Avery Brewing Co.’s Ellie’s Brown Ale clone

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.056  FG = 1.014
IBU = 20  SRM = 24  ABV = 5.5%

Avery Brewing Co. Ellie’s Brown Ale is quite restrained in its color but a big addition of chocolate malt ensures a nutty, toffee, and lightly roasted character. This is definitely not the aggressively hopped version of an American brown; a slight amount of Sterling hops added late in the boil brings a slightly floral and spicy aroma to balance the sweetness. The London Ale yeast adds some fruity esters, but overall this is a beer that leans heavily into its malt bill. 

Ingredients
9.8 lbs. (4.5 kg) 2-row pale malt
12 oz. (340 g) chocolate malt
10 oz. (285 g) Munich malt 
6.5 oz. (185 g) crystal malt (120 °L)
3.5 oz. (100 g) melanoidin malt
3.8 AAU Bullion hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 7.6% alpha acids)*
1.6 AAU Sterling hops (30 min.) (0.33 oz./9 g at 5.1% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Sterling hops (0 min.) 
White Labs WLP013 (London Ale), Wyeast 1028(London Ale), or Mangrove Jack’s M13 (Empire Ale) yeast 
2⁄3 cup sugar (if priming)

*If you cannot find Bullion hops you may substitute with Nugget or Magnum.

Step by Step
Mashing the grains at 152 °F (67 °C) should be enough just to ensure you get that slightly higher final gravity. Mash all the grain together for 60 minutes before beginning lauter. Collect enough wort to boil for 60 minutes and obtain 5.25 gallons (20 L) of cooled wort in the fermenter. 

After sparging, bring to a boil and boil for 60 minutes, adding the hops according to the ingredients list. After the boil, give a long stir to create a whirlpool and let the break material settle for 10 minutes. Chill down to yeast-pitch temperature, about 66 °F (19 °C). Aerate if using a liquid yeast strain and then pitch the yeast.  

Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C) until terminal gravity reached, about one week. Condition for an additional week then transfer to keg and force carbonate or bottle and prime to 2.3 v/v. 

Extract with grains option: Replace the 2-row pale and Munich malts with 5.4 lbs. (2.7 kg) of extra light dried malt extract and 8 oz. (230 g) of Munich dried malt extract. Add the chocolate, melanoidin, and crystal malts in a muslin bag and submerge in 4 gallons (15 L) of water as it heats up to 170 °F (77 °C). Remove grain bag, allowing to drip back into the kettle, then top off kettle to 6.5 gallons (24.6 L). With the heat turned off, stir in the malt extract. 

Bring the wort up to a boil and then follow the all-grain recipe for boil and fermentation instructions.