried Denny’s Fav on my last batch, and may try that again. But there was nothing wrong with the S-04 last time. Decisions, decisions.