Bell’s Brewery Best Brown Ale clone

Bell’s Brewery’s Best Brown Ale clone

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.060  FG = 1.016
IBU = 30  SRM = 18  ABV = 5.8%

A smooth, toasty brown ale. Aromas of caramel and cocoa.

Ingredients
10 lbs. (4.5 kg) 2-row pale malt
14 oz. (0.39 kg) Briess Victory® malt
14 oz. (0.39 kg) Briess Special Roast malt
14 oz. (0.39 kg) Briess crystal malt (60 °L)
2 oz. (57 g) Briess chocolate malt
5 AAU Cascade hops (45 min.) (1 oz./28 g of 5% alpha acids)
2.5 AAU Nugget hops (45 min.) (0.19 oz./5 g of 13% alpha acids)
1.2 AAU Fuggle hops (15 min.) (0.25 oz./7 g of 4.7% alpha acids)
2.4 AAU Fuggle hops (2 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g of 4.7% alpha acids)
1 tsp. Irish moss (15 min.)
White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) or Safale US-05 yeast
(1 qt./~1 L yeast starter)
3/4 cup (150 g) of dextrose (if priming)

Step by Step
Mash your grains at 155 °F (68 °C). Vorlauf until your runnings are clear, sparge, and then boil the wort for 75 minutes. Add the hops according to the times indicated in the ingredients list. After the boil, turn off the heat and chill the wort rapidly to 68 °F (20 °C). Aerate the wort well and pitch the yeast. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C). When the beer has reached final gravity, bottle or keg as normal. Age for two to three weeks before serving.

Extract with Grains Option: Substitute the 2-row pale malt with 7 lbs. 14 oz. (3.6 kg) Briess light liquid malt extract. Place the crushed malts in a steeping bag and steep in 4 qts. (3.7 L) of water at 150 °F (66 °C) for 30 minutes. Pull the grain bag out and drain over the pot in a colander. Rinse the grains with 2 qts. (1.9 L) of water at 170 °F (77 °C). Add water to the pot to make 3 gallons (11 L), add the liquid malt extract and bring to a boil. Add the hops and Irish moss according to the ingredients list.