Malty Brown

[Argentum]

I'm considering this recipe. I'm going for a smuttynose brown dog or Indian brown ale-type maltiness. It's a modified version of a recipe I've made in the past but I cut back on the caramel malts:

8 lbs 2 row
2 lbs Munich light
.5 lbs wheat
.5 lbs caramunich
.5 lbs crystal 80
.5 lbs Carapils
2 oz roasted barley

1 oz centennial fwh
1 oz centennial hop stand

Yeast: California V/wlp051

Single infusion at 154

Ferment at 66

Yield 5 gal

OG 1.064
FG (per software) 1.017
IBU 31

Would happily hear feedback/critiques/suggestions - thanks!

 

[Double_D]

You could leave your recipe alone and dial the hops back instead. If you like the flavor changing the ibu would make the beer some across more malty. Just my .02. I'm not familiar with smuttynose and haven't had an Indian brown (except the brown ipa from dfh don't know if that's the same, I've never seen smuttynose out here).

 

[Bosh]

Maybe swap out the roasted barley for more brown malt or American carabrown, you'll get the same color but more maltiness.

 

[Argentum]

Maybe swap out the roasted barley for more brown malt or American carabrown, you'll get the same color but more maltiness.

With just 2 ounces? Wouldn't I need to up the amount? Say 4-6 ounces?

 

[Argentum]

You could leave your recipe alone and dial the hops back instead. If you like the flavor changing the ibu would make the beer some across more malty. Just my .02. I'm not familiar with smuttynose and haven't had an Indian brown (except the brown ipa from dfh don't know if that's the same, I've never seen smuttynose out here).

I think you must have had the DFH Indian Brown, they say they brew it like an IPA but IMO it tastes like an American Brown Ale, and which, incidentally has 50 IBUs. I might up the two row so that the Munich is a little less prominent.

 

[arnobg]

Why not ditch the roasted barley, caramel 80, carapils and just go with chocolate and caramel 60L. Your color will still be very dark and you will avoid the roasty/astringent flavors. Also using Maris Otter over 2 row will add some maltiness.

I made an american brown a month or so ago with chinook to bitter and cascade hops in the boil late and dry hopped. It came out delicious.

8lb Maris Otter
12oz Carmael 60L
8 oz chocolate
8 oz flaked oats

Here it is:

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1476368181.880568.jpg

 

[dmtaylor]

Nothing says malty like a little Special B. Maybe use 4 oz Special B and reduce the other crystal malts a bit.

I'm also a big fan of chocolate malt. You can use a lot and it doesn't taste overly burnt like black malt or roasted barley.

Also I love the suggestion for using brown malt, that's a great idea.

Just a few ideas to think about.

 

[Bosh]

With just 2 ounces? Wouldn't I need to up the amount? Say 4-6 ounces?

Of course, hence "more brown malt."

Despite its stupid name carabrown isn't a crystal malt, just a light brown malt. Lots of toasty malt flavor, zero astringency. Doesn't provide too much color unless you use a lot.

 

[Bosh]

I think you must have had the DFH Indian Brown, they say they brew it like an IPA but IMO it tastes like an American Brown Ale, and which, incidentally has 50 IBUs. I might up the two row so that the Munich is a little less prominent.

That's the one with the brown sugar in it, right? I reaaaaaally don't like what brown sugar does to beer, gives it a really unpleasant bite that takes forever to mellow out.

 

[Argentum]

Nothing says malty like a little Special B. Maybe use 4 oz Special B and reduce the other crystal malts a bit.

I'm also a big fan of chocolate malt. You can use a lot and it doesn't taste overly burnt like black malt or roasted barley.

Also I love the suggestion for using brown malt, that's a great idea.

Just a few ideas to think about.

Why not ditch the roasted barley, caramel 80, carapils and just go with chocolate and caramel 60L. Your color will still be very dark and you will avoid the roasty/astringent flavors. Also using Maris Otter over 2 row will add some maltiness.

I made an american brown a month or so ago with chinook to bitter and cascade hops in the boil late and dry hopped. It came out delicious.

8lb Maris Otter
12oz Carmael 60L
8 oz chocolate
8 oz flaked oats

Here it is:

View attachment 373396

These are great suggestions, thanks! I'm not sensing a lot of love for the Munich Malt. Should I ditch it? I thought it would add a lot of maltiness.

 

[arnobg]

These are great suggestions, thanks! I'm not sensing a lot of love for the Munich Malt. Should I ditch it? I thought it would add a lot of maltiness.

I personally would ditch the wheat and the Munich probably would be fine. The main base malt in a Dunkel is Munich and that beer is a gorgeous color and has great maltiness. Obviously I'm biased to the recipe I made because it came out great, but I don't see a problem with using Munich.

 

[dmtaylor]

Munich malt is a good choice. Keep it.

 

[Bosh]

Which brand of Munich? What different brands consider "light" munich vary pretty considerably in lovibond.

 

[meatcleaver]

smuttydog lists their ingredients on their website. for brown dog..
2-row, Munich 10, c-120 & chocolate
shouldn't be too hard to figure out...

 

[Argentum]

Which brand of Munich? What different brands consider "light" munich vary pretty considerably

Avanguard. I went with "dark," 15L.

 

[Argentum]

So here's my final bill:

5 lbs 2 row
4 lbs Maris Otter (why I went from 8 lbs base malt to 9 I have no idea)
2 lbs Munich dark (15L)
10 oz brown malt
8 oz chocolate
4 oz carapils
4 oz crystal 80
4 oz special b

Single infusion mash at 154 for 1 hr

.5 oz simcoe fwh
.5 oz centennial fwh

.5 oz simcoe flameout (20 min hop stand)
.5 oz centennial flameout (20 min hop stand)

California Ale V at 66

Expected O/FG: 1.068 / 1.018
Expected IBU: 35

 

[WakeyOz]

smuttydog lists their ingredients on their website. for brown dog..
2-row, Munich 10, c-120 & chocolate
shouldn't be too hard to figure out...

Meatcleaver gave you the grain bill from the beer you're trying to replicate.
All you have to do is figure out the quanities from what he's provided if you want to clone brown dog.

It also looks like a solid brown ale grist to me.

 

[Argentum]

Meatcleaver gave you the grain bill from the beer you're trying to replicate.
All you have to do is figure out the quanities from what he's provided if you want to clone brown dog.

It also looks like a solid brown ale grist to me.

Well, long story short I wasn't looking to replicate smuttynose exactly. I brewed yesterday and will update this post when it's done. A bit worried that the special b will not be a good fit on top of the other two crystal malts and that the California V Ale yeast, which I used once with breathtaking success and about 3 times with breathtaking failure, will do something weird. But we'll see!