Lumberjack Ale - A new one

[ucflumberjack]

I just ordered some ingredients for a new beer. I have yet to find a brown ale that I really like, they all have things that I like about them, but none that I like completely. This one is supposed to be a brown ale kinda. Hopefully it will be malty like a brown, just a touch of roasty, a lighter touch of smokey, and with some hopefully balancing possible overpowering hoppiness. My gear can do partial mashes at 6#'s of grains at a time, hence the 6#'s base malt.

mini mash:
6# "M&F Mild (2row) British"

steep:
8oz "M&F Crystal (2row) British"
8oz "M&F Cara Pils (2row) British"
8oz "M&F Chocolate (2row) British"
2oz "Peated malt- Brittish"

boil:
3.3# Breiss Gold Extract
1oz east kent goldings, 60min
1oz east kent goldings, 20min
.5oz east kent goldings, 10min
2 tbsp. irish moss, 10min
.5oz east kent goldings, either at end of boil or in secondary

yeast:
11g. Windsor Ale

I might alter the hop schedule, and I might reduce the amount of the chocolate malt. Also im not sure if I should steep the specialty grains before or after the boil. I was thinking that I should steep the specialty grains in the water that I heat up for the mini-mash. It'll be a single infusion mash probably at 153, possibly higher or lower, I have to do some research becasue I cant remember which side of the temp range generates a more full-bodied final beer. If anybody knows it off the top of their head Id appreciate a quick refresher.... I was trying to go with mostly traditionally british brown ale stuff(british grains and hops and yeast) but plus the extra hoppiness and smokiness. Im not trying to fit any particular style since this one is not for competition or anything, just for my personal consumption.

Sidenote: I decided against the big buckwheat/scotch braggot for anybody that remembers that thread. Its still in the plans, but not for another while. I wanted something thats only beer so I can introduce a friend to brewing and have something readily drinkable withink six weeks. I will primary til fermentation is done, then secondary until clear, then bottle. Once its actually started I might put this one into the brewlog part of the forum, but maybe not, its just beer, generally nothing interesting happens during fermentation. Ill probably just add tasting notes to this thread when its done.


Any suggetions or evaluations would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ucflumberjack]

I just did some reading on howtobrew.com and decided that ill probably mash at 160, which means dough-in at 170. I get nervous about doughing in above the enzyme killing temps, even though you always lose a few degrees. I would just hate to waste grains and time. I might just dough in at 165 which should generate a mash around 155, sometims i take out some of the water and heat it up to like 200 and then dump it back in and mix it around alot and that seems to get the mash temp up a couple degrees each time i do it. I think that might be a better idea than starting to high.

 

[akueck]

160 is a really high mash temp. Why did you pick that, out of curiousity?

Fuggles is a good and popular hop choice for this sort of beer as well, fyi. Personally I wouldn't dry hop a brown, I would combine your last 1/2 oz addition with your dry hops and add them at 1-5 mins remaining instead.

1/2 lb chocolate is probably fine, especially since you're mashing high. I would suggest 156ish though instead of 160. I would steep the grains in the water you're going to dissolve the extract in, and combine with the wort from the mash in the kettle.

Irish moss is pretty much useless in a dark beer, since clarity is not a defining feature. I've more or less stopped adding it, and the beer clears fine but it takes a little longer.

Good luck. My next beer is also probably going to be a brown. :cheers:

 

[ucflumberjack]

hmmmmm.... i did it last night.... not sure why i chose it, i think i was thinking that it would give me somethign real malty with lots of body, but i think it will be to much, i am probably gonna go right in the middle with 153. and ill take your advice not to dry hop also. thanks for the response.