Newcastle Brown

[Lobby Lobster]

Hi,

Today I am going to start a Brewcraft Newcastle Brown. Haven't tried one before but I am loving the Brewcraft range.

Thing is I'm not sure whether to use choc malt or light malt grain (or exactly how much). I have both on hand.

The intended guessed recipe is:

1.7kg Brewcraft Newcastle Brown can
1kg half 'n' half dry malt (light) / dextrose
18g fuggles pellets @30 min
18g goldings pellets @ 30 min
150g steeped grain malt - either choc or light
Kit yeast (some of my other Brewcraft brews have come out better with the kit yeast than a saf or a Muntons Gold)

Whaddya reckon?

Also, have I got the hop boil timings right?

Cheers

 

[manticle]

By light grain do you mean light crystal?

 

[Lobby Lobster]

By light grain do you mean light crystal?

Hi Manticle,

Oh, actually now that I'm reading the label it says 'Munich Malt' not light.

It's in grain form. Not sure what crystal is.

 

[manticle]

Munich malt should be mashed. I'd go the choc unless you can get some crystal. Crystal malt is caramelised malt and will add body and sweetness to a brew. In step with English Browns. Anything that says 'cara' before (eg carapils, caramunich etc) is also a crystal.

if you do go the choc though I wouldn't put in 150g - just 50 unless you want a roasty character. It's probably not necessary at all.

 

[Lobby Lobster]

Okay, yeah maybe I should cool down just leave the choc for stout.

I just like boiling things.

Cheers

 

[manticle]

Choc would be good for making a brown ale if you were using a pale base (eg extract or an appropriate pale kit). Because the kit is already brown, anything you add that's dark will make it browner.

 

[RobboMC]

Hi,

Today I am going to start a Brewcraft Newcastle Brown. Haven't tried one before but I am loving the Brewcraft range.

Thing is I'm not sure whether to use choc malt or light malt grain (or exactly how much). I have both on hand.

The intended guessed recipe is:

1.7kg Brewcraft Newcastle Brown can
1kg half 'n' half dry malt (light) / dextrose
18g fuggles pellets @30 min
18g goldings pellets @ 30 min
150g steeped grain malt - either choc or light
Kit yeast (some of my other Brewcraft brews have come out better with the kit yeast than a saf or a Muntons Gold)

Whaddya reckon?

Also, have I got the hop boil timings right?

Cheers

I reckon the boil times are too long, the kit is providing the bittering, yuo want flavour and aroma from those hops
you get flavour with 15-20 min boils and aroma from 5-10 min.

Personally I'd do fuggles @ 15 min and goldings @ 5 min.

and for what it's worth go back to the HBS and get some Crystal grain and steep that,
for a Newcastle brown it's well worth it.

 

[Lobby Lobster]

Cool. Thanks RobboMC.
Brewing got pushed back a bit so there is still time to get some crystal into the mix.

 

[mrmatt]

I'm interested to know how this turned out lobster

 

[Lobby Lobster]

I'm interested to know how this turned out lobster

Good question. I haven't tried it yet. I do my best to wait atleast 3 weeks before sampling so any day now....

I ended up buying a small pack of crystal rather than use the choc or munich. And I reduced the hop boil times as suggested by the forum.

I'll be sure to let you know how it went.

 

[Lobby Lobster]

She's over 6 weeks old now and I like it. Ready to drink I reckon. It won't last, BUT...

Twenty minutes ago I was ready to rave about how happy I am with it (cos I am), but after many a swish around on my tongue I am thinking it could have a bit more flavour.

My brew experience isn't such that I can identify how to best add a bit more bollocks to it, so any advice would be appreciated. I really don't think age will add much.

Here was my final recipe:

1.7 kg Brewcraft Newcastle Brown can
500g dextrose
660g dry light malt
160g crystal grain @ 30mins
17g Fuggles pellets @ 15
17g Goldings pellets @5
Kit yeast
14 days in the barrel (sorry, no gravity readings taken on this one)

Thanks for the earlier advice Manticle & RobboMC.

If anyone can shed some light on adding more flavour, I'll definately be keen to do many of these.

Cheers

 

[Lobby Lobster]

I just re-read this and owe it to you guys to retract my previous review.

It's tasteless. Don't know wtf I was drinking above but it can't have been this. Seriously don't bother. My brews have come a long way since and I won't be revisiting Newcastle Brown kits.

Just so you know.

 

[manticle]

It's called a developing palate and it's not a bad thing.