Biscuit malt, what should I be tasting?

[r4dyce]

I made a beer with what I thought was significant biscuit malt (about 30%). I couldn't detect the biscuit at all. Did I not use though? I'm wondering if I just don't know what I'm looking for. Are there any popular commercial beers that have a prominent biscuit note? I've read all the descriptions of "biscuit, bready, saltine etc" notes but I didn't taste that at all.
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[Vintage Iron]

too much hops? I'm relatively new to home brewing, but the types of flavors your describing seem like they'd be quickly covered up by any amount of hoppiness.

 

[homebrewer_99]

It's difficult to analyze your problem without a recipe to look at.

For me, tasting biscuit is really easy. Have you ever had a Fat Tire? They use biscuit, but not nearly 30%.

 

[r4dyce]

It's difficult to analyze your problem without a recipe to look at.

For me, tasting biscuit is really easy. Have you ever had a Fat Tire? They use biscuit, but not nearly 30%.

Yes actually, love Fat Tire, one of my original favorite craft beers. But see I wouldn't ever think of it as having the "biscuit " flavors that are associated with that malt. Maybe my pallet just isn't good enough to pick up on it?

Recipe, 3 gallon:
2.5 lb 2row
2 lb biscuit
10oz Cara 10
10 oz Cara 20
8 oz flaked oats
60 min mash @148F

60 min boil
.25 oz Columbus @60
.3 oz saaz @30
.3 oz saaz @ flame out
8 oz Brown sugar @flame out
Flesh of 6 peaches added @ flame out
Og was 1.056

Fermented with 1 pack Nottingham. Some of My notes have been lost to cyberspace but I don't recall any issues, was probably fermented @ 68F .

 

[homebrewer_99]

Wow...you have a lot going on there.

I'm not even sure what you're trying to accomplish with bread/biscuit, smooth body from oats, molasses/caramel from the brown sugar, topped with fruit. Maybe a pie? Where are the pecans? LOL!

I'm thinking the caramel flavor of the molasses in the brown sugar is layering the biscuit and you can't taste either of them.

What is the flavor profile you're looking for with your recipe? (Description?)

Here's what I've been brewing successfully for a couple of years: As you can see there are only 6 oz of biscuit in this recipe. And the biscuit is definitely in the flavor.

FAT TIRE AMBER ALE CLONE (from BYO250, p34)
5 gal/19 L, All Grain / OG: 1.050 / FG: 1.013 / IBU: 20 / SRM: 14 / ABV: 4.8%

8 lbs, 10 oz Pale Malt
0.5 lb Munich
0.5 lb Carapils
0.5 lb Caramel (20L)
6 oz Biscuit
1 oz Chocolate
4 AAU Willamette (90 mins)
2 AAU Fuggles (20 mins)
2 AAU Fuggles (0 mins)
1 tsp Irish Moss
Yeast: WLP051 California Ale V (1.25 qt starter)
Prime: 0.75 C Corn Sugar (if bottling)

Crush and mash grain in 13 qts (3 gals + 1 qt)
Single Infusion mash @ 154F for 45 mins.
Sparge water: 170F
Collect 6 gals wort and add 0.5 gal water
Boil for 90 mins.
Add hops per schedule.

 

[SoCal-Doug]

I would lose the brown sugar. If needed for ABV, bump the grains to bring the OG back. Molasses is definitely a different flavor than regular sugars or honey. In general, the sugar itself will ferment out and give a perception of dryness, the unfermentables in the molasses will remain. The saaz at 30 and flameout are going impart some mild earthy-ness with a bit of floral (I actually love saaz). The combination of those two things is probably dominating.

 

[SoCal-Doug]

Where are the pecans? LOL!

There's a pub near me that does a killer yummy pecan nut brown ale. I'm tempted to research it a bit further

 

[homebrewer_99]

There's a pub near me that does a killer yummy pecan nut brown ale. I'm tempted to research it a bit further

So, I was right! Someone is trying to make a liquid Pecan Pie...

I'm guesstimating the pecans have been cooked to minimize the oil then dehydrated and pulverized (powdered)...

 

[SoCal-Doug]

So, I was right! Someone is trying to make a liquid Pecan Pie...

I'm guesstimating the pecans have been cooked to minimize the oil then dehydrated and pulverized (powdered)...

hahaha. I have no clue what they did and the damn brewer wont fess up with the recipe or even a hint. Of two flights of different beers, I kept going back to the pecan thing.

 

[homebrewer_99]

hahaha. I have no clue what they did and the damn brewer wont fess up with the recipe or even a hint. Of two flights of different beers, I kept going back to the pecan thing.

Sounds like a winner.