RIS - Fawcett's (40L) v. Swaen (80L) Brown malt

[Gadjobrinus]

Doing a vintage, long-aged RIS, with 25% brown malt. I normally use Fawcett's at 35-45 L, and like it quite a bit (just kegged an awesome Taddy with some) but we are out. We do carry Swaen, including their brown malt at 80L, but I don't know how much qualitatively different these are from one another, beyond just color. Anyone with experience on this one?

 

[DBhomebrew]

Color roughly corresponds to flavor. Brown and amber malts are the same other than how much they're roasted. Does Swaen have an amber at ~40L? That may be your best sub.

 

[Gadjobrinus]

Color roughly corresponds to flavor. Brown and amber malts are the same other than how much they're roasted. Does Swaen have an amber at ~40L? That may be your best sub.

The Swaen's is 80. The stout is already 52 SRM so it's not like the color's going to make much difference, but yeah I'm wondering if the Swaen moves into a truly acrid or ashy note at all. I love the Fawcett brown (as well as its amber), but do find it needs a little time in conditioning to round out its edges. With this recipe having 25% brown malt, 3% black malt, wondering if this Swaen might move it from the nice, coffee notes to too much of a harsh edge.

 

[DBhomebrew]

The Swaen's is 80.

Right. Wondering if they have and you have accessible an amber at ~40?

Fawcett's 40L "brown" being roughly equal to an hypothetical Swaen 40L "amber".

 

[Gadjobrinus]

Right. Wondering if they have and you have accessible an amber at ~40?

Fawcett's 40L "brown" being roughly equal to an hypothetical Swaen 40L "amber".

Ah, I think I get you now. At first I thought you were asking if we carry Fawcett Amber, which we do, and actually I'm using it at 10.5% of the bill. It's 22 SRM, though. I believe you're asking about a Swaen amber, right? If so, we don't carry it and I just looked it up, it's only 20L. Interesting actually, that their amber is 50 EBC but their brown is so radically higher at 220 EBC.

Actually as it turns out anyway, we have enough of the Fawcett Brown after all. All systems go!

Thanks for the thoughts, much appreciated.