American Brown Ale BBD Brown Biscuit

[ChshreCat]

Thanks, guys. Glad it was a pleaser.

 

[frazier]

OK, I’ve been sampling my second batch of this brew. It’s great, really. But it’s also different from my first batch, so now I don’t really know what it’s supposed to be like.

Batch #1 was my first non-Mr. Beer batch. So yeah, I was a rookie. The recipe was scaled down to 2 gallons (so it could fit into Mr. Beer). It was dark like a stout, richly flavored but with a twang that either said “extract twang” or “high ferment temps.” I’m guessing the latter. At any rate, it was popular enough that I had to brew it again.

The current batch was converted to all-grain. According to the Briess website, they use 2-row, Munich, and crystal 60L in their amber DME. So I pulled some numbers out of thin air, and went with 6 lbs 2-row; 3 lbs light Munich, and 1 lb C60L, along with the other specialty grains.

It came out much lighter, like a Newcastle or thereabouts. At this point, “whatever” seems like the appropriate response, because it’s a beautiful color and flavor.

I used Wyeast 2450 (Denny’s Favorite 50) instead of the S-04. Why? I had just finished doing Yooper’s Hopped-Up Amber, in which she sang its praises as a malt-forward yeast. That recipe turned out fantastic, so I wanted to give Denny’s another try. I was able to keep the ferment temps to around 65 throughout.

The result here was a smashing victory for the good guys. I can really taste the Special B and the Biscuit malt – imagine taking a homemade cherry pie out of the oven, and some of the filling has oozed out onto the crust and caramelized. That’s what it tastes like – minus the cherry, of course. I wouldn’t say it’s a sweet beer (even though it finished a bit high at 1.017) – definitely malty though.

I’m trying to set up a malty – hoppy – malty – hoppy rhythm to my beerflix queue. This will probably fight with O’Flannagain’s Stout for the “malty” slots. Maybe I just need more Better Bottles, huh?

 

[ChshreCat]

Sounds like you hit it the second time. This is definitely a brown and not anything dark like a stout. Biscuity, fruity, malty, yep... that's the beer. Love the pie crust analogy. If there was such a think as raisin pie, that would probably be spot on. heheh

 

[RugenBrau]

I'd really like to try this but have a question. You say to use 6 row pale malt. Northernbrewer has 2 row pale malt and 6 row malt. Is 6 row malt a pale malt?
Thanks

 

[ChshreCat]

Yep. Two different varieties of the same thing.

 

[RugenBrau]

This recipe is next on the list!!!

 

[RugenBrau]

one more question...Did you add your extract early or did you do a late addition?

 

[ChshreCat]

This was my first one, so I added it early on. I've also added it late and it doesn't make much of a difference.

 

[esarkipato]

Nice looking recipe with some great feedback! I'm looking for a good brown ale recipe with a solid malty backbone to use in my own version of GRAFF (beer and apple cider mixed). I intend to use about 2 parts beer to 3 parts cider. The beer component provides the unfermentable sugars, and head retention, and some color. Hopefully not much bitterness, which is why this recipe sounds perfect.

My question is...how do you forsee the special B malt mixing with the tartness of the apple? I've not brewed with it yet, so I'm unsure of the results. From what I read, it's mainly a Belgian malt used in Dubbles and Abbey Ales. If used without the belgian yeast, can I assume it won't have that distinct belgian ale flavor/aroma?

Again, thanks for sharing what looks like a great recipe!

 

[ChshreCat]

I think special B would work pretty well in a graff. It gives you a sorty of raisiny flavor to it. I think that'd work alright with a tart apple flavor.

 

[esarkipato]

I'll try and report back!!!!

 

[cyclonetx]

Happened to have a Wyeast 1098 gathering dust in the fridge and decided to brew a batch of BBD. The LHBS suggested Marris Otter, which I have never used, for the pale malt. Mashed at about 154-155 for 60 minutes. After letting the wort cool all night in my fermentation chiller, pitched the yeast this morning. The OG was a little high for this style at 1.060. Can't wait to see what it tastes like.

 

[cyclonetx]

Just tried the first pint of this beer and it was great. I used the AG recipe given above by Pete08. Used Wyeast 1098 and had a very quick primary. Went from 1.06 (a little high for style) to 1.02 in one week. Bottled after two weeks in primary. Nice sweet malty taste with the Special B and biscuit malt adding a hint of raisin and nut flavor. Going to let it age for a few more weeks to see if it has changed. I'm adding this one to my rotation.

 

[a_w_taylor]

Just checked on my batch - 2 hours into the primary and the airlock is a bubblin'!!!

I had a few minor tweaks - .8oz centennial for the full boil as my fuggle was only 4%. So I added that at 1oz@15minutes left and 1oz@5min left. I had the centennial about and I am a hop-head - so we'll see how the tweaks turn out. The sampling held promise!

How long have you all gone in your primary/secondary?

Cheers

AT

 

[ChshreCat]

I usually go about 3 weeks in primary and a week in secondary.

 

[brrman]

I need a good brown ale for the fall evenings. Pete08's AG conversion of this recipe looks like the one! Got the 1098 Whitbread yeast on the stirplate as I type!

Honestly, I don't think I have brewed a brown ale in 2 years!

 

[a_w_taylor]

I went 3 weeks primary - crash cooled for 3 days - kegged for a week w/ gelatin.

This is a damned fine beer!

 

[RugenBrau]

I finally went ahead and did this one this morning. Everyhing went well for the most part. The wind was blowing so damn hard it kept blowing my propane burner out, so I had to sit out in the snow and baby sit it. I was out of hop bags so there is a whole lot of trub in there right now. Hit the OG right on at 1.058....must have been luck. I can't wait to try this . The wort tastes great.

 

[RugenBrau]

Just took a sample and in two and half days it has gone from 1.058 to 1.022.
I couldn't help but try it and it is delicious. I can't wait. I usually quit drinking fron Jan-March but that won't happen now!

 

[GroovePuppy]

Been drinking a keg of this for a few weeks now and it's a delicious Brown Ale. Not a real dark color and a hint of coppery red. Very malty to the nose and a smooth drink, hops nicely set in the background as they should be. Any alleged pluminess from the big chunk of Special B is certainly not super dominant. I used 1056 to keep the flavor cleaner.

This will be my "go to" Brown Ale recipe from now on.

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 6.40 gal
Estimated OG: 1.060 SG
Estimated Color: 19.6 SRM
Estimated IBU: 21.4 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 78.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
9 lbs 1.9 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 76.51 %
1 lbs 1.9 oz Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 9.40 %
9.0 oz Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 4.70 %
9.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 4.70 %
9.0 oz Pale Malt (6 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 4.70 %
1.00 oz Williamette [4.90 %] (45 min) Hops 13.9 IBU
1.00 oz Williamette [4.90 %] (15 min) Hops 7.5 IBU
1.00 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056) Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, No Mash Out
Total Grain Weight: 11.92 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Medium Body, No Mash Out
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 16.00 qt of water at 165.1 F 154.0 F

 

[Mongrel]

Brewed the partial mash* version today. I'll let you know in 6 weeks. Buzzsaw is one of my favorite Deschutes brews.

*New brew kettle is on its way, so probably my last partial mash!

 

[RugenBrau]

Just took mine out of the primary today and will let it sit in the secondary for a week. It finished off @1.014. It taste great. I can't wait to get this bottled. I'm ready to start another batch already becuase this won't last a month.

 

[RugenBrau]

I think that this might be my beer from hell. I was going to brew it back last spring and every time I was ready something went wrong that prevented me from doing so. I finally did it a month ago and was kegging it tonight.
I'm in the North east and there is a major storm and it is colder than hell. I have the woodstove going and the heat is cranking out. As I was siphoning the wort to the keg I notice a ladybug flying around. I have four galllons in the keg and before I know it the ladybug flys straight into the carboy and into the wort. My god, it is the first week of winter!I yanked the siphon out and kegged it.....tasted the wort which was fantastic and bottled the last gallon! This better be as good as I expect! Match that calamity!

 

[RugenBrau]

Tasted this tonight for the first time. Fantastic! I'll be brewing this again real soon. Can't wait to take it to a party. Nice job Chshre..Thanks

 

[ChshreCat]

Nah. It's not the recipe. It was the ladybug.

 

[RugenBrau]

Another five in the carboy this afternoon. Gravity was a little lower 1.051

 

[jonmohno]

Hey i made something similar to this.A Honey biscuit brown. Used honeymalt and vienna instead of special b.Im hoping to get the butter notes from the Windsor yeast i used also.

 

[Mongrel]

My first batch of this was with the extract recipe, and sadly I crapped out at the dreaded 1.020. It's tasty, but too sweet. Bottled an all grain version today, and it finished up at 1.013. Sample was absolutely delicious.

 

[ChshreCat]

When this is done perfectly, it's going to be a bit sweet. I can imagine that having one finish too high wouldn't be so good.

 

[RugenBrau]

How long did you let that first batch sit for?