Smoked Brown Ale

[NYCBrewGuy]

I'm starting to toy with recipes for my next brew (after my Christmas Stout is done), and looking to make a smoky brown ale. After messing with a recipe calculator I came up with this and welcome all feedback and critique.

% LB OZ
44% 4 0 Amber Malt Extract Syrup
22% 2 0 Crystal 60L
16% 1 8 Special B Malt
8% 0 12 Rye Malt
5% 0 8 Brown Malt
4% 0 6 Smoked Malt

2.5 oz Fuggles for bittering and 1oz Cascades for aroma post boil.

Thinking of using Wyeast European Ale or something similar.

Appreciate your comments and suggestions!

 

[Bob]

I'm starting to toy with recipes for my next brew (after my Christmas Stout is done), and looking to make a smoky brown ale. After messing with a recipe calculator I came up with this and welcome all feedback and critique.

% LB OZ
44% 4 0 Amber Malt Extract Syrup
22% 2 0 Crystal 60L
16% 1 8 Special B Malt
8% 0 12 Rye Malt
5% 0 8 Brown Malt
4% 0 6 Smoked Malt

2.5 oz Fuggles for bittering and 1oz Cascades for aroma post boil.

Thinking of using Wyeast European Ale or something similar.

Appreciate your comments and suggestions!

Stop right there and back away from the Crystal malts! That's WAAAAAAAY too much.

First, Amber extracts generally have a proportion of Crystal/caramel malts already. On top of that, you're adding another 38% Crystal malt when you really shouldn't use more than 10%, including that already in the extract.

First, drop the Special B. That particular Crystal malt is extremely flavorful; it's so potent that as little as 8 ounces can completely overwhelm 5 gallons of beer.

Next, reduce the 60L Crystal to no more than a pound. I suggest 8 ounces.

Next, increase the extract syrup to 6 lbs.

Next, delete the rye malt. Rye malt can only be used if mashed.

Next, add a half-pound of Chocolate Malt.

Brown ales are pretty simple, see. Pale (extract), a bit of Crystal, a bit of Chocolate malt, there's the base. You can add other things to make it your own: Biscuit, Brown malt, Amber malt, Black Patent malt, Rye malt - the list is pretty endless.

I think you'll also have a quite bitter beer. Depends on the AA% of your Fuggles and how concentrated is your boil.

Cheers!

Bob

 

[PseudoChef]

And you're going to want a lot more than 6 ounces of smoked malt (if using Rauchmalt or Cherrywood smoked malt, that is).

 

[NYCBrewGuy]

OK. Thanks for the advice. Here's what I'm thinking then:

% LB OZ
73% 6 0 Amber Liquid Extract
9% 0 12 Smoked Malt
6% 0 8 Brown Malt
6% 0 8 Chocolate Malt
6% 0 8 Crystal 60L

Fuggles at 2.5 oz for 45 min. boil doesnt seem too bitter in the recipe calculator. Was thinking Fuggles mainly because of the low AA. The UK Fuggles from Austin Hombrew is listed at 3.6%.