Brown Ale help

That's a lot of victory malt. I would back that down to about .5lb along with the carapils as well. Other than that, I like the recipe.

 

What do you want this beer to taste like?

 

I like the idea of 2 lbs of victory malt,i think it is going to impart a nice nutty touch.I would prefer to replace Cara-pils-dextrine with Munich malt and raise mash temp to 155 F.

Cheers

 

I think you don´t need Carapils taking into a count you have enough Crystal 80 in your grain bill,if you mash a bit higher and use a pinch of wheat malt head retention should be ok,IMHO.

 

I agree with this, I would also leave out the chocolate malt and replace with MO - you'll get your SRM's without it and you don't want to get into porter/stout territory with the flavor profile.

 

I make an regularly make an American Brown and have always used 1/4 lb chocolate or carafa; none of my batches have really strayed into porter territory, but of course the total malt bill will determine that. A malt that you might want to consider rather than the Victory is the British Crisp (I think) brown malt; very toasty flavor -- dark toast; one of my favorites. I have also used American brown, but the British is much more flavorful. I often use about 4 oz in my brown ales. Crisp Amber is similar to the brown, but sort of medium toast; much better (IMO) than Victory.

The 80 and 120 crystal are good choices, but I'd probably limit the total to about a pound, and also drop the carapils, unless you really want a lot of body.

 

Moose Drool is a great American Brown and my personal favorite. CYBI interviewed the head brewer and cloned it as their first or second clone in the series.

CYBI - interview with Big Sky Brewing Co.
87% Am. 2-row
10% C80
2% Chocolate malt
1% Black patent

Mash at 152-154 for 60 mins

OG 1.052
FG 1.013
ABV 5.1%
IBU 26
SRM 38

1 oz Kent Goldings (60)
1 oz Liberty (15)
1 oz Willamette (5)
1 oz Liberty (FO)

Fuller's stain yeast (WLP002)
Ferment 66-67
Diaceytal rest at 70 for 2 days

 

I disagree, personally I think a touch of roasted grain is pretty imperative in making a brown ale taste like a brown ale, and a few oz of chocolate malt isn't going to turn a beer into a porter/stout.

 

A recipe I have used many times that makes a nice brown. Of course this is grain bill only.
9 lbs Pale malt
1/2 lb crystal 60
1/2 lb. chocolate malt
1/2 lb. brown malt
I like to mash this around 150 degrees.
Gives a nice color and body and stray away from the porter/stout

 

brewed this 2 weeks ago. still in primary but samples are promising. og 1.060 targeting 45 ibu for an american brown. mashed 154. very happy with the amount of chocolate, love the color. your results may vary if using more/darker crystal but i agree that some chocolate malt won't be detrimental. i'd also recommend toasted oats

50% American Two-row Pale
25% marris otter
8% Flaked Oats (toasted)
5% Crystal 60L
4% Carafoam
4% Chocolate Malt
2% Molasses
2% Brown Sugar

good luck

 

I think the malt bill looks like it will make a tasty beer. I would skip the nuts though, don't think you need them. I'd also consider shooting for a lower OG, maybe 1.048. I find that my browns in the 1.040's seem to be better crowd pleasers than bigger browns. I'd also give it plenty of time to rest before the wedding. IMO browns benefit from a few extra weeks of resting in the keg or bottle.

 

You are correct as usual, just personal preference from a guy who doesn't dig Porter or any roastiness in his brown ales.

 

here is a recipe I have used twice, both times it came out great. The last time I brewed it was for a wedding and it was a big hit. I like to let this beer condition in bottles for 4-6 weeks rather than the standard 2 weeks.

7lbs MO
1lb Flaked Wheat
0.5 lb Crystal 60L
0.5 lb Chocolate
0.25 lb Roasted Barley
0.125lb Biscuit

5 AAU Fuggles @ 60
5 AAU EKG @ 15

Nottingham dry yeast

I have also used brown sugar for priming sugar

Mashed @ 152
OG 1.050
FG 1.012
5% ABV

If brewed this next week, it should be in bottles around Sept 3rd, which would give it plenty of time to condition in the bottles.

 

Yeah, it should be in great shape by then. Good Luck.

 

Wouldn't he get plenty of roasty flavor from Victory?

 

Not really. Victory is not a roasted malt.