Description:

Adapted from 'Flanders Brown Ale' in the May/June 2005 BYO magazine. Grain bill was increase about 30% to match target OG / ABV. The original recipe used pale Pils and 6-row pale malts, which were substituted with pale millet and/or rice malt(s). The original recipe also used Belgian Ale or Belgian Strong Ale yeasts, and Belgian Lactobacillus bacteria. Mangrove Jack's and Fermentis makes several Belgian style dry yeasts. The Belgian Lactobacillus bacteria is another matter, and we have not figured out a suitable substitute, or any substitute for that matter. We would love to hear from you if you have any suggestions. The long fermentation and conditioning process does still serve a purpose in that it gives the French oak chips to impart their flavor into the finished beer. However, as there isn't any Belgian Lactobacillus bacteria in this adapted recipe, it will not achieve the same flavor profile as conventional equivalent.

Ingredients:

• 8 LBS Pale Millet Malt; or 11.2 LBS Pale Rice Malt (hulled and/or naked varieties); or any combination of the two
• 2.45 LBS Vienna Millet Malt
• 2.85 Crystal Millet Malt or 4 LBS Crystal Rice Malt
• 1.4 OZ German Hallertauer Mittelfruh
• 1 OZ Saaz for aroma
• 2 Cups French oak chips (medium-toast)
• 2 Packages Belgian Ale or Belgian Strong Ale Yeast; Mangrove Jack's M41 and M47, or SafAle BE-256 recommended

Additional Instructions

Primary Ferment: 2 weeks
Secondary Ferment: 4 weeks

Beer Profile

Original Gravity: 1.050
Final Gravity: 1.012
Alcohol by Vol: 4.9%
Color SRM: 8.1
Bitterness IBU: 20.0
Recipe Type: all-grain
Yield: 5.0 Gallons

Procedure:

Source: Adapted from the May/June 2005 BYO magazine