Need some thoughts and ideas on color...

[okstatepike]

So... I am in the process of formulating recipes in tribute to all of my close friends. The idea is to make 6 beers that reflect my 6 best friends personalities. The first one I am working on is a blonde ale, except this is to be a "dirty" blonde. Yeah, multiple references.

Anyway, what grain could I add to a standard-type blonde ale recipe to give it a little tinge of brown without changing the flavor too much?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Edcculus]

There is a product that is malt color extract. Northern brewer carries a version called Sinamar.

Here is the description from their site.

Sinamar is a coloring agent from Weyermann Malz. Because it is essentially a malt extract made from roasted grain (their proprietary Carafa), it is 100% in keeping with the Reinheitsgebot purity law and can be used to add color to dark beers without the bitterness of roasted malts — great for Schwarzbier! Add to the boil; 4 ounces in 5 gallons adds 16 SRM of color.