This post is one in a series of making small adjustments to a single recipe in order to improve it, learn more about the impact each ingredient has on the finished product, and the art of recipe creation. The rest of the series can be found here.

Author: C. McKenzie

The recipes for the brown ales being compared below are as follows:

Iteration 1 Iteration 2 2-row 75% 75% Crystal 60 9% 9% Victory 7% 7% Chocolate 4.5% 4.5% Biscuit 4.5% 4.5% Hop Addition 1 32 IBUs Nugget (60 min.) 23 IBUs Nugget (60 min.) Hop Addition 2 7 IBUs Nugget (20 min.) 16 IBUs Nugget (30 min.) Hop Addition 3 3.5 IBUs Willamette (5 min.) Yeast US-05 US-05 OG 1.063 1.064 FG 1.013 1.011 ABV 6.6% 6.96%

Appearance

Iteration 1 was clear with a persistent, white head. The color was a medium-dark brown.

Iteration 2 was clear with a white head that had incredible retention. The color was a medium brown (slightly lighter than Iteration 1).

Left: Iteration 2 | Right: Iteration 1

Aroma

Iteration 1 smelled foremost of chocolate and coffee. There were also notes of dark bread with a slight earthiness.

Iteration 2 had some aroma I couldn’t place that gave the perception of sweetness. The nose was most prominently nutty and bread-like. Additionally, there were earthy notes and a hint of fruitiness.

Taste

Iteration 1 had a full mouthfeel and tasted strongly of coffee and chocolate. There was a bread-crust character that was also prominent, but secondary to the coffee and chocolate notes.

Iteration 2 tasted of toasted bread crust and had slight earthy notes to it. There was also a slight cherry flavor along with a hint of coffee.

Final Thoughts

Iteration 1 was not clear when I had tasted it before (prior to the keg being empty). I had bottled this particular beer from the keg, so it had been sitting for a month or more after the keg was gone at the time of tasting. This time to clarify is interesting compared to the fact that Iteration 2 cleared up nicely before the keg was empty—and Iteration 1 sat on tap for a longer time than Iteration 2.

Iteration 1 had a fuller mouthfeel than Iteration 2, and neither beer had the alcohol warmth that I had perceived when Iteration 1 was still on tap. The difference in malt flavor, though, was stark, especially considering that I didn’t change the grain bill between these beers. Iteration 1 was had a noticeably stronger roast character, and Iteration 2 was significantly more bready. Both of these characteristics were too prominent in their respective beers. If I can get each of those flavors toned down without bringing out the other, I think that will be a significant step in the right direction for this brown ale.