Recipe validation

[ThreeSheets]

Hi folks,

I don't make recipes often, I'm looking to make something biscuity/toasted with a classic hop. I'd appreciate if someone could verify and check the grain bill ratios are okay for what I'm trying to achieve? I'm trying to avoid red flags like too much specialty malt or over bitterness. Will have 4kg of Maris otter as a base and 1.5kg biscuit, 0.5kg brown porter malt

What yeast would you use for something like this too?

Recipe attached as beer XML and pdf

 

[dmtaylor]

Whew, that's an awful lot of biscuit malt. Usually about 100g is plenty biscuit. Maybe 200g if you really want a lot of it. Swap the rest of it for more Maris Otter.

Recipe looks tasty other than that. Or you could try using a ton of biscuit just as an experiment to see what happens. Might be pleasantly surprised, who knows. I have never used THAT much.

 

[Clarence]

I agree with @dmtaylor , the amount of biscuit is a bit scary. Not a great user of biscuit, but I've made a similar beer with Amber malt and brown ale malt and I think biscuit isn't dissimilar to amber. If it were me I'd go with half a kilo, but your version might be great.

 

[ThreeSheets]

Whew, that's an awful lot of biscuit malt. Usually about 100g is plenty biscuit. Maybe 200g if you really want a lot of it. Swap the rest of it for more Maris Otter.

Recipe looks tasty other than that. Or you could try using a ton of biscuit just as an experiment to see what happens. Might be pleasantly surprised, who knows. I have never used THAT much.

Okay wow I didn't realise I was that much in the red on biscuit, thanks so much. I usually follow recipes, but with allgrain I do want to experiment a bit more. I'll taste the grain when I've got it and decide on 100-200g.

I suppose too much might result in less biscuit taste and more toasted/burnt? Might see if there's any recipes that push the boat on it.

Thanks again, @dmtaylor @Clarence

 

[ThreeSheets]

I'll just add that I found this blog post on northern brewer that says upper limit at 10%, so I'll avoid passing 600g. Would be interesting to see a counter example

https://www.northernbrewer.com/blogs/beer-recipes-ingredients/ingredient-showcase-biscuit-malt

 

[dmtaylor]

Too much biscuit I think would taste like burnt biscuits, or would just be overpoweringly biscuity, if that is possible.

 

[Clarence]

In the Durden Park recipe book, there are two recipes for beers by the now defunct Cobb and Co. Both use an incredible amount of amber malt. (31% and 22% respectively) I've made the first one and it's very odd: a very dry tasting beer that leaves you more thirsty than when you started. It mellows with age, but is certainly an acquired taste. I think amber and biscuit not are not very dissimilar; the former being English and the latter being the Belgian take on much the same thing (I'm sure someone will disagree in due course).
It pays to experiment, but not with full batches. Five to ten litres is plenty for a complete shot in the dark.

Edit:
Some of their recipes, 107 and 109 for example use around 30% each of amber and brown malt's. I've made a couple from this section and I certainly wouldn't want to repeat them.

 

[Damnyank]

Like the other said, that is a bit of biscuit but I would go for it if this is your first shot at this recipe. I might even throw a pinch of honey malt in there just because. As far as yeast goes, maybe an s-04 at 17C (am I converting right?) so you're not getting much esters. It's your first time with it! Go crazy! Take good notes though!!!

 

[The Baron]

I concur to use biscuit malt in small amounts 100-200g is more than enough in my world as it can give strong tastes to a ale/bitter

 

[Tommo 2]

I think a Nottingham yeast would be good in this

 

[ThreeSheets]

Like the other said, that is a bit of biscuit but I would go for it if this is your first shot at this recipe. I might even throw a pinch of honey malt in there just because. As far as yeast goes, maybe an s-04 at 17C (am I converting right?) so you're not getting much esters. It's your first time with it! Go crazy! Take good notes though!!!

S-04 was my exact selection, good guesser! I'll probably control a bit higher than 17, we'll see though!

 

[ThreeSheets]

In the Durden Park recipe book, there are two recipes for beers by the now defunct Cobb and Co. Both use an incredible amount of amber malt. (31% and 22% respectively) I've made the first one and it's very odd: a very dry tasting beer that leaves you more thirsty than when you started. It mellows with age, but is certainly an acquired taste. I think amber and biscuit not are not very dissimilar; the former being English and the latter being the Belgian take on much the same thing (I'm sure someone will disagree in due course).
It pays to experiment, but not with full batches. Five to ten litres is plenty for a complete shot in the dark.

Edit:
Some of their recipes, 107 and 109 for example use around 30% each of amber and brown malt's. I've made a couple from this section and I certainly wouldn't want to repeat them.

Funny story, reminds me of a microbrewery rye beer that I had last year, had way too much rye and felt very dry and spicy.

Yeah I agree, small batches are for the experiments, but I have little time to experiment at the minute, parenting has eaten up loads of spare time. Tend to do bigger batches and take a day off work just to do them, not risking a flavour nightmare!

 

[Clarence]

Yeah I agree, small batches are for the experiments, but I have little time to experiment at the minute, parenting has eaten up loads of spare time. Tend to do bigger batches and take a day off work just to do them, not risking a flavour nightmare!

Quite agree. Brewing is for making beer to drink- as well and as efficiently as possible.
Experimentation is a labour of love for when the kids have flown the coop and one has a bit of time for oneself.
Small batches because by the time we've got this far, we pretty much know what we're doing and the number of experiments is limited by the amount of beer we can drink and share.

Now there's a heretical thought: Beer as a burdensome bye-product of the process of experimenting with new recipes and processes.