Old 29 Brown Ale

This is my first attempt at a 'Batch Sparge'. Since I brew 3 gallon batches, the loss of efficiency really would result in a negligible amount of extra grain needed. This is named after the fact that it was brewed close to my 29th birthday.

Brewer:	Michael Bock		Email:	jodysdad@starchefs.com
Beer:	Old 29 Brown Ale		Style:	English Brown
Type:	All grain		Size:	3 gallons
Color:	40 HCU (~19 SRM)		Bitterness:	26 IBU
OG:	1.048		FG:	1.014
Alcohol:	4.3% v/v (3.4% w/w)
Grain:	4 lb. 8 oz. British pale 6 oz. Belgian aromatic 4 oz. American crystal 40L 4 oz. American chocolate 8 oz. Flaked barley
Mash:	66% efficiency
	Single step infusion in a Gott Cooler with Phil's Phalse Bottom. Mash-in 2 gallons 170° water stablilized around 153° for about 90 minutes. Executed run-off then added additional 2 gallons of 170° water all at once for batch sparge. Ran this off into brew kettle as well.
Boil:	60 minutes	SG 1.036	4 gallons
Hops:	.33 oz. Northern Brewer (8.5% AA, 60 min.) .5 oz. Fuggles (4.75% AA, 15 min.) .5 oz. Fuggles (aroma)
Yeast:	Simple EDME Dry Ale yeast. No starter, just reconstituted in some warm water. Would probably use Wyeast London III, one of my favorites.
Log:	Primary fermentation in 5 gallon carboy for 4 days. Racked to 3 gallon carboy. Secondary fermentation lasted about one week.
Carbonation:	Primed with 2 1/4 ounces sucrose boiled in one cup of water.
Tasting:	First taste was solid. Still not fully carbonated yet, but head retention was nice. Malt aroma full and complex. Hops very subdued. This beer is on the sweet side. I'm not sure if it is due to the yeast not attenuating to where I would have liked or perhaps my mash temp could be adjusted. Not nearly as hoppy as I would like, a bit on the cloying side but my hops were on the old side so the recipe is probably pretty close. Too early to tell, but appears to be a clean beer with a definite malty character.

Recipe posted 11/04/02.