Newcastle Brown Ale clone
Newcastle Brown Ale is actually a blend of two beers. Brewers blend a strong, dark ale that has been aged and a smaller, younger amber ale. As a consequence, this average-strength brown ale shows some plum and raisin characteristics more frequently encountered in an old ale.
You can try to make the blended version and those instructions can be found in the May/June 2006 issue. Here is a more simplified single batch version.
Scottish and Newcastle Brewing Company’s Newcastle Brown Ale clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.046 FG = 1.009
IBU = 22 SRM = 17 ABV = 4.7%
Ingredients
7.5 lbs. (3.4 kg) British 2-row pale ale malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) flaked barley
4 oz. (113 g) caramalt (22 °L)
4 oz. (113 g) British medium crystal malt (55 °L)
4 oz. (113 g) British dark crystal malt (80 °L)
1.5 oz. (43 g) British chocolate malt (450 °L)
1.5 oz. (43 g) roasted barley (500 °L)
1/2 tsp. Irish moss (15 min.)
1/2 tsp. yeast nutrients (15 min.)
6.25 AAU Fuggle hops (60 min.) (1.25 oz./35 g at 5% alpha acids)
Wyeast 1099 (Whitbread ale) or White Labs WLP017 (Whitbread Ale) or Mangrove Jack’s M15 (Empire Ale) yeast
3/4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Heat 12 quarts (11.4 L) of water to 163 °F (73 °C). Mash grains at 152 °F (67 °C) for 60 minutes. Collect 6.5 gallons (24.6 L) of wort.
Boil wort for 90 minutes, adding hops and kettle additions at the times indicated in ingredients list. The goal is to have 5.25 gallons (20 L) at the end of the boil. Cool, aerate, and pitch yeast.
Ferment at 70 °F (21 °C). Rack to secondary and let condition in a cool place.
Partial mash option: Reduce the 2-row pale malt in the all-grain recipe to 1 lb. (0.45 kg). Replace with 1 lb. (0.45 kg) extra light dried malt extract and 3.3 lbs. (1.5 kg) Maris Otter liquid malt extract. Place crushed pale ale malt with the flaked barley in a nylon steeping bag. Heat 4 quarts (3.8 L) of brewing liquor to 163 °F (73 °C) and submerge bag. Steep grains at 152 °F (67 °C) for 45 minutes. Place the roasted and crystal malts in a second nylon grain bag and submerge in the mash. Steep for 15 more minutes. Rinse both grain bags with 4 quarts (3.8 L) of water at 170 °F (77 °C). Add water to “grain tea” to make 3 gallons (11 L) of wort. Add dried malt extract and bring to a boil. Bring to a boil, adding ingredients at times indicated and the liquid malt extract with 15 minutes remaining. After the boil, chill the wort then top off to 5 gallons (19 L) and follow the remaining portion of the all-grain recipe.
