Help with Salted Caramel Brown Ale Recipe

[RyReij77]

So my wife isn't a big beer fan, but loves salted caramel flavor, so I thought I would try to put together a recipe she may like (salted caramel brown ale, possibly with cacao nibs as well). I am trying to figure out a couple things:

1). How much Caramel Malt to give a nice caramel flavor without being overly sweet? I was thinking between 12-15%...

2). What about salt flavoring if at all? I was thinking less than a teaspoon in the boil from what I have read, but don't want to ruin the batch with too much.

Thank you for any/all advice!

Ingredients

5 lb - Pale Malt, Maris Otter
Mash addition (74.8%) - 3.0 SRM

13.0 oz - Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L
Mash addition (12.1%) - 60.0 SRM

10.0 oz - Victory Malt
Mash addition (9.3%) - 25.0 SRM

4.0 oz - Chocolate Malt
Mash addition (3.7%) - 350.0 SRM

0.50 oz - Fuggles
Boil 60 min (14.1 IBUs)

0.50 g - Salt (?)
Boil 60 min

0.50 oz - Fuggles
Boil 15 min (7.0 IBUs)

0.50 oz - Goldings, East Kent
Boil 5 min (3.1 IBUs)

1 pkg - English Ale
White Labs #WLP002

1.50 oz - Cacao nibs
Secondary 14 days

OR

5 lb - Pale Malt, Maris Otter
Mash addition (74.6%) - 3.0 SRM

1 lb - Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L
Mash addition (14.9%) - 60.0 SRM

8.0 oz - Victory Malt
Mash addition (7.5%) - 25.0 SRM

3.2 oz - Chocolate Malt
Mash addition (3.0%) - 350.0 SRM

0.50 oz - Fuggles
Boil 60 min (14.1 IBUs)

0.50 g - Salt (?)
Boil 60 min

0.50 oz - Fuggles
Boil 15 min (7.0 IBUs)

0.50 oz - Goldings, East Kent
Boil 5 min (3.1 IBUs)

1 pkg - English Ale
White Labs #WLP002

1.50 oz - Cacao nibs
Secondary 14 days

 

[didinho]

2). What about salt flavoring if at all? I was thinking less than a teaspoon in the boil from what I have read, but don't want to ruin the batch with too much.

best way is to add salt before kegging/bottling: taste the beer with a small amount of salt, when you like it scale up according to the tank volume, then bottle.

 

[RyReij77]

Thanks for the tip! I may just pass on the salt altogether, I don't really think it is necessary. Maybe just salt to taste when I pour it as to not ruin a whole batch by over salting...

 

[apatheticsheep]

How much salt did you end up using, and what was the batch size?
How'd it come out?

 

[RyReij77]

I ended up using .5 gram of salt for 3 gallons when I bottled. It isn't too noticeable, but kinda subtle. I was a little hesitant to put too much and ruin the whole batch. It turned out really good and about as I expected. I might put a little bit more salt next time, but we will see.