Crystal 80

[Tos]

I've been working my way through Jamil 's book, much better than making things up as I go along. However, now it's time to leave the path.

New problem. I just took inventory and I've got a 55lb bag of brown malt. I didn't bother to check which grain I need before I ordered and just assumed Brown work work nicely with Brown, Porter, Stout and maybe Scottish. Not so much as I thought.

Now I should preface that I've been brewing 20 gallon batches, so base grain goes quickly, but the word on the web is 10-15% is the most Brown I'll be able to use. If it's easier, assume I'm making 5 gallon batches with 14 lbs of brown malt. At 15% I'm looking at 1.5lb per batch, or about 9 batches. Yipes.

So I turn it over to your collected wisdom. How can I up my grain bill to 30% brown and still make something that can be drank? I'm looking here for a sure thing. Nothing worse than 20 gallons of beer you can't drink.

I'll also accept any recommendations that you can amp up the brown a pound or two for this style or that, or recommendations to the contrary. I've made a lot of Imperials that only I will drink, but I'm trying to make beer that a non-homebrewer will drink.

p.s. Someone burglarized my house. They didn't take anything except my 55lb of Crystal 80. I've searched high and low and somehow an entire bag of specialty malt has gone missing. There can be no other explanation. I'm still hoping they realize they can't use it either and return it.

[spiderwrangler]

Don't worry, they'll probably be along to steal that sack of brown to go with the 80L, and then all your problems will be fixed!

Reasons the suggested levels would be low for brown could either be related to it being overwhelming in character at higher levels, or concerns because it doesn't have it's own enzymes to convert. I'd say try it in a stout or porter, at about the 15% you were thinking, and judge whether it could handle more (or try the 100 grain tea method). If the character of the brown malt swamps other things out at 15%, no reason to try to use more. If it can take more, you could try bumping it up, perhaps swapping some of the rest of your base for 6-row if enzymes become a concern.

[bazookazilla]

How to Brew by John Palmer
Brewing Classic Styles by Jamil Zainasheff & John Palmer

Get both of those books, you'll never regret it.

Truer words have never been spoken

[Ozwald]

Truer words have never been spoken

Sure they have. Like the last time someone called me a son of a bitch. Spot on. My mom can be a real bitch sometimes.

[GilesTH]

I've been working my way through Jamil 's book, much better than making things up as I go along. However, now it's time to leave the path.

New problem. I just took inventory and I've got a 55lb bag of brown malt. I didn't bother to check which grain I need before I ordered and just assumed Brown work work nicely with Brown, Porter, Stout and maybe Scottish. Not so much as I thought.

Now I should preface that I've been brewing 20 gallon batches, so base grain goes quickly, but the word on the web is 10-15% is the most Brown I'll be able to use. If it's easier, assume I'm making 5 gallon batches with 14 lbs of brown malt. At 15% I'm looking at 1.5lb per batch, or about 9 batches. Yipes.

So I turn it over to your collected wisdom. How can I up my grain bill to 30% brown and still make something that can be drank? I'm looking here for a sure thing. Nothing worse than 20 gallons of beer you can't drink.

I'll also accept any recommendations that you can amp up the brown a pound or two for this style or that, or recommendations to the contrary. I've made a lot of Imperials that only I will drink, but I'm trying to make beer that a non-homebrewer will drink.

p.s. Someone burglarized my house. They didn't take anything except my 55lb of Crystal 80. I've searched high and low and somehow an entire bag of specialty malt has gone missing. There can be no other explanation. I'm still hoping they realize they can't use it either and return it.

I remember hearing on one of Jamil's shows that Brown Malt is TECHNICALLY a base malt and can convert on it's own. But it's not a GOOD thing.

On that note, if you want I can shoot you a recipe for a tasty brown ale that I copped together a few months ago. It uses C60 and Brown Malt. Maybe a touch of Chocolate malt, but that can be removed and might actually improve the flavor. It's a simple, low-gravity English style brown that's a bit nuttier than a mild but too "rich" (though not at ALL cloying) to be a Northern English Brown. It's more of "generic" English brown with northern and southern influences though only Mild strength. Great lawnmower beer despite the color.