Recipe Check: Golden Biscuit Ale

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-Bezza-

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HOME BREW RECIPE:
Title: Golden Biscuit Ale
Author: -Bezza-

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: British Golden Ale
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 19 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 23 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.035
Efficiency: 65% (brew house)


STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.043
Final Gravity: 1.008
ABV (standard): 4.52%
IBU (tinseth): 36.08
SRM (morey): 7.38
Mash pH: 5.69

FERMENTABLES:
3 kg - Maris Otter Pale (75%)
0.5 kg - Biscuit (12.5%)
0.5 kg - Carapils (12.5%)

HOPS:
10 g - Chinook, Type: Pellet, AA: 12.9, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 19.69
10 g - Citra, Type: Pellet, AA: 13.5, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 10.22
15 g - Citra, Type: Pellet, AA: 13.5, Use: Boil for 5 min, IBU: 6.16

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
0.25 each - Protofloc, Time: 15 min, Type: Fining, Use: Boil

YEAST:
Fermentis / Safale - American Ale Yeast US-05

My first attempt at designing a recipe. Looking to produce a refreshing golden ale for summer quaffing, highlighting the biscuit malt but offsetting against a gentle bitterness and some gentle citrus notes. Not wanting to go big on the hop aroma, just a hint. Hoping for an easy-drinking session beer.

Been missing my targets a bit on the last few brews, so assuming brewhouse efficiency of 65%. Whatever happens, something between 4% and 5% will be fine.

Water will be adjusted for 20ppm alkalinity.

Any thoughts or suggestions?
 
Looks a nice recipe, might give it a go myself as we've drunk enough Summer Lightning over the last ten days to re-float the Titanic and it's a bit too strong for that (must be losing my edge!)
My only observation is why is the Style called "British Golden Ale" when it uses 100% US hops!
 
Looks a nice recipe, might give it a go myself as we've drunk enough Summer Lightning over the last ten days to re-float the Titanic and it's a bit too strong for that (must be losing my edge!)
My only observation is why is the Style called "British Golden Ale" when it uses 100% US hops!

Haha, good observation! Two reasons for that: Firstly, I've designed the recipe based on what hops I have in the freezer, which happen to be American. Secondly, Brewers Friend is a little annoying in the categories of beer it offers and British Golden Ale is the closest I could find. I'm sure CAMRA will be issuing me with a summons shortly.
 
Ha, my observation was tongue in cheek. These style guidelines come from an American beer judging manual:
Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP)
Here's an except from the relevant style:
Aroma:
Hop aroma is moderately low to moderately high, and
can use any variety of hops –
floral, herbal, or earthy English
hops and citrusy American hops are most common. Frequently
a single hop varietal will be showcased. Little to no malt aroma;
no caramel. Medium-
low to low fruity aroma from the hops
rather than esters. Little to no diacetyl
 
Ha, my observation was tongue in cheek. These style guidelines come from an American beer judging manual:
Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP)
Here's an except from the relevant style:
Aroma:
Hop aroma is moderately low to moderately high, and
can use any variety of hops –
floral, herbal, or earthy English
hops and citrusy American hops are most common. Frequently
a single hop varietal will be showcased. Little to no malt aroma;
no caramel. Medium-
low to low fruity aroma from the hops
rather than esters. Little to no diacetyl

So hops are allowed but the biscuit malt might be a problem, as I'm definitely looking for a bit of the malty caramel flavours to be there. I was actually toying with the idea of adding a bit of a munich or vienna.
 
If 'gentle bitterness' is what you want then Chinook isn't the place to get it. Got any Magnum or Challenger in the freezer?
 
If 'gentle bitterness' is what you want then Chinook isn't the place to get it. Got any Magnum or Challenger in the freezer?

I haven't but happy to pick up 50g from Cross My Loof - Magnum looks like it might be marginally more appropriate if Challenger supposedly has some floral notes. Or I could use Citra for bittering too?
 
I haven't but happy to pick up 50g from Cross My Loof - Magnum looks like it might be marginally more appropriate if Challenger supposedly has some floral notes. Or I could use Citra for bittering too?
Magnum would be the choice if you have neither already. I use it in lagers and ales for bittering and it is very smooth. With such a big hitter as Citra providing the flavour I'm sure you wouldn't pick up any flavour from either Magnum or Challenger at 60 minutes.
 
My pale ale falls into the British Golden Ale style and it would back up your hunch of using Munich instead of biscuit, but I have toyed with adding 5% biscuit malt to this brew.

Base malt, I orginally used GEB Irish Pale Malt and now using Simpsons Golden Promise.
15% Munich II or 30% Vienna
8% malted wheat

East Kent Goldings or Admiral at 60 min to give a total of 30 IBUs once the late additions are accounted for.
1 g/L East Kent Goldings at 15 min
2 g/L East Kent Goldings / Saas (1:2) at 0 min

Grams per litre are based on batch size, so for my 15L batches it's 15g EKG followed by 10g EKG and 20g Saaz. Your citra version sounds very tasty and I've been thinking of trying some US or NZ hops in this.

This was originally a saison recipe based on the advice from Farmhouse Ales, the hop character was nice so I recently made it into a pale ale with Wyeast 1469 West Yorkshire and my mate has a batch fermenting now with Hornindal Kveik. The saison was 6% from a 1.054 wort, I brew the pale ale around 4.5% from 1.045.

Hope that helps.
 
Last edited:
My pale ale falls into the British Golden Ale style and it would back up your hunch of using Munich instead of biscuit, but I have toyed with adding 5% biscuit malt to this brew.

Base malt, I orginally used GEB Irish Pale Malt and now using Simpsons Golden Promise.
15% Munich II or 30% Vienna
8% malted wheat

East Kent Goldings or Admiral to give a total of 30 IBUs
1 g/L East Kent Goldings at 15 min
2 g/L East Kent Goldings / Saas (1:2) at 0 min

Grams per litre are based on batch size, so for my 15L batches it's 15g EKG followed by 10g EKG and 20g Saaz. Your citra version sounds very tasty and I've been thinking of trying some US or NZ hops in this.

This was originally a saison recipe based on the advice from Farmhouse Ales, the hop character was nice so I recently made it into a pale ale with Wyeast 1469 West Yorkshire and my mate has a batch fermenting now with Hornindal Kveik. The saison was 6% from a 1.054 wort, I brew the pale ale around 4.5% from 1.045.

Hope that helps.

Thanks for that - encouraging to hear that I'm on the right track.

I was thinking of adding a bit of Munich on top of the Biscuit. The Biscuit is staying because a) I have 500g in stock and b) I want the caramel sweetness to be there. I guess my Carapils is taking on the role of your Wheat.

Your hop additions are interesting - the first time the beer sees a hop is at 15mins? Are you doing a short boil too? You've got me wondering whether I should think about a 30 min boil for this one.
 
Thanks for that - encouraging to hear that I'm on the right track.

I was thinking of adding a bit of Munich on top of the Biscuit. The Biscuit is staying because a) I have 500g in stock and b) I want the caramel sweetness to be there. I guess my Carapils is taking on the role of your Wheat.

Your hop additions are interesting - the first time the beer sees a hop is at 15mins? Are you doing a short boil too? You've got me wondering whether I should think about a 30 min boil for this one.
Glad I could be some help, I've never actually used biscuit malt but I hear it can be quite assertive, should go well with the Munich, I'd probably start at 5% even if that means your 500g is going to last a while, but 10% might be fine if that's what you want to try.

Yeah, at 8% the wheat's probably not giving much character so carapils will do much the same.

Oops, the first line of my hops was a bit vague, I've edited it to clarify but I add a bittering charge of admiral at 60 min so I hit about 30 IBU in the end. The original saison got EKG for bittering as that's what the book suggested and I hadn't started using Admiral at the time.
 
Glad I could be some help, I've never actually used biscuit malt but I hear it can be quite assertive, should go well with the Munich, I'd probably start at 5% even if that means your 500g is going to last a while, but 10% might be fine if that's what you want to try.

Yeah, at 8% the wheat's probably not giving much character so carapils will do much the same.

Oops, the first line of my hops was a bit vague, I've edited it to clarify but I add a bittering charge of admiral at 60 min so I hit about 30 IBU in the end. The original saison got EKG for bittering as that's what the book suggested and I hadn't started using Admiral at the time.

I did wonder if I'd gone a bit big on the biscuit. I've also not used it before but heard good things about it and tasted it in a commercial brew. I'm also toying with the idea of a "Campfire Stout" (tiny bit of smoked, biscuit, munich, vanilla, lactose) so can roll it into that if I don't use it.

Makes a bit more sense on the hops!
 
I'd be inclined to follow the original plan. if you want to try biscuit malt, then have a go. It's only about 50 ebc so half a kilo won't colour your ale too much and you're not going to get a clear idea of what it tastes like if you chuck it in a stout with all that other stuff. I think I agree with what Foxbat says about the Chinook- an alternative would be to go all Citra.
 
Looks good, but as above I'd go for a more neutral bittering hop like Magnum.
Your's is very similar to the one I'll be brewing for my wedding. I love using Vienna or Munich in my english ales.

Marris Otter
8% Vienna
8% Wheat Malt
7% Carmalt (for a little colour and sweetness)

Hops are Northdown for bittering, then EKG and Fuggles at 15 and 5 minutes.

I've been using Wyeast 1318 recently and really like the fruity esters it gives.

I was tempted to replace the english hops for Citra, but the OH says she like this one too much so don't change it...so I won't be (there's a different hoppy one already)
 
HOME BREW RECIPE:
Title: Golden Biscuit Ale
Author: -Bezza-

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: Britishish Golden Ale
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 19 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 23 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.040
Efficiency: 65% (brew house)


STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.048
Final Gravity: 1.012
ABV (standard): 4.78%
IBU (tinseth): 38.24
SRM (morey): 7.78
Mash pH: 5.69

FERMENTABLES:
3.5 kg - Maris Otter Pale (77.8%)
0.5 kg - Biscuit (11.1%)
0.5 kg - Carapils (11.1%)

HOPS:
10 g - Magnum, Type: Pellet, AA: 12, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 17.59
15 g - Citra, Type: Pellet, AA: 13.5, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 14.73
15 g - Citra, Type: Pellet, AA: 13.5, Use: Boil for 5 min, IBU: 5.92

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
0.25 each - Protofloc, Time: 15 min, Type: Fining, Use: Boil

YEAST:
Mangrove Jack - Liberty Bell Ale M36

Updated recipe above - need to wait for my FV to become available so still plenty of time to make revisions.

Changed bittering hops to Magnum,
Changed yeast to Liberty Bell as it sounds like it might just give a touch more flavour than S-05 and, apparently, give a slightly higher FG.
Added a bit more MO to ease the biscuit back slightly and to give a bit more alcohol in the final beer (also on account of the M36).
Changed style to Britishish Golden Ale, on account of US hops and some continental malts.

Not sure what the AA% of the Magnum will be (CML give a range, elsewhere says it's as low as 9.5% in 2018) so will adjust that once purchased.

Designing beers is a lot more fun than just buying a pre-weighed kit.
 
Agreed - i really like playing around with recipes, what i think it will taste like vs. what it actually tastes like, and how i would change it next time.

FWIW, St Austell Tribute is 80% pale malt and 20% Munich, so I think you're already on the right track.

I've had a couple of beers recently with what i think was Chinook as a finishing hop - Bingham's Viennese Whirl (a pale ale made with Vienna btw), and William's Joker IPA.

I really like it and have it on my to-do list, but i think i read somewhere to use it sparingly as it can be overpowering. I could see it working in the kind of beer you describe - but you may prefer to stick with the advice of more experienced brewers! wink...
 
I really like it and have it on my to-do list, but i think i read somewhere to use it sparingly as it can be overpowering. I could see it working in the kind of beer you describe - but you may prefer to stick with the advice of more experienced brewers! wink...
Perhaps experienced brewers make the same old beers they're experienced in. Be wild. Make some undrinkable stuff. Come across something new and wonderful.
Then the experienced brewers will add it to their portfolios, but you'll know it was really yours.
 
I'm a big advocate for going for it and creating your own recipes. Just do it.

I've only ever brewed my own recipes, and it's pretty difficult to make something undrinkable, from a recipe perspective. Looking at others recipe will give you a guide to the typical percentages to use for some ingredients. I found the Ray Daniels book Designing Great Beers invaluable in this respect, when I first started, as it gives loose guidelines of how to brew certain beers.

I find, 10% of most grains (5% if heavily roasted) is generally a safe but distinctive addition.

Lots of Chinook and Rye Malt is a winning combo in my book.
 
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