Brown ale recipe in progress

[Anthonie]

anyone have some advice or critiques of this brown ale recipe? For some reason I can’t seem to get it quite right so I revamped the entire recipe nd want to know if you all think it’ll be drinkable to the generic brown ale lover.

3 gallons
Mash @ 153 for 60min
60 minute boil
Fermented three weeks (two in primary, one in secondary)

Grain bill:
6lbs American 2row
.25lbs American Chocolate
.25lbs C60

Hops:
1/2oz Northern Brewer @20min
1oz Cascade @5min

Yeast: safale US-05

Thanks ahead of time for any comments/suggestions

 

[Anthonie]

Sorry for all the spelling mistakes. I posted this from my phone that seems to think it can autocorrect.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

You didn't mention what's not quite right, so I'll an observation on the grain bill - consider adding a little more crystal malt to get some additional flavors:

your recipe: 92% base malt, 4% Chocolate, 4% C60.

compared to the CYBI Moose Drool clone:

87% base malt, 3% Chocolate, 10% C80 and a "pinch" of black malt for color.

I've brewed the CYBI Moose Drool recipe a couple of times and for me it's pretty close (and enjoyable).

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/can-you-brew-it-recipe-for-big-sky-moose-drool.175358/

 

[bucketnative]

I just listened to the Brewing Netowrk's Brewing with Style podcast regarding Northern English Brown Ales from May of 2016. It was fairly informative, with most of the good information in the final 20 min.

 

[Anthonie]

Forgot to mention that part, I felt like the other recipes were quite at the right mouthfeel for a brown and maybe lacked some of the sweetness or richness that I like about browns. I think you may have pointed out what was going on thought, Brewnwkopperkat. Why I didn't think of it, I have no idea. Has any thoughts on the hop combination/times. I am very used to brewing IPA's or doubles "hopping down" is tough for me haha.

 

[specharka]

I really like diastatic brown malt in a Northern English Brown. Lends a toasty and dry note to the beer that you can’t really obtain from chocolate or caramel malt. Moreover, you can use quite a bit without resulting in a cloying flavor. Try this one out for size:

1.052 OG, 1.014 FG, 28 IBU, 16 SRM

78% Maris Otter
12% Brown malt
9% Torrified wheat
1% Carafa Special III

Mash @ 154 for 60 min

25 IBU East Kent Goldings @ 60 min
3 IBU Fuggles @ flameout

London ESB (WY1968) @ 66 F

 

[Anthonie]

why use maris otter as the base malt instead of 2row and what is the purpose of the wheat. No judgment I literally just don't know why haha.

 

[specharka]

Maris Otter is a bit more bready as a base malt and the wheat adds body without the expense of adding sweetness to the finished beer. Not to mention both ingredients are used extensively in Northern English Browns, but YMMV.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

Has any thoughts on the hop combination/times. I am very used to brewing IPA's or doubles "hopping down" is tough for me .

Brown IPA recipes can offer some ideas for bigger, hoppier brown ales. Janets Brown Ale is perhaps one of the classic recipes in the category.

It's hard (maybe impossible) to make an American Brown Ale without reasonable amount of flameout and/or dry hops. Classic American C-Hops (Cascade, Centennial, ...) are typical - take a look at the hop timing for CYBI Moose Drool and Janets Brown Ale for some ideas.

 

[Anthonie]

After taking in all the suggestions and doing a bit more research I think that this will be what I do.

3 gallons
Mash @ 153 for 60min
60 minute boil
Fermented three weeks (two in primary, one in secondary)
SRM: 19.64
ABV: 5.45%
IBU: 23

Grain bill:
6 lbs American 2row
.25 lbs American Chocolate
.5 lbs C60
2 oz flaked wheat

Hops:
1/2oz Northern Brewer @20min
1/2oz Cascade @5min
1/2 oz Northern Brewer @0min
1/2 oz cascade @0min

Yeast: safale US-05

 

[TasunkaWitko]

Just a suggestion:

76-ish% Maris Otter (or 2-Row, if you prefer)
9.5-ish% Brown Malt
9.5-ish% Crystal 40L
2.5-ish% Chocolate
2.5-ish% Wheat Malt

As for hops, go with American (Willamette suggested) or English (Fuggle suggested) as you prefer, to the tune of 26.5-ish IBUs (a little more or less as you prefer)