Leftover grains recipe

[HK823]

Hi folks,
I'm looking for some input on how to spend my left over grains. It's a little bit of this and that. Not a lot of base malt left so I'm thinking half batch or even less?

2100g/74oz maris pearl
600g/21oz cara pils
900g/32oz brown
985g/35oz chocolate
850g/30oz victory
620g/22oz crystal 150


A fairly conservative half batch recipe I've come up so far with is:
2100g/74oz maris pearl
350g/12oz victory
350g/12oz crystal 150
200g/7oz cara pils
120g/4oz chocolate

Original Gravity: 1.064 Final Gravity: 1.016 ABV: 6.29% IBU: - SRM: 32.59

Haven't decided on the hops (whatever i have in the freezer) and yeast yet (US-04/05/Wyeast 1450).

Any input is highly appreciated

 

[chickypad]

Looks like you're aiming for a brown ale? Seems like a lot of dark crystal for my tastes at 11% or the equivalent of 1.5 lb per 5 gal. Plus you've got the carapils in there. I'd consider swapping out 6-8 oz of the c-150 for some brown. Maybe bit heavy on victory too but okay if you know you like it.

 

[HK823]

Also what I thought, so I've scaled down the crystal and victory to 10oz. Also considering upping the chocolate or add brown. But I'm slightly hesitant with with adding brown, considering my last attempt using it I ending up with a too dry/almost burnt flavour, and no mouthfeel (mashed temp too low I suspect).
Alternatively I might add 4oz cocoa powder/nibs at flameout.

 

[chickypad]

But I'm slightly hesitant with with adding brown, considering my last attempt using it I ending up with a too dry/almost burnt flavour, and no mouthfeel (mashed temp too low I suspect).
Alternatively I might add 4oz cocoa powder/nibs at flameout.

Interesting, I love brown malt in porters and I use up to 16% in a brown porter that is really yummy and not burnt tasting at all. I find that too much victory can also give the beer an overly dry flavor, maybe it was a combo of malts in your recipe?

Looks like it could be a good recipe for adding chocolate. I've only used nibs post fermentation, have you added them in the boil before?

 

[HK823]

Maybe a dodgy brown batch, or or just down to preference. I daringly decided to add a wee bit of brown (1.7%) and had a tasty sample of the grains mix.
Unfortunately I messed up the water volume and had to extend boil the 60 mins boil to 90 mins. Fuggles for 75min and 40 mins.
I've only used cocoa nibs in secondary so far, but this time the cocoa was boiled for 30 mins. Now I'm just hoping it won't be overly bitter taste after fermentation, post-boil wort quite pleasant.
"Hot cocoa"-like wort in the fermenter