I'm done with dark beers!

[mtsoxfan]

I know I'm late to the party... I agree with buying from another source. I've never had an issue using chocolate.....

[Tabasco]

Dave, I'm thinking ... I brew still a lot of bitter stouts (love 'em), but really love that old Wickett. My browns w/ choc are always ... eh ....

I'm thinking to get some Wickett (the Demon Oatmeal) and the English Nut Brown (whatever they call it now), and do Pale Ales, IPA's, Bitter Stouts ... as AG's ... and leave the Oatmeal and the browns to the HME ... they do it better ... waddya think?


P.S. when I do Oatmeal AG, it clogs my strainer and a bitch to sparge.

[mtsoxfan]

Tabasco, I tried an experiment with my last AG with oatmeal.... I took the first mash draining and used that to steep my oatmeal while sparging.
My purpose was so I could fit all my grain in the mash, but it could work in your case. My drainings was right about 150* so it didn't need additional heat.

[Tabasco]

Tabasco, I tried an experiment with my last AG with oatmeal.... I took the first mash draining and used that to steep my oatmeal while sparging.
My purpose was so I could fit all my grain in the mash, but it could work in your case. My drainings was right about 150* so it didn't need additional heat.

Thanks for the idea. You're usin' the borg!!!!!!!! Appreciate it ...........

[Tabasco]

Dave, it just occurred to me .... the few gushers I've had recently, since I started kegging, were the browns with Choc malt ... and only a little choc malt.

I don't think I would have made this connection. Thanks. I'm not crazy about the choc anyway, so it's an easy fix for me.

[FedoraDave]

Yeah, Tom, I'm not sure I want to continue with the chocolate all that much anyway. I'm not all that much into stouts and porters, but I do want to nail down this Brown Ale. Still not what I want. And, gushing aside, I think the chocolate is bringing some bitterness to the table that I'd just as soon 86 from the whole thing. I'm going to concentrate on crystal malts for color and flavor and see where that gets me.

[Gymrat]

The chocolate notes are pretty much a key part of a brown ale.

[ScrewyBrewer]

Yeah, Tom, I'm not sure I want to continue with the chocolate all that much anyway. I'm not all that much into stouts and porters, but I do want to nail down this Brown Ale. Still not what I want. And, gushing aside, I think the chocolate is bringing some bitterness to the table that I'd just as soon 86 from the whole thing. I'm going to concentrate on crystal malts for color and flavor and see where that gets me.

I've started using Carafa III in place of Chocolate Malts in my last 2 Brown Ales, along with Marris Otter and Crystal 40L the beer has a really nice aroma. Here's the latest recipe I used in my November's batch.

00.25 lb Carafa III
01.25 lb CaraPils
01.25 lb Crystal 40L
11.50 lb Marris Otter

2.00 ounces Columbus
2.00 ounces East Kent Goldings (UK)
2.00 ounces Whitebread Golding (UK)

2 Liter starter of White Labs 007 - Dry English Ale Yeast™

Of course if I were to brew this recipe again I'd first wort hop with 1/2 ounce of Columbus and then add in more Columbus at 27 minutes to get the IBUs back into range again. The East Kent Goldings are for aroma and the Whitebread Golding for the flavor hop additions.

[mtsoxfan]

looks like a pretty hoppy brown.

[Tabasco]

Yeah, Tom, I'm not sure I want to continue with the chocolate all that much anyway. I'm not all that much into stouts and porters, but I do want to nail down this Brown Ale. Still not what I want. And, gushing aside, I think the chocolate is bringing some bitterness to the table that I'd just as soon 86 from the whole thing. I'm going to concentrate on crystal malts for color and flavor and see where that gets me.

I've started using Carafa III in place of Chocolate Malts in my last 2 Brown Ales, along with Marris Otter and Crystal 40L the beer has a really nice aroma. Here's the latest recipe I used in my November's batch.

00.25 lb Carafa III
01.25 lb CaraPils
01.25 lb Crystal 40L
11.50 lb Marris Otter

2.00 ounces Columbus
2.00 ounces East Kent Goldings (UK)
2.00 ounces Whitebread Golding (UK)

2 Liter starter of White Labs 007 - Dry English Ale Yeast™

Of course if I were to brew this recipe again I'd first wort hop with 1/2 ounce of Columbus and then add in more Columbus at 27 minutes to get the IBUs back into range again. The East Kent Goldings are for aroma and the Whitebread Golding for the flavor hop additions.

Wow, six ounces of hops .... Marris Otter base ... I wanna try that ... hold on, I'm coming over, heh heh.

[joechianti]

I've also been thinking of drifting a little bit away from all the brown and black beers I typically go for. Not ready for super light yet, but ready to lighten up just a little. It will be a good while before any of the lighter beers I'm starting to make now will be ready. I hate to admit this, but for the beers I already have made that are darker, when I feel like a lighter beer, I just add a little bit of club soda to it and I'm all set. It sounds sacrilegious, but it works like a charm.

[Yankeedag]

Hey joe... try brewing one of the Nong brews I posted. I really think you'd like them. The Nong Irish (not so) Red would hit that elusive spot.

[joechianti]

Hey joe... try brewing one of the Nong brews I posted. I really think you'd like them. The Nong Irish (not so) Red would hit that elusive spot.

I can't seem to find where the recipe is posted. I'm sure I'm gonna feel dumb when you tell me where it is, but I haven't gotten too far past just the tap room and this board yet.

[Yankeedag]

Nong Brew
AG 2.5 gal
5# American 2 row~mash..sixty min
4 oz carahell~steep..30 min steep
4 oz caramunich I..30 min steep
4 oz carafoam ...30 min steep
boil...
.5oz Willamette ...1 hr
.5oz. Willamette ...20 min
.5oz. Willamette ...flame out..leave in during cool down
1 TBS Irish Moss at 15 min
wlp 004 yeast
You could substitute a 3.3 lb can of LME or 3 Lb of DME for the American 2 row if you don't want to do a AG. I suggest using the extra light.. just for the eventual color you'll get.

[joechianti]

YD, that looks pretty good. AHBS doesn't have carahell or carafoam. What are good subs for those two, or should I order some of them somewhere else online? If they're really good, I can use them in other future recipes. Do they work much like carapils?