Not So Brown Ale
1998.11.29

This is a fairly major leap from our old-faithful recipe. We decided to get some of the darkening from both Munich and Vienna malt, and use a bit less chocolate as a result. Also note the adjuncts, which were thrown in at the last minute more-or-less on a whim. This beer had every intent of being a Brown Ale, but it seems there was a little too little chocolate malt in the mash, so it's more like an IPA with a bit more of a dark reddish tint to it. It may not fit exactly into any particular style, but as I sit here and revise the notes on this beer, it sure does taste nice. It's considerably sweeter than our usual Browns. Even the half of this batch which finished at 1.011 (rather than 1.017 which the other half with a different yeast finished at) is sweet. I suspect there wasn't quite enough bittering hops to balance the beer, so if you make this one, try jacking that up just a wee bit. But it's only 2 weeks in the keg, so there's still some maturing to do before we can give the final word.

Note that 2 x 23 litres were fermented each with it's own yeast. In one we used Danstar, in the other Munton's Gold. We were very suprized to find that Danstar finished at 1.017 while the Munton's finished at a more expected 1.011. This is the first time we've ever used the Danstar, so we'll definitely be keeping our eyes on it in the future.

Ingredients

• 12 lb 2 Row
• 3 lb Munich
• 3 lb Vienna
• 1 lb Wheat
• 1 lb Crystal (circa 80L)
• 1/2 lb Chocolate
• 500g puffed rice
• 300g corn meal boiled in 2 litres water

Procedure

• 12:00 mix in rice and boiled corn meal
• 12:15 mash in other grains
• 12:30 reach 153F-154F, begin rest
• 14:20 begin recirc
• 14:30 begin runoff
• 15:10 dump first half (27l), flame on
• 15:45 dump rest (27l) + 8l, came full to very rim
• 17:05 add hops
  3/4 oz Galena @ 13.4%
  1 oz Northdown @ 6.1%
  1/2 oz UK Fuggles @ 4.3%
• 17:05 moss, 1/2 oz UK Fuggles @ 4.3%
• 18:05 1/2 oz UK Fuggles @ 4.3%
• 18:10 begin chill Data
  OG(64) 1.034 @ 110F (60F)
  OG(50) 1.048 @ 57.5F (60F)
  Ptich 23 litres with Munton's Gold (on left), and 23l with Danstar, and 5 litres with Wyeast Munich. Had chilled down a bit too far to 14C.
  Overnight came up to 18C to 20C
• 1998.11.30 07:00 no visible activity, but shaking both carboys releases lots of CO2
• 1998:11.30 17:00 Danstar blowing out top, no visible activity in Munton's
• 1998.12.01 07:00 both visibly blowing, no activity in 5 litre Wyeast
• 1998.12.01 19:00 both blowing strong, 5 litres no activity
• 1998.12.02 07:00 Munton's blowing strong, kraeusen down in other, 5 l hitting high K
• 1998.12.20 19:00 Kegged both. Munton's FG 1.011. Danstar FG 1.017.

Notes

The mash was a normal step infusion mash. There was a bit of difficulty maintaining a constant temperature as I am still getting used to non-cooler mashing. But I tried my best to keep it at 153-154F. I'm seriously considering going back to my cooler mashing, as I now have a good fix to the problem of the phloating phil's phalse bottom.

• 1998.12.21 19:00 as might be expected given that it's only been in the keg 1 day, it's pretty green tasting
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