Help me design a Caramel Biscuit beer

[breakbeer]

Hi,

As per the title, I'd like help designing a beer that tastes like a Caramel Biscuit. I want loads of Caramel flavour without any roast flavours (or very minimal if possible).

First thing I need to decide on is the style, I'm thinking a Porter as it works well with chocolate flavours so why not caramel? Any other styles I should be considering?

As far as malts go, an obvious choice would be a fair whack of Biscuit malt, maybe up to 10%. What would be your suggestion for the base malt?

Then there's the caramel malts, which combo & how much? I've only ever used them in really small amounts & only 2 or 3 varieties. There seems to be so many to choose from. Keeping in mind I don't want it to taste like a roasted coffee biscuit

Could I use some of that Monin Caramel Syrup or something similar, at what stage would I add it?

Hops, here's where I've got no idea? I'd want them to be subtle but I still want the end product to taste like beer

Any suggestions, feedback or smart arsed comments welcome.

Cheers :beerbang:

 

[manticle]

Wey Vienna for base. Or munich. or both. Bready, bread crust, bit biscuity. Maris otter would be another choice.

Simpsons heritage crystal if it ever becomes available again - otherwise blend light, medium and dark (again simpsons is lovely).

 

[dicko]

You may be better aiming for an Amber Ale with english hops at alow ibu as a porter would be hard not to have at least some darker grains in the grist.

You may want to take some of your first runnings and boil it separately to reduce it and caramelise it a litre would probably do.
Victory or biscuit malt might be worth thinking about as well..

 

[breakbeer]

Wey Vienna for base. Or munich. or both. Bready, bread crust, bit biscuity. Maris otter would be another choice.

Simpsons heritage crystal if it ever becomes available again - otherwise blend light, medium and dark (again simpsons is lovely).

Awesome, I have both Vienna & Munich

Getting some Victory from the next BB, is it a good enough sub for Biscuit or should I just get some?

Thanks for the suggestion dicko, caramelising sounds like a good idea

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

I would be starting with a proper red ale. Use Carared, Cararoma, Vienna, munich etc.
Keep your hop additions to a single 60min addition and keep the ibu down below 25ibu.
Dont be under the impresion that biscuit malt will make your beer taste like a biscuit. As Dickp says, boil some of your runnings to caramelise it but dont go to far or it will end up like burnt toffee

Porter wont give you what you want.

 

[manticle]

Victory is a good sub although I prefer biscuit.
Makes me think of biscuits, toast and nuts in the finished beer. Won't make beer 'taste like a biscuit' but will give biscuit characteristics. Aromatic plays well with biscuit but use judiciously - powerful stuff.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Both biscuit and amber malts can overpower a beer.

 

[Acasta]

Have a look at this recipe. I have not brewed it myself unfortunately. They make use of amber candi sugar for the caramel taste and aroma, and talks a bit about how much to use and how it's made. I used the same candi sugar in an ESB type beer which was great, and the caramel came through very nicely.
If you are looking to add a biscuit taste, look at biscuit/victory malt as suggested. I have found that victory malt adds more of a savory biscuit taste and not too much of a cookie taste which I initially imagined, but it will still add to the beer.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/caramel-amber-ale-167880/

Also, you could look into toasted oats. I remember reading they were used in a biscuit beer I once tried.

 

[breakbeer]

Thanks for the link Acasta, that recipe has given me a great starting point!

Starting to think an Amber Ale might be better than a Porter

Will try to make some of that amber candi sugar this weekend

 

[boingk]

Careful on the biscuit malt, I've used up to about 5% in the past I think and it came through reasonably well in that, too, so wouldn't want a whole heap. I'll look up the exact recipe when I get a chance.

I'd also put some Amarillo in, especially in dryhop, as this will give you a bit of a rounded, 'golden syrup on toast' flavour that so many people enjoy. It should work well with the biscuit malt addition.

Cheers - boingk

 

[Helles]

A fair bit of Cara Munich gives lots of caramel