English Brown Ale
English Brown Ale · 5 gallons
A malt-forward session beer with caramel, toffee, and nutty flavors. Easy to brew, easy to drink, and a great introduction to darker beers.
Ingredients
Grains & Extracts
Steeped — adds caramel and toffee
Steeped — adds color and subtle chocolate
Hops
Yeast
Safale S-04 (English Ale) or Wyeast 1968 London ESB
Instructions
Heat 3 gallons of water to 155°F. Steep Crystal 60L and Chocolate Malt for 20 minutes.
Remove grain bag. Bring to a boil. Stir in Amber LME.
Add 1 oz East Kent Goldings at boil start (60 min).
Add 0.5 oz Fuggle at 45 minutes (15 min remaining).
Add 0.5 oz East Kent Goldings at 55 minutes (5 min remaining).
Cool to 65°F. Transfer to fermenter. Top to 5 gallons.
Pitch yeast. Ferment at 64-68°F for 2 weeks.
Bottle with 2/3 cup corn sugar. Condition 2-3 weeks.
Brewer's Tips
English Brown Ale is all about the malt. Don't over-hop this beer.
Use slightly less priming sugar for a lower carbonation level, true to English style.
S-04 yeast can flocculate fast — if gravity is still high after 1 week, gently swirl the fermenter.
This beer benefits from a few weeks of conditioning. It mellows and smooths out.
Serve at cellar temperature (50-55°F) for the best flavor profile.