Molasses Brown Ale

[iagainsti]

I finally have a free weekend to brew. Here's what I'll be doing:

5.5 Gallon Batch
1.062 Target OG

9 lbs Maris Otter
1 lb Flaked Oats Mash @ 154
1 lb Crystal 60
.5lb Franco-Belges Amber Malt
.25lb Chocolate Malt

.5lb Unsulphured Dark Molasses boiled @15 min

1 oz N. Brewer 9.4% AA @ 60
1 oz Willamette 6.1% AA @ 20
1 oz Willamette 6.1% AA @ 5

Nottingham Yeast


Let me know what you think!

 

[riceral]

Be careful with the amount of molasses you use. If you haven't used it before, it can be overwhelming if used in large amounts.

I have used 4 ounces and could taste it in a porter. It was good in that amount in a porter.

 

[iagainsti]

Thanks for the heads up. I'll probably take your advice then. I haven't used the stuff before and I was thinking 8 oz would be a good amount for the first time.

 

[ChelisHubby]

Let us know how it turns out! I have been thinking of using molasses.

 

[balrog]

Let us know how it turns out! I have been thinking of using molasses.

+1 on both those thoughts--been following PuddleThumper's English Ale thread here on HBT and the conversation has molasses and invert sugar mentioned hither thither and yon. So I've been contemplating using molasses. And contemplating where the term "yon" comes from...

 

[ChelisHubby]

Molasses and Scottish beers look like they are made for each other. I have tried it on a couple of 60 shillings but the amount was to small tablespoons about 4.

 

[iagainsti]

So I just got done with brew day. I scaled back the molasses to 3 oz. Just took my O.G and have had a crazy drop in efficiency. I typically hit my target either dead on, or at the most +.02 over from what I was shooting for. After scaling back the molasses to 3 oz I was expecting to hit 1.058 but wound up with 1.046. The only thing that I really changed in my process was mashing a little looser - 1.33 qts/lbs as opposed to my usual 1.2 qts/lbs. I guess this may have had an effect. Batch sparging went a lot qquicker with a looser mash.

Good brew day aside from that. The beer's gonna be a bit hoppier than i intended, but oh well. I'll post back later with my results.