American Brown

[Mike Neilson]

Here my recipe, split batch so use percentages

5.99 kg Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (5.9 EBC) Grain 83.35 %
0.30 kg Caramunich Malt (110.3 EBC) Grain 4.17 %
0.30 kg Pale Chocolate (600.0 EBC) Grain 4.17 %
0.22 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt - 30L (59.1 EBC) Grain 3.13 %
0.22 kg Melanoiden Malt (39.4 EBC) Grain 3.13 %
0.15 kg Chocolate Malt (886.5 EBC) Grain 2.07 %
60.00 gm Cascade US Pellets [5.40 %] (15 min) Hops 10.7 IBU
60.00 gm Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] (10 min) Hops 20.3 IBU
100.00 gm Cascade US Pellets [5.40 %] (2 min) Hops 3.0 IBU
70.00 gm Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] (0 min) Hops

Original Gravity: 1.050 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.014
Estimated Color: 39.9 EBC
Bitterness: 34.1 IBU
Actual Alcohol by Volume: 4.7%

Wyeast West Yorkshire Strain 1469 Tetleys Strain.

[denimglen]

Minty, refreshing, citrus hop aroma, some roastiness coming through too, a little coffee and chocolate.

Some roastyness and a little spice and citrus hop in the flavour. Chalky, dry finish, with a lowish but sharp bitterness.

A little thin through the middle but otherwise a nice beer, very clean.

Brew strong!

[Mike Neilson]

Cheers Guys for the comments I tried to brew this beer to this style, anyone care to comment how it stacked up to the style guidlines?

http://realbeernz.ning.com/group/nzcaseswap/forum/topics/case-swap-...

[MrC]

My initial thought was that the yeast was wrong and that it should have been a clean American ale yeast but reading the style guideline it looks like your spot on.

Did you give it a full 60min boil even though the hops were only in there for 15min?
Were you tempted to just boil for 15min after the hot break? Could be a technique for shortening the brew day.

[Mike Neilson]

Nah no short cuts, To tell you the honest truth I probably wouldnt either. I would do a 60 min boil for a this how ever. Also 20min boil would fuck with my eff and I would be to nervous about DMS. I dont mind longer brew days keeps me at home.

[Soren]

I think is stacks up real good to that guide line, I'd definitely call it a american brown in a blind test.

[Soren]

I have been looking forward to this, amercan brown is a style I really enjoy brewing and drinking and this is no exception! I'm already halfway through my glass, its drinking real good.
I get some toast on the nose but mainly sharp US style citrus hoppiness. In the flavor the toast opens up a lot more with some of choc and coffee and fruity esters. There is a slight astringency but nothing that concerns me. Bitterness is spot on. The palate is kinda dry and could do with a bit more body, which others have mentioned as well, that would also take care of the slight astringency I think.

This is really, really good, but I must admit I am biased to any american brown at the moment. Would really like to try the twin you fermented with US-05 for comparising.

Cheers!

[Ally Mcg]

Chocolate and a grapefruity cascade nose.
More chocolate and some roasted notes with a slight chalkiness that subsides (or maybe I get used to it)
Only 4.7%? Wow
I poured this and drank half it expecting 6.5 ish.

Very nice, the more I drink, the more it improves. Cheers mike

[studio1]

Had this a few days ago - didn't make notes, but it was really really tasty and I wanted more.

[Martin Bridges]

Having this one tonight. As usual, I've not read any of the other notes.

Pours a clear dark brown, with a light tan head that persists well. The colour reminds me of peat bog water, in a nice way!

Slightly herbal hop aroma, backed up by a roasty maltiness. Smells very appealing.

Dominant flavour is a slightly green coffee. the aroma and appearance made me expect more body than I got - not sure if this is a problem, just what my palate was expecting. Some lingering bitterness which, on some swallows, tends towards the astringent. Flavours are very clean, yet I detect a hollowness which I've had with that yeast too (incidentally, I thought it was the Timothy Taylors strain rather than Tetleys?).

A well-made beer which for some reason fails to excite me. Not sure why. Maybe I'm just in a funny mood?! Or maybe this is a style I don't get along with. I'd be looking for a bit more body but this would push it towards being a porter. So the more I think about it, the more I'm impressed with this stylistically.

Thanks Mike, this beer made me think more than most of the others.