Brown Ale

[yankfan9]

Now that my stout is aging, and my keg of witbier just ran out, I am starting a new recipe. I figure I'll do a hoppy brown ale this time around. I have never done a brown ale, but I had never done a stout either, and that turned out amazing, so why not I have the list of malts and amounts I am going to use, the thing I am stuck on, is the types of hops to use. Reason I am doing a hoppy brown is because a local brewery just came out with one, and I had never even heard of a brown ale that was hoppy. Needless to say they hit the nail on the head with that beer, the hops were present, but not overpowering, and it had a great malt flavor. So any feedback on the malts, and hop suggestions would be great! Also I am looking at using nottingham yeast, as I am looking for a fairly neutral yeast profile. If I ferment at 65 degrees and my mash temp is around 154, will that leave me a good malt flavor without drying out the beer too much? I am still fairly new to all grain.

ABV - 6.16%
SRM - 28.03
8 lb American - Pale 2-Row 59.3%
2.5 lb American - Caramel / Crystal 60L 18.5%
2 lb American - Victory 14.8%
0.5 lb American - Chocolate 3.7%
0.5 lb Flaked Barley 3.7%

Hops? IBU's?

Yeast - Nottingham dry yeast

[Gymrat]

If you are looking for a malty profile with a clean flavor I would go for BRY 97. Nottingham attenuates too well and will rob you of some of your malty flavor.

[philm00x]

If you are looking for a malty profile with a clean flavor I would go for BRY 97. Nottingham attenuates too well and will rob you of some of your malty flavor.

I'll keep that in mind for the next time I brew my own brown ale. I used Notty last time and it tasted great, but if BRY 97 keeps even more malty flavor, then I'd go for it.

yankfan, I once mashed at 155 and it caused my beer to finish high (1.020ish) because it doesn't leave as much fermentables in the wort. I guess this is the kind of flavor you're looking for though. If you're trying to keep the ABV up a little, I'd mash a little lower, 148-150, and then add some dextrine to add body.

[Inkleg]

Maris Otter Malt will help give a more traditional flavor. I like East Kent Goldings in my Browns and Wyeast 1028 will make it really tasty.

[Gymrat]

I use East Kent Goldings in mine as well.

[yankfan9]

Thanks for the suggestions! The only change in malts will be instead of 8 lbs of 2 row, I will be doing 9 lbs of marris otter. As for yeast, bry 97 sounds like it should be good. And for the he hops, does this look like enough for them to be present, but not overpowering?

0.5 oz magnum leaf hops - FWH
0.5 oz Goldings leaf hops - 30 mins
0.5 oz goldings leaf hops - 5 mins

32 IBU's

[Gymrat]

To get a presence in my reds or browns I always do 2 ounces for 10 or 15 minutes in a 5 gallon batch.

[yankfan9]

So do you think if I keep the magnum addition the same but went with 1 oz goldings at 15 and then another oz goldings at 5, that would be alright?

[Gymrat]

So do you think if I keep the magnum addition the same but went with 1 oz goldings at 15 and then another oz goldings at 5, that would be alright?

Yes. What is the AA on your magnums? For that much malt I kind of like 5 or 6% AA for the bittering addition. If your magnum are 10 to 12% that would put you right in the ball park.

[yankfan9]

I'm not sure what the AA is on them, I don't see it anywhere on the page.. Here is the link to them,

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271158013237

[Gymrat]

I just looked up magnum hops and they are typically 12 to 14% so half an ounce for bittering should be just right.

[yankfan9]

Great, thanks. That will be the recipe then. I didn't know whether or not the whole leaf hops would be different AA then pellet

[Gymrat]

Great, thanks. That will be the recipe then. I didn't know whether or not the whole leaf hops would be different AA then pellet

I don't know that one either. I have never used them.

[Inkleg]

Just to throw this out there. I made a Brown Ale for a friend. Used the recipe straight from the book Brewing Classic Styles for the Northern Brown Ale.
Entered it in a competition and took 1st place with a score of 40. I have made a few recipes from this book and have never been disappointed. I highly recommend having this book as part of your brewing library.

As per the recipe I used 1.2oz EKG at 60 and .5 at 5 minutes.
I can post the recipe if you need to see it.

[yankfan9]

Sure, I'd like to take a look at it, and congrats on the 1st place!