Brown malt

[Simonh82]

I was given 500g of brown malt at the Muttons stand at Brew Con last year. I've never used it before. I know it's used in traditional porter recipes but I wasn't planning on making one of these at the moment. Any other suggestions for how I could use it? Could I use it in smaller quantities in a bitter?

 

[Gunge]

My last but one brew contained 300g brown malt. Not sure quite what I was trying to achieve but the beer is gorgeous and in distinctly un-Gunge style I'm gonna make it again, or something very similar. First time I've used it too. It has a pronounced flavour of coffee and toast together if you can imagine that, and I've got a beer which is quite a departure from the stuff I make. But it is still a bitter! A better bit o bitter! Can't understand why it isn't more popular tbh but I wouldn't go much, if at all more than I used as I think it would be overpowering.

 

[Gunge]

So.... no one else got owt to say about brown malt?? S'pose it just shows how 'obscure' it is but you guys don't know what you're missing. Ah well it's your loss.. I'll have it all!

 

[Bigcol49]

 

[Simonh82]

I'll definitely use it in something. I've got to decide where I go with my next brew but I'm sure it will find a use sooner or later.

 

[IainM]

I've used it a few times to good effect. First was a maxi-BIAB English Bitter:

4.3kg MO
0.23kg crystal
115g brown
0.23kg aromatic
34g EKG (5%) @ 60min
14g EKG (5%) @ 20min
14g EKG (5%) @ flameout
WLP002 English Ale

The next was a The Kernel Imperial Brown Stout in the Mikkeller book. I screwed it up, but can fish out the recipe if you like. The third recipe I did was Dogma from DIY-Dog, a Scottish wee heavy fermented with a lager yeast, which has a complex malt bill but turned into a really smooth indulgent beer.

 

[Covrich]

I have got some for a porter, will have some left over but will try it in something else

Worth cold steeping? or just bung it in.

 

[terrym]

What about a stout or a double stout?
http://beersmithrecipes.com/viewrecipe/50620/fullers-double-stout

 

[peebee]

I was given 500g of brown malt at the Muttons stand at Brew Con last year. I've never used it before. I know it's used in traditional porter recipes but I wasn't planning on making one of these at the moment. Any other suggestions for how I could use it? Could I use it in smaller quantities in a bitter?

You'd be wrong thinking "brown malt" is for traditional porter recipes. Traditional porter was made from a particular style of malt that you can't get. You can tell the difference by the name, the traditional stuff was called "brown malt" ... ah.

So absolutely try brown malt in bitter. I haven't as yet but probably will. It does have a particular strong flavour so keep it down to under 100-150g in a 23L batch. Brown, like Amber (also worth a try in bitter), is a relative newcomer to modern malts and there may well be considerable variation between manufactures (Simpson's Amber Malt is radically different to Warminster's Amber Malt). As with Amber malt you can replace all or some of the crystal malt used in recipes, diluting the caramel flavours while emphasising the roast flavours).

 

[Simonh82]

You'd be wrong thinking "brown malt" is for traditional porter recipes. Traditional porter was made from a particular style of malt that you can't get. You can tell the difference by the name, the traditional stuff was called "brown malt" ... ah.

So absolutely try brown malt in bitter. I haven't as yet but probably will. It does have a particular strong flavour so keep it down to under 100-150g in a 23L batch. Brown, like Amber (also worth a try in bitter), is a relative newcomer to modern malts and there may well be considerable variation between manufactures (Simpson's Amber Malt is radically different to Warminster's Amber Malt). As with Amber malt you can replace all or some of the crystal malt used in recipes, diluting the caramel flavours while emphasising the roast flavours).

Thanks, I'm aware that the modern brown malt isn't the same as traditional brown malt. I believe the old malt was made in wood fired kilns so was probably smoky as well as roasty.

I've had mixed success with Amber malt, the first time I used it it gave me a great malty beer. Subsequent uses have never had the same impact.

 

[rats_eyes]

I've used it in porter and stout with good results. I think my favourite was a version of 1811 whitbread porter using this recipe from Ron Pattinson's site...
http://barclayperkins.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/lets-brew-wednesday-1811-whitbread.html

There's no reason this couldn't work in a bitter, though i don't know how much. give it a go.

 

[ACBEV]

Oh brown malt is fab! I've used it in milds, porters and stouts.

One of my fav. beers uses a lot of brown malt... Its a kinda Stout/Porter...
2850 g Pale Ale Malt 67.9%
700 g Brown Malt 16.7%
375 g Black Malt 8.9%
75 g Oat Malt 1.8%
200 g Wheat Malt 4.8%
OG: 1.043
FG: 1.011
ABV: 4.2%
IBU: 30
Hops: Either Goldings or Bramling Cross. Fuggles are good too.

 

[ACBEV]

Adding to my post above... Some people don't like the astringent, smoky, burnt coffee taste of black malt. I have substituted black malt for Carafa III (Dehusked) in the past, it give a smoother less astringent taste. Also I've used Dingemans special B as a substitute for black malt, it give a heavy caremel/raisin flavour without bitterness. So if your not into roasty toasty bitter beer, then these malts can be used instead of black malt.

 

[peebee]

Adding to my post above... Some people don't like the astringent, smoky, burnt coffee taste of black malt. I have substituted black malt for Carafa III (Dehusked) in the past, it give a smoother less astringent taste. Also I've used Dingemans special B as a substitute for black malt, it give a heavy caremel/raisin flavour without bitterness. So if your not into roasty toasty bitter beer, then these malts can be used instead of black malt.

Special B is a big disappointment. Hopes are raised with the "book" description of "caramel/raisin" flavours but it never meets the expectation. UK produced "high colour" and "extra high colour" crystal malts (200-400 EBC) don't have the snappy names but knock "Special B" into touch for flavour.

Not saying "Special B" doesn't have its place, but if looking for strong "caramel/raisin" flavours, look closer to home.

None of them bear any flavour resemblance to "black malt", but if you don't like black malt then why not use them as a substitute.

 

[ACBEV]

@peebee... Yes of course your right crystal 200/400 are fab and would be an excellent choice for those not liking astringent flavours. I was just pointing out what I'd done in the distant past. I think it was remiss of me not pointing out UK crystal alternatives, especially as I mostly (almost always) use UK malts in my brewing, including a gamut of UK crystal.

 

[Simonh82]

I've got lots of dark crystal malt in stock including Special B, Cara Aroma and UK dark crystal. I've made a few beers recently attempting to make a really good hoppy red ale with a lot of malty flavour but no burnt/acrid taste from highly roasted malts. I've tended to pile in the dark crystal grains into these, athough I think I overdid it with the last one.

I'm a particularly big fan of the Cara Aroma, although more for the really roasty malt favour it imparts without the harshness of some roast malts. When I first started using it I didn't realise it was actually a crystal malt.

 

[Gunge]

I'm planning a red ale for the next brew. I'm going with 375g Special Red X, 200g CaraMunich and 20g black malt to achieve the desired hue. All made up in my head and subject to change twixt now and then!

 

[BeerisGOD]

i used brown malt as I wanted more chocolate, and a milder texture in my second from last batch. just a shame I used out of date mauribrew yeast which didn't do the beer justice, maybe more time will help.
was gonna use some today but its more an APA which im not sure it would go well with, but like many brewing ideas, you wont know until you tried..

yes Covrich, I cold steeped. I do thius with most specialty grains to save more space in my main kettle

 

[Gunge]

Oh brown malt is fab! I've used it in milds, porters and stouts.

One of my fav. beers uses a lot of brown malt... Its a kinda Stout/Porter...
2850 g Pale Ale Malt 67.9%
700 g Brown Malt 16.7%
375 g Black Malt 8.9%
75 g Oat Malt 1.8%
200 g Wheat Malt 4.8%
OG: 1.043
FG: 1.011
ABV: 4.2%
IBU: 30
Hops: Either Goldings or Bramling Cross. Fuggles are good too.

I never copy anyone's recipes but that sounds so good I'm going to make an exception. All I'll change is the substitution of flaked barley for the wheat malt cos I don't like it. Thanks!