BJCP competition recipe help

[Trails_n_Ales]

I will be entering my first BJCP competition soon and was wondering if this recipe would fall under category 13B british brown ale. I'm concerned with the flaked oats in the recipe as the guidelines dont make mention of it.

6.5 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US
2.5lb maris otter
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L
1.00 lb Oats, Flaked
0.50 lb Biscuit malt
0.25 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 2.1 %
.25lb Victory malt
1oz Fuggles 60
1oz EKG 15
Nottingham yeast

 

[ProblemChild]

I would be inclined to increase the MO presence relative to two-row. Personally, I would be inclined to use torrified wheat if you go outside the specialty malts of of crystal, chocolate and black. 1/2 lb should do nicely.

 

[BigEd]

Agree with ProblemChild on the base malt. A British Brown Ale is a showcase for UK malt flavor. I'm not sure what you are shooting for with flaked oats and I again agree with PC that if you want to add a non-malt adjunct torrified wheat might be a better choice.

So I'd ditch all of the domestic malts, pale and Victory, also eliminate the oats and biscuit malt. Use a good UK pale for your base (more MO if you have it, or any other would work) which will serious up the malt profile making the biscuit malt superfluous. To make up the color from the Victory, a little Brown malt would be nice IMO. Between that and the chocolate adjust their quantities to achieve the desired color.