Beer Forum

ok, First Janet's in the keg carbing up. So far I have got to say that it is the best American Ale I have made. So good, I drank 8oz uncarbed lastnight, hop arma is best yet also. That being said I wonder if I have added too much N.Brewer. Since I have never had another version I don't know if this is right or not. Even if it is wrong, I like it. Just want to make it right so I can make Tasty proud. Here is what I used:

Size: 11.0 gal
Efficiency: 68.31%
Attenuation: 70.2%

Original Gravity: 1.057 (1.045 - 1.060)
Terminal Gravity: 1.017 (1.010 - 1.016)
Color: 21.15 (18.0 - 35.0)
Alcohol: 5.25% (4.3% - 6.2%)
Bitterness: 61.4 (20.0 - 40.0)

60min Boil
60min Mash @ 154

Ingredients:
20.0 lb 2-Row Brewers Malt
2.0 lb Cara-Pils Dextrine Malt
1.0 lb Chocolate Malt
2.0 lb Caramel Malt 40L
1.5 lb White Wheat
2.0 oz Northern Brewer (8.9%) - added during mash
2.0 oz Northern Brewer (8.9%) - added during boil, boiled 60 min
2.0 oz Northern Brewer (8.9%) - added during boil, boiled 15 min
3.0 oz Cascade (5.4%) - added during boil, boiled 10 min
3.0 oz Cascade (5.4%) - added during boil, boiled 5 min
4.0 oz Centennial (10.0%) - added dry to primary fermenter
2.0 ea White Labs WLP001 California Ale

You were short of the 1.067 OG (the JBA is out of style for an American Brown) but your FG of 1.017, which I assume is unfermentables and not fermentables because you said the beer tastes great, should balance fine against the 61 IBUs. If 68.3% is your normal efficiency, then I'd just increase the base malt next time to get the beer up to gravity (note that my recipe calls for a 90 minute boil and that could account for your lower OG). I'd expect a little better attenuation but this beer is mashed at 154F to get balance from a higher FG. Give the beer a few weeks to mature and adjust from there. You may want to enter it into a competition to get some other opinions (and ribbons).

Tasty

Thank you for the reply tasty, this is truly my fav. brew in a while. I went by the BCS boil time of 60min, later to find that 90min was correct. I will up the grains next time, I usualy run in the 70-75 eff range so not sure what happned there.

This was my first brew in about 6 mo, since the new boy came along. I will be getting back into the swing of things again. I do plan on entering this beer. Thanks again for a fan-fucking-tastic recipe.

Almost dead thread, but I just racked my 10 gallon batch and had to drink 1 pint (had too much to fit in kegs) flat, and uncarbonated....WAY green and hoppy after 8-days...but really cool to taste this young.

Hope to push from dry-hop/clearing tanks to serving kegs in about 7-days or so.

Thnx Tasty...

Day late and 5 points shy.....
I wish I would have read this thread yesterday. I brewed today and did the 60 minute boil as in BCS. OG came in at 1060.
Next time I'll make the adjustments and go to the 90 min boil.I think Jamil should go to every bookstore and make the necessary changes in the book.

Hey Tasty! Quick question on your experience with American Brown. I am planning a party in Feb and am planning ot brew 1 batch / month until then (all beers will be kegged, carb'd and stored as cold as my S. IL basement will permit). Brewed a porter a couple weeks ago and I think it'll hold up nicely to serve around the 4-month point. My plan is an American Brown next next week.....do you think 3-months is too late for that beer? Where do you think that beer hits its sweet spot?

My follow-on is to brew a big west-coast Amber or Red ale around December and then finish with a hoppy APA in Jan.

Cheers!

Timmy

TimmyR wrote:My plan is an American Brown next next week.....do you think 3-months is too late for that beer? Where do you think that beer hits its sweet spot?

I think I remember Tasty saying 8 weeks the beer (JBA) was perfect, but his is a little out of style for an American Brown.

Thanks DarkSide...that's my experience too, but I brewed it with a a pretty low Cl to SO4 ratio and it was really hoppy and bitter. I am looking a brewing ~ 3 months, 2 months and 1 month before a party to try to serve all the beer for a weekend.

I may have to take my chances and see how 12 weeks tastes.