FatsSchindee
Well-Known Member
Hey everyone, was wondering if you'd critique my new recipe for a gingerbread brown ale...
I am shooting for a mid-strength English brown ale, with a holiday spice (gingerbread, in particular) flavor. For inspiration, I'm using Randy Mosher's suggestion from "Radical Brewing" to use a low-hopped english brown as a base, and his spice regimen, and crossing that with Jamil's recipes (from his BN podcast) for a Southern English Brown and a Holiday Spice Ale. I didn't want to go as dark as a BJCP Southern English Brown (those seem to be more black than brown), or as low alcohol... Nor did I want it as big as the old ale he uses for the base of his holiday spice beer. So I kind of adjusted the SEB recipe up to fall somewhere in between those two and also a Northern English Brown, and swapped a few malts, including adding some molasses to help with the gingerbread flavor. Jamil uses WLP002, but I switched to 005 because it's more attenuative (and still leaves the FG at 1.020). I want it to be sweet (like a gingerbread cookie or cake), but not too cloying, of course. I'm using 152 as a mid-range mash temp, because I want some body, and but don't want it too end at too high an FG (and the molasses will help dry it out some, no?).
I've looked through some of the other older posts here about gingerbread ales, and took some of the suggestions there into account as well. One thing mentioned, in particular, is to reduce or delete the clove addition, and sub in nutmeg instead. Any thoughts on this or anything else you see in the below recipe? Thanks...
Title: Ho Ho Ho-liday Brown
Author: Fats Schindee
Brew Method: BIAB
Style Name: Holiday/Winter Special Spiced Beer
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 2.75 gallons (ending kettle volume)
Boil Size: 3.35 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.052
Efficiency: 75% (ending kettle)
STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.066
Final Gravity: 1.020
ABV (standard): 6.13%
IBU (tinseth): 17.02
SRM (morey): 23.42
FERMENTABLES:
4.75 lb - United Kingdom - Maris Otter Pale (73.1%)
8 oz - American - Caramel / Crystal 75L (7.7%)
6 oz - Belgian - Biscuit (5.8%)
4 oz - American - Special Roast (3.8%)
4 oz - American - Caramel / Crystal 120L (3.8%)
2 oz - United Kingdom - Pale Chocolate (1.9%)
4 oz - Molasses - (late addition) (3.8%)
HOPS:
0.5 oz - East Kent Goldings, Type: Pellet, AA: 5, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 17.02
MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Infusion, Temp: 152 F, Time: 60 min, Amount: 12 qt, BIAB
2) Sparge, Temp: 170 F, Time: 10 min, Amount: 3.4 qt, Dunk Sparge in new pot
OTHER INGREDIENTS:
0.5 each - Whirlfloc, Time: 5 min, Type: Fining, Use: Boil
2 g - Cinnamon (ground), Time: 1 min, Type: Spice, Use: Boil
1 g - Ginger (ground), Time: 1 min, Type: Spice, Use: Boil
0.5 g - Allspice , Time: 1 min, Type: Spice, Use: Boil
0.5 g - Cloves (ground), Time: 1 min, Type: Spice, Use: Boil
YEAST:
White Labs - British Ale Yeast WLP005
Starter: No
Form: Liquid
Attenuation (avg): 70.5%
Flocculation: High
Optimum Temp: 65 - 70 F
Fermentation Temp: 68 F
Pitch Rate: 0.75 (M cells / ml / deg P)
PRIMING:
Method: Corn sugar
Amount: .88 oz
CO2 Level: 1.5 Volumes
Sent from my iPad using Home Brew
I am shooting for a mid-strength English brown ale, with a holiday spice (gingerbread, in particular) flavor. For inspiration, I'm using Randy Mosher's suggestion from "Radical Brewing" to use a low-hopped english brown as a base, and his spice regimen, and crossing that with Jamil's recipes (from his BN podcast) for a Southern English Brown and a Holiday Spice Ale. I didn't want to go as dark as a BJCP Southern English Brown (those seem to be more black than brown), or as low alcohol... Nor did I want it as big as the old ale he uses for the base of his holiday spice beer. So I kind of adjusted the SEB recipe up to fall somewhere in between those two and also a Northern English Brown, and swapped a few malts, including adding some molasses to help with the gingerbread flavor. Jamil uses WLP002, but I switched to 005 because it's more attenuative (and still leaves the FG at 1.020). I want it to be sweet (like a gingerbread cookie or cake), but not too cloying, of course. I'm using 152 as a mid-range mash temp, because I want some body, and but don't want it too end at too high an FG (and the molasses will help dry it out some, no?).
I've looked through some of the other older posts here about gingerbread ales, and took some of the suggestions there into account as well. One thing mentioned, in particular, is to reduce or delete the clove addition, and sub in nutmeg instead. Any thoughts on this or anything else you see in the below recipe? Thanks...
Title: Ho Ho Ho-liday Brown
Author: Fats Schindee
Brew Method: BIAB
Style Name: Holiday/Winter Special Spiced Beer
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 2.75 gallons (ending kettle volume)
Boil Size: 3.35 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.052
Efficiency: 75% (ending kettle)
STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.066
Final Gravity: 1.020
ABV (standard): 6.13%
IBU (tinseth): 17.02
SRM (morey): 23.42
FERMENTABLES:
4.75 lb - United Kingdom - Maris Otter Pale (73.1%)
8 oz - American - Caramel / Crystal 75L (7.7%)
6 oz - Belgian - Biscuit (5.8%)
4 oz - American - Special Roast (3.8%)
4 oz - American - Caramel / Crystal 120L (3.8%)
2 oz - United Kingdom - Pale Chocolate (1.9%)
4 oz - Molasses - (late addition) (3.8%)
HOPS:
0.5 oz - East Kent Goldings, Type: Pellet, AA: 5, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 17.02
MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Infusion, Temp: 152 F, Time: 60 min, Amount: 12 qt, BIAB
2) Sparge, Temp: 170 F, Time: 10 min, Amount: 3.4 qt, Dunk Sparge in new pot
OTHER INGREDIENTS:
0.5 each - Whirlfloc, Time: 5 min, Type: Fining, Use: Boil
2 g - Cinnamon (ground), Time: 1 min, Type: Spice, Use: Boil
1 g - Ginger (ground), Time: 1 min, Type: Spice, Use: Boil
0.5 g - Allspice , Time: 1 min, Type: Spice, Use: Boil
0.5 g - Cloves (ground), Time: 1 min, Type: Spice, Use: Boil
YEAST:
White Labs - British Ale Yeast WLP005
Starter: No
Form: Liquid
Attenuation (avg): 70.5%
Flocculation: High
Optimum Temp: 65 - 70 F
Fermentation Temp: 68 F
Pitch Rate: 0.75 (M cells / ml / deg P)
PRIMING:
Method: Corn sugar
Amount: .88 oz
CO2 Level: 1.5 Volumes
Sent from my iPad using Home Brew