Dark Brown Ale v1.0

After a few months of quiet contemplation and sort of licking my wounds from the last 2 batches (sucks when things don’t quite work out the way you intended) I’ve decided that its time to let the world know which beer is being made next by Henley’s. I present to you v1.0 of a Dark Brown Ale.

Recipe:

1. 5kg Pale malt
2. 800g Crystal malt (40L)

3. 300g Chocolate wheat malt
4. 25g Southern Promise hops (60min)
5. 12.5g Southern Promise hops (10min)
6. 1 packet Safale English ale yeast

The recipe made around 23L of beer.

Fermented in the primary for 2 weeks @ roughly 18C (its winter in the Western Cape) and bottle conditioned for a further 2 weeks. 

Proposed changes to process:

For the next batch I will reduce the amount of chocolate wheat malt and introduce a secondary fermenter after the 3rd week. I would like this beer to clear out as much as possible. 

Tasting notes:
This is a very dark beer. A little darker than intended. I would say that it is closer in colour to a stout than a brown ale. I’ve not had a porter before so I cannot compare it to that. 

The nose is pretty interesting. I get a chocolaty nose that is quite pleasant. A slight hint of coffee as well.

The sweet malt flavours are offset with the very bitter Southern Promise hops. I quite enjoy this batch but some of my friends and colleagues have mentioned that it is a little too bitter for them. 

As a dark beer I have found that is quite heavy. The taste is great but I don’t think that I would be able to drink this beer all night long. Hopefully the adjustments that I’m going to make with the amount of chocolate wheat malt will remedy this.

This is my first all grain beer. Not to brag or anything but I’m rather impressed with myself. Here’s to many more!!