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American Brown Ale Recipe (All-Grain): 5 to 30 Gallons

An all-grain American Brown Ale recipe you can brew at 5 to 30 gallons: 4.9% ABV and 25 IBU, with the grain bill, hop schedule, yeast and step-by-step process.

Steven Liesch1 min read
American Brown Ale recipe: 4.9% ABV, 25 IBU

American Brown Ale at a glance: 4.9% ABV, 25 IBU, OG 1.050. A malty, nutty American brown ale with caramel, toast and a touch of chocolate, balanced by a light hand of Cascade. Easy to brew, forgiving, and good all year.

Bräu Supply recipe · All-grain

American Brown Ale

OG1.050
FG1.012
ABV4.9%
IBU25
SRM21
Boil60 min
Batch size
Download for Brewfather / BeerSmithPlan it on your system

Grain · for 5 gal into the fermenter

8.5 lb (3.86 kg) 2-row pale malt 81%
1 lb (0.45 kg) Crystal 60 10%
0.5 lb (0.23 kg) Victory / biscuit malt 5%
0.5 lb (0.23 kg) Chocolate malt 5%

Hops

0.4 oz (11 g) Magnum · 13% AA 60 min
1 oz (28 g) Cascade · 6% AA 10 min
1 oz (28 g) Cascade · 6% AA Whirlpool, 20 min

Yeast and water

1 pkg American ale yeast (US-05, WLP001 or Wyeast 1056)
Water Balanced water, with a little more chloride than sulfate, rounds out the malt.

Process

  1. Mash: 154°F (68°C) for 60 minutes
  2. Boil: 60 minutes
  3. Ferment: 66°F (19°C) for 10 to 14 days
  4. Condition: Package when stable
  5. Carbonate: 2.3 volumes of CO₂

Brew it on

UnibräuBräuProHERMS system

Based on 72% brewhouse efficiency and about 5.5 gal after the boil for a 5 gal batch. Adjust the base malt if your system runs higher or lower. Hops scale in a straight line; larger kettles extract a little more bitterness.

How to brew it

  1. Mash at 154°F (68°C) for 60 minutes for a little extra body.
  2. Boil 60 minutes with the hop schedule; add the whirlpool Cascade at flameout.
  3. Chill to 64°F (18°C) and pitch.
  4. Ferment at 66°F (19°C) until the gravity is stable.
  5. Package at about 2.3 volumes.

Tips

  • Victory or biscuit malt gives the toasty, nutty note; keep chocolate malt at about 5% so it doesn’t turn into a porter.
  • This is a great beer to learn on: the malt covers small mistakes.

Frequently asked questions

Is brown ale good for beginners?

Yes. It’s one of the most forgiving styles. See easy beers to brew.

Related guides

Choosing brewing malts, how roasted malts change flavour.

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