This recipe kind of a straddles the line between a brown ale and a porter, but those categories are quite close already...so whatever! I wanted a session strength, yet robust ale that leaves you wanting more, and then lets you be able to have it.
Lil' Brown Bastard - brewed October 11, 2014 (4 gallons post boil)
- 2-Row: 5 lbs - Light Munich: 1 lb - C-60: 8 oz - C-120: 4 oz - Pale Chocolate: 3 oz - Midnight Wheat: 3 oz - Columbus hops: 1/3 oz @ 60 - Willamette hops: 1/2 oz @ 20 - Wyeast 1968 slurry
OG 1.050 - IBU 22 - 4.5% ABV
This just hit the tap, and early impressions are excellent! Deep brown color with ruby highlights. It's got a smooth malty and slightly roasty initial taste with dark baking chocolate undertones (so kind of stout-y perhaps?) . no astringency or coffee-ness detected (soooo NOT stout-y). Oh, the aromas are exactly the same too. Nothing hiding here! I really gotta profess my new found love of WY1968 for these lower gravity beers, as the body and mouthfeel for this (much like Session IPAs are Bull$#!t) is wonderful. I've had "pro" beers pushing 6% ABV that were thin, watery, and lifeless. Unacceptable when this yeast is so readily available and awesome. Thank you Fullers! But I digress. Despite not having a clearly defined home on the BJCP guidelines, Lil' Brown most definitely will have a special place in my rotation. At this point, I honestly don't see the need for much tweaking. MAYBE a few more ounces of C-60 to push out a little more toffee?