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Author Topic: Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale from Zymurgy Jul/Aug 2011  (Read 8223 times)

Offline redzim

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Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale from Zymurgy Jul/Aug 2011
« on: November 17, 2011, 07:07:18 am »
Anyone brewed this recipe (it was printed on p. 20). AFAIK it is identical to the one printed in the DFH Book "Extreme Brewing" with the one exception that the book recipe adds 8oz of light choc malt. (Also, the book recipe is extract which Zymurgy is converted to AG but the amt & type of specialty grains is the same with this one exception - the gravities, hops, etc are all identical) 

The rest of the grain bill is as follows: (for 5.5gal)
12lbs pale ale malt [Sam's book shows 7lbs light DME]
10oz amber malt
10oz crystal 60L
2oz roasted barley
[Sam's book add 8oz light chocolate here]

8oz brown sugar added to boil
0.5oz Warrior at 60min
1.0oz Vanguard at flameout

I brewed this, it went from 1.071 to 1.018 which is within the ranges given in both recipes.  Single infusion mash at 152F.

HOWEVER my beer tastes nothing like DFH's.  I did use US-05 and the recipes specs Ringwood;  I can imagine this has some effect but.... my beer is way lighter in color (more like an amber ale, DFH is dark brown), mine tastes thin and finishes thin and sweet, while DFH is roasty-toasty, and more bitter....  perhaps the 8oz of light chocolate would darken it up, but mine is a lot paler and I think it would need more than that.  I was just flat-out dissappointed with the beer I brewed....

Anyone brewed a decent Indian Brown ale from either of these recipes, or is there a better recipe out there?  it's a nice beer and I'd love to get one brewed up decent for the winter.

-red




Offline miguelpanderland

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Re: Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale from Zymurgy Jul/Aug 2011
« Reply #1 on: November 17, 2011, 09:59:46 am »
I brewed this as well.  Racked to keg a couple days ago.  I'll report back on flavor in a week or so.

Offline jivetyrant

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Re: Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale from Zymurgy Jul/Aug 2011
« Reply #2 on: November 26, 2011, 06:53:36 am »
I did this recipe as well, it didn't come out even close to the DFH beer.  I had major problems with the yeast, (I used Ringwood) it wouldn't flocculate at all, even after 3 weeks in primary.  I ended up having to fine it twice to get it all to drop out, and when I tasted it the flavor was way off.  The recipe does not call for dry hopping, but the official description of the beer says that it is.

Since mine did not come out with the right flavor profile I decided to dry hop it with some homegrown Chinook.  I plan to check it in another week and go from there.  It'll be a tasty beer, but it won't be Indian Brown. :(

Offline cenosillica

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Re: Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale from Zymurgy Jul/Aug 2011
« Reply #3 on: December 15, 2011, 07:25:48 pm »
I have brewed this twice now with great success. I used an English Ale yeast (WLP002). I really believe the trick to nailing this recipe is to caramelize the brown sugar prior to the boil.

Offline gmac

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Re: Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale from Zymurgy Jul/Aug 2011
« Reply #4 on: December 15, 2011, 09:13:59 pm »
And how do you "carmelize" the sugars?  Just like making caramel? 
I bought some of the original and although I don't think it's DFH's best effort, I can see making some.

Offline cenosillica

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Re: Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale from Zymurgy Jul/Aug 2011
« Reply #5 on: December 15, 2011, 09:45:47 pm »
I googled it cause, I didn't know either!  ???

Throw the brown sugar in a sauce pan with just enough water to cover it by about an inch or two and turn the stove on high heat. Bring it to a boil on high heat. Once boiling, turn the heat to a medium setting until you start to notice the mixture turning amber in color and its viscosity beginning to thicken.

Add/pour this mixture to the beginning of your boil. Done! The caramel notes come out very nice. I submitted my sample to Sam Adams' Long Shot contest; each judge picked up on the caramelized brown sugar notes and gave some very nice comments about it.

Offline ultravista

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Re: Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale from Zymurgy Jul/Aug 2011
« Reply #6 on: May 02, 2012, 07:46:16 pm »
Any updates to this recipe?

I too brewed an AG version direct from Sam's book, including ringwood.

It was a good beer but not even close to DFH's beer. The flavor wasn't as malty nor did the chocolate character come through.

Looking for updates and tweaks to the recipe.
« Last Edit: May 02, 2012, 07:54:58 pm by ultravista »

Offline andrew000141

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Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale from Zymurgy Jul/Aug 2011
« Reply #7 on: May 06, 2012, 02:42:54 pm »
Ive done other recipes from his book and the colors are always off. I think its because of the backdrops in the pictures and the variation of ingredients. My Midas touch tastes just like a bottle one but was alot lighter than the pic in the book but darker than one from the brewery. I did the Ginger saison and while that's still fermenting it's way darker than the pic in the book.
Fermenting:
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