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American Dark Strong Ale


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#1 positiveContact

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Posted 24 February 2015 - 09:13 AM

This is something I've been thinking of doing since I made my pliny clone (which is delicious by the way).  There is a guy I work with who isn't what I would call a connoisseur of beer but he does love it and loves drinking it.  He does not like overly hoppy styles and he tends to gravitate towards darker styles (browns, porters) that also happen to be high in alcohol (I believe he enjoys the effect :lol:).  One of his favorite beers is shed mountain ale.  I'm not looking to clone it but I'm considering it's qualities when I form this beer that I'm hoping my friend will enjoy.

 

So I'd shoot for something like 1.070-1.075 (I know not huge but I don't want any 10% monster beers around the house b/c I'll go ahead and drink them :lol:)

 

I typically make 10 gallon batches so that's what I'd do.

 

?   lbs 2-row Pale

1.00 lbs Crystal 80

3.00 lbs White Wheat Malt

1.00 lbs Pale Chocolate

?   lbs Chocolate Wheat or dehusked something or other (depends on what I have on hand, this is mostly for color adjustment)

1.25 lbs table sugar

 

mash at 151F

 

I'll adjust the 2-row Pale to get me to the right gravity.  I'll adjust the Chocolate Wheat to get my SRM to about 16-17.

 

I'm thinking something like 45 IBUs total.

 

? oz of nugget @ 60 mins

1 oz of nugget @ 5 mins

1 oz of mt. hood @ 5 mins

2 oz of palisade @ 0 mins

 

ferment on 2 packets of US-05

 

I obviously still have to work out some of the details but this would be a fairly new direction for me in that I've never really brewed anything quite like it.


Edited by Evil_Morty, 24 February 2015 - 09:21 AM.


#2 Poptop

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Posted 24 February 2015 - 01:22 PM

Evil, you're sorta makin something a little like but not like Janet's Brown??? https://www.homebrew...nets-brown-ale/ Your thread inspires me some in that I'm working up a recipe for this Sunday that started with Janet. I want to make one last heavier dark beer and I like where you are heading. My design is currently aiming at a 1.076 OG. Will be interesting to see what you come up with.

#3 HVB

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Posted 24 February 2015 - 01:28 PM

Evil, you're sorta makin something a little like but not like Janet's Brown??? https://www.homebrew...nets-brown-ale/ Your thread inspires me some in that I'm working up a recipe for this Sunday that started with Janet. I want to make one last heavier dark beer and I like where you are heading. My design is currently aiming at a 1.076 OG. Will be interesting to see what you come up with.

I knew it looked familiar to me.  Thanks for pointing that out.  Now I can stop looking through recipes.



#4 positiveContact

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Posted 24 February 2015 - 01:28 PM

Evil, you're sorta makin something a little like but not like Janet's Brown??? https://www.homebrew...nets-brown-ale/ Your thread inspires me some in that I'm working up a recipe for this Sunday that started with Janet. I want to make one last heavier dark beer and I like where you are heading. My design is currently aiming at a 1.076 OG. Will be interesting to see what you come up with.

 

looks like a great recipe but I def want to dry it out more.  I'm also thinking about adding more hops...

 

eta: I have never seen that recipe before btw - this is all from the ole noggin.


Edited by Evil_Morty, 24 February 2015 - 01:29 PM.


#5 HVB

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Posted 24 February 2015 - 01:31 PM

so what are you thinking, about 22#'s of base malt and maybe .25-.5 of carafa special?



#6 positiveContact

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Posted 24 February 2015 - 01:35 PM

so what are you thinking, about 22#'s of base malt and maybe .25-.5 of carafa special?

 

probably somewhere in that realm.  I have to put it all into my spreadsheet to know for sure.



#7 positiveContact

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Posted 24 February 2015 - 01:40 PM

so part of the pliny inspiration here was when I was drinking the pliny before the second dry hopping.  it had so much body but was not sweet.  really enjoyable.  I'm hoping I can get something similar but with some moderate roasted and caramel type flavors.  I want some hop presence but I'm not going to go too nuts b/c this beer will be around for a while anyway and the aroma is going to fade.


Edited by Evil_Morty, 24 February 2015 - 01:40 PM.


#8 Poptop

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Posted 24 February 2015 - 01:41 PM

And you are not looking for too bitter from any of the malts right? Malty smooth, not bitter?

#9 positiveContact

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Posted 24 February 2015 - 02:00 PM

And you are not looking for too bitter from any of the malts right? Malty smooth, not bitter?

 

I would say balanced so yeah, not bitter.  a little complexity from the pale chocolate and crystal is welcome as well but I don't want this beer to seem like a porter or anything.



#10 neddles

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Posted 24 February 2015 - 02:01 PM

so part of the pliny inspiration here was when I was drinking the pliny before the second dry hopping.  it had so much body but was not sweet.  really enjoyable.  

I feel like hops add a bit of body to those big beers. Not sure if it is the oils or tannins or if I am just crazy.

 

Will also add that Janet's Brown has been on my long list of beers to make someday as well.



#11 positiveContact

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Posted 24 February 2015 - 02:02 PM

I feel like hops add a bit of body to those big beers. Not sure if it is the oils or tannins or if I am just crazy.

 

Will also add that Janet's Brown has been on my long list of beers to make someday as well.

 

that could be it.  the beer had already been pretty well slammed with hops at that point.



#12 Poptop

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Posted 24 February 2015 - 02:05 PM

Besides Jamil's description in BCS, there are so many great reviews of Janet's Brown. My design will be around 30 SRM through Chocolate Malt, 120 and 40 and a pinch of Midnight Wheat. WLP001 slurry, Magnum, Simcoe and Motueka.

#13 positiveContact

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Posted 25 February 2015 - 09:44 AM

I'm thinking of maybe using brown sugar instead of table but I'm not sure it's worth it.  I've only used table sugar, molasses and treacle.  I've found the molasses and treacle to lend a little more flavor than I'd like but maybe the small amount that is in brown sugar would be fine.  or alternatively I could just use table sugar and a little bit of molasses.



#14 Poptop

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Posted 25 February 2015 - 11:08 AM

I like using Turbinado or Piloncilo crystal sugar. They lends a rummy flavor and add color. When I use sugar of any kind, I collect some run-off and then boil that with the sugar and add to the kettle. I'm in agreement about incorporating some to dry out the batch a bit. I have a pound addition in the recipe I'm working on.

#15 positiveContact

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Posted 25 February 2015 - 11:12 AM

I like using Turbinado or Piloncilo crystal sugar. They lends a rummy flavor and add color. When I use sugar of any kind, I collect some run-off and then boil that with the sugar and add to the kettle. I'm in agreement about incorporating some to dry out the batch a bit. I have a pound addition in the recipe I'm working on.

 

I hate how turbinado or similar is so expensive compared to regular granulated sugar.  by all accounts it should cost less since they processed it less but they are totally just taking advantage of the "natural" crowd since they can call it "raw".



#16 Poptop

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Posted 25 February 2015 - 11:25 AM

Not sure where you live but if you can find a South American market, you should be able to score a 'puck' of Piloncillo, which is generally a couple -3 bucks. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panela I'm going to get my water measured out and my hops weighed out tonight. American Dark Strong Ale on Sunday (hopefully).

#17 positiveContact

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Posted 25 February 2015 - 11:27 AM

Not sure where you live but if you can find a South American market, you should be able to score a 'puck' of Piloncillo, which is generally a couple -3 bucks. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panela I'm going to get my water measured out and my hops weighed out tonight. American Dark Strong Ale on Sunday (hopefully).

 

I guess I should check the international food aisle at the grocery store.  sometimes they surprise me.



#18 Poptop

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Posted 25 February 2015 - 11:31 AM

Worth a shot. So when are you brewing this batch?

#19 positiveContact

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Posted 25 February 2015 - 11:36 AM

Worth a shot. So when are you brewing this batch?

 

unclear at this point - I think the ayinger dunkel clone is getting done first.  then maybe this followed by the Hennepin like beer I want to do after that.



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Posted 26 February 2015 - 01:57 PM

Evil, you're sorta makin something a little like but not like Janet's Brown??? https://www.homebrew...nets-brown-ale/ Your thread inspires me some in that I'm working up a recipe for this Sunday that started with Janet. I want to make one last heavier dark beer and I like where you are heading. My design is currently aiming at a 1.076 OG. Will be interesting to see what you come up with.

 

so looking at this again a few things pop out at me.

 

1) that's a lot of carapils and crystal!  how would a beer like this get dried out appropriately?

2) they really nail it with hops which I like but I'm going to be a little more reserved this time.  I am considering adding a little of my homegrown cascade since it's fairly subtle (read: not as intense as pro grown and processed stuff)

3) I think I'm on the right track in terms of amount of chocolate malt (even though mine is pale chocolate) and the use of wheat malt

 

but back to my recipe:

do you guys think this will have an appropriate amount of body?  I don't want it to be thin but I also DO NOT want it to be sweet.


Edited by Evil_Morty, 26 February 2015 - 01:57 PM.



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