Drink More Mild!

Effigy · 08-24-2008, 07:07 PM

I'm a big fan of Mild - a brew that is rapidly dissappearing from Pubs here in the U.K.

In fact, my desire for a good, 'old fashioned' Mild, like I used to drink in my youth is what has drawn me to All Grain.

So, I get to start to fulfill my ambition tomorrow and brew my first Mild.

My recipe:

Batch size: 20L

3.840 kg Pale Malt, Maris Otter
0.160 kg Crystal Malt
0.090 kg Black Malt
0.090 kg Chocolate Malt

39g Fuggles
S-04 Yeast

Est ABV: 3.75%

Should be simple enough, but I'm hoping it turn outs ok. Beersmith gives it good colour, and hopefully it will be sweet enough (but not too sweet!).

I'm sure that I will have to adjust the recipe a few times to get it right.

Is Mild a beer that you guys are familiar with in the U.S.? When I worked in the U.S. (Detroit) I never saw anything like it in the bars.

BuffaloSabresBrewer · 08-24-2008, 07:27 PM

You spelled colour wrong.

Effigy · 08-24-2008, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuffaloSabresBrewer

You spelled colour wrong.

Sorry, I forgot that we haven't sold you guys the second half of the language course yet

**bradsul** · 08-24-2008, 07:41 PM

You won't find much Mild in the US, no. Check out Orfy's Mild Mannered Ale, I think you'll find you have nowhere near enough crystal in yours.

I love Mild ale as well, I've been reading up on the style historically and have even made a throwback mild that was pretty good (though I'm not sure I'd want it again). I've been making variations of Orfy's recipe and they always come out great.

**summersolstice** · 08-24-2008, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Effigy

I'm a big fan of Mild - a brew that is rapidly dissappearing from Pubs here in the U.K.

Is Mild a beer that you guys are familiar with in the U.S.? When I worked in the U.S. (Detroit) I never saw anything like it in the bars.

I've never seen anything like it in the bars here either, nor had I ever tried a mild. Several US states have laws restricting alcohol content in beer to 3.2% and for most of us growing up in the US mild beer had negative connotations. I like beer though and I sought recipes for milds so I could have a few in the evenings during the week without feeling "under the weather" the next morning at work. Here's one I brewed toward the end of last month and I like it very much:

My recipe:

Batch size: 5 gallons

3.3 lbs Golden Light LME
12 oz DME
8 oz CaraMunich
4 oz Chocolate Malt
12 oz Molasses

1 oz East Kent Goldings
Nottingham yeast

OG 1.038
FG 1.012

Cheers

Professor Frink · 08-24-2008, 07:52 PM

I've been thinking about doing a mild myself. I was quite impressed with Magic Hat's Notion 8 Dark Mild.

**BierMuncher** · 08-24-2008, 08:07 PM

That's the beauty of homebrewing...can't buy it? Brew it.

I just did a 10-gallon batch of a mild this past Friday.

I always like to keep a low mild, or other malty UK brew on hand.

My Irish Red Ale (4.5%) was a huge hit at a big family party a few weeks ago.

menschmaschine · 08-24-2008, 08:12 PM

Effigy, I think your recipe looks good. In the US, there might be a microbrewery or -pub that makes one here and there, but for the most part they're non-existent. I guess at the right place, you might find a British one on draft, but that would be pretty rare. I've had them in the UK and I'm a big fan as well.

I brewed one recently using a little bit of Lyle's Treacle in the recipe. I'm overall happy with it, but I didn't use any chocolate malt because I just didn't happen to have any on hand. I think it's missing a certain something because of that. You have the chocolate, so you're good there. I think the yeast is key too. I used White Labs Burton Ale yeast because I wanted a good fruitiness, but if I were to go dry, S-04 would be my pick. Looks like a winner!

**olllllo** · 08-24-2008, 08:17 PM

I'm a big fan.

I'm going to make a 10g batch soon because SWMBO likes it as well.

Bob · 08-24-2008, 09:10 PM

I'm due to brew another batch of it also. I enjoy Mild very much!

I don't know of many commercial examples here in USA. As Menschmachine noted, the very name "mild" is more often than not viewed negatively - if not with outright scorn - by American beer enthusiasts. If a brewery sells a beer which is stylistically a mild, they will almost always call it something else. Like "Session Ale" or "Amber Ale" or something. It's one of my favourite styles, and if I can find it fresh I drink it.

Cheers,

Bob