Dark Mild Reaper's Mild, 1st place 2011 HBT Competition

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This recipe appears to come out brown in color. I am looking for something like this but black in color. Any comments on adding an oz of carafa special or roast barley (ground in a coffee grinder) to add color?
 
Yes, carafa special / de-bittered black will do the trick. Just out of curiosity, why?

When I found this recipe I was looking to make a mild black ale. The style fits but I had in mind a black color. I am going to brew it as is the first time and I may darken it up in the future is I feel like it.
 
When I found this recipe I was looking to make a mild black ale. The style fits but I had in mind a black color. I am going to brew it as is the first time and I may darken it up in the future is I feel like it.

Do you want more roasty character as well? Or just the darker tone?
 
Then, yes. Use roasted barley, black patent, or more chocolate. I'd use just a little bit more chocolate if it were me.

Carafa Special and De-bittered black will likely add mostly color with little contribution to flavor.
 
I take that back. I looked up an old recipe I used in a beer that is probably what you're looking for. I used 1 lb roasted barley on top of a similar grain bill. It turned out fantastic. To be honest, I definitely want a re-brew on that batch!
 
looks great! I'm going to brew this up next week...

the roasting sounds fun...
I have MO, Victory and 2-row....
what method would you suggest for the base grain?

1. MO
2. 2-Row and roasting
3. 2-row and victory
 
I take that back. I looked up an old recipe I used in a beer that is probably what you're looking for. I used 1 lb roasted barley on top of a similar grain bill. It turned out fantastic. To be honest, I definitely want a re-brew on that batch!

Just curious...you added a pound of black barley on top of the existing chocolate, or to replace?

Heck, would you mind just sharing the recipe? Sounds kinda close to an Irish stout plus crystal malt minus flaked adjunct.
 
CBelli said:
looks great! I'm going to brew this up next week...

the roasting sounds fun...
I have MO, Victory and 2-row....
what method would you suggest for the base grain?

1. MO
2. 2-Row and roasting
3. 2-row and victory

Personally I'm a fan of number 2 mostly because I enjoy the toasting process and brighter flavors.
 
Just curious...you added a pound of black barley on top of the existing chocolate, or to replace?

Heck, would you mind just sharing the recipe? Sounds kinda close to an Irish stout plus crystal malt minus flaked adjunct.

It was was an Irish stout. No crystal. I shouldn't have said it was similar, just meant a very sessionable dark/roasty ale. The dry stout is much more rich and roasty than the mild, but both are great.

By the way, I'm not a fan of dry Irish stouts and this won me over.

It was actually the AHS recipe for Guinness. It didn't taste anything like guinness. However, in my opinion, it was a lot better.

Recipe to come in just a sec.
 
Just curious...you added a pound of black barley on top of the existing chocolate, or to replace?

Heck, would you mind just sharing the recipe? Sounds kinda close to an Irish stout plus crystal malt minus flaked adjunct.

Here it is


5 lb Pale Ale Malt
2 lb Flaked Barley
1 lb Black Roasted Barley

2.5 oz of Kent Golding hops @ 60 minutes (5.4% AA) - 60 IBUs

Shooting for an OG of 1.038
Anticipated FG: 1.006
Anticipated ABV: 4.192%

Mash temp 150 F

1.25 qt of water /lb (This is what the recipe supposedly calls for)
 
Here it is

5 lb Pale Ale Malt
2 lb Flaked Barley
1 lb Black Roasted Barley

2.5 oz of Kent Golding hops @ 60 minutes (5.4% AA) - 60 IBUs

Shooting for an OG of 1.038
Anticipated FG: 1.006
Anticipated ABV: 4.192%

Mash temp 150 F

1.25 qt of water /lb (This is what the recipe supposedly calls for)

By the way, my brew was adjusted to bring the ibus down to 40ish
 
I have a local competition coming up that I wanted to brew a Vienna Lager for but unfortunately, life got in the way and there was no way it would be ready in time. I'm going to brew up your Mild recipe because A) It looks freaking delicious and B) I can turn this sucker around in two weeks if I really need to push it!

I'm using WYEAST #1968 (London ESB) but otherwise stuck with your original recipe.
 
Just brewed this for the second time. Looking forward to it yet again. I also tried out my new "ghetto 4-tier system" to try out a fly sparge. Got about 85% efficiency!

Here it is:
photo-feb-04-1-11-08-pm-58514.jpg

The fourth tier would be my fermentor on the ground. And yes, I had the garage door open half way to vent.
 
Just brewed this for the second time. Looking forward to it yet again. I also tried out my new "ghetto 4-tier system" to try out a fly sparge. Got about 85% efficiency!

Here it is:
photo-feb-04-1-11-08-pm-58514.jpg

The fourth tier would be my fermentor on the ground. And yes, I had the garage door open half way to vent.

Looks like a setup for a Chevy Chase skit on SNL.
 
I have a local competition coming up that I wanted to brew a Vienna Lager for but unfortunately, life got in the way and there was no way it would be ready in time. I'm going to brew up your Mild recipe because A) It looks freaking delicious and B) I can turn this sucker around in two weeks if I really need to push it!

I'm using WYEAST #1968 (London ESB) but otherwise stuck with your original recipe.

I use 1968 a lot. It is quite tasty in this brew, love the way is drops out like a stone when it's done fermenting.

And good luck in your competition, post your results!
 
I brewed this about 10 days ago, split a 10g batch with 5 g 1968 and 5g wlp004. Both stopped fermenting at a FG of 10.30. WTF happened?
I know my temp control isn't 100% accurate at 65, but both just stopped.
 
I brewed this about 10 days ago, split a 10g batch with 5 g 1968 and 5g wlp004. Both stopped fermenting at a FG of 10.30. WTF happened?
I know my temp control isn't 100% accurate at 65, but both just stopped.

What was the OG?
Did you create starters for the Yeast? (Not suggesting that you had to)
Are you using a hydrometer or refractometer?
Did you calibrate and confirm the gravity of water? (To make sure the tool isn't warped)
Also (Just for my picky mind), you mean 1.030 right?

Many of these questions might be stupid, just checking the obvious.
 
I'm so close to tapping this, i can taste it. Sounds dirty I know. I'm really looking forward to this beer.
 
What was the OG?
Did you create starters for the Yeast? (Not suggesting that you had to)
Are you using a hydrometer or refractometer?
Did you calibrate and confirm the gravity of water? (To make sure the tool isn't warped)
Also (Just for my picky mind), you mean 1.030 right?

Many of these questions might be stupid, just checking the obvious.
Started at 1.038
Used a fresh smackpack of the 1968 and a starter. Also a 1 day starter for some 4th generation wlp oo4 (still floculates well). I would normally blame the yeast, but splitting the batch and using a fresh smackpack for on 5g makes me think its process.
Maybe it got a little too cold one night and both of these yeast just plain old dropped out? Since the post, I cranked the temp up to 70+ and had some airlock movement, but he hydro reading is the same(probably some dissolved co2.
I mashed at 158-160, but his the numbers almost dead-on (recipe says 1.037)
The sample tastes pretty damn good, but at 2.3% alcohol, I may never catch a buzz. I'm worried.
 
With such a small grain bill / session brew, is there not any reason for concern on having this beer turn out thin or without body so to speak.
Any little tips on things to be careful with during this brew session would be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks!
 
I use 1968 a lot. It is quite tasty in this brew, love the way is drops out like a stone when it's done fermenting.

And good luck in your competition, post your results!

I brewed this beer last weekend, and should be transferring it to the keg this weekend. Unfortunately life got in the way and I didn't have a chance to enter it into my local comp. There are more coming up and I'll likely enter it there and see how it does. I'll definitely post back here with the results.
 
TX-straggler said:
With such a small grain bill / session brew, is there not any reason for concern on having this beer turn out thin or without body so to speak.
Any little tips on things to be careful with during this brew session would be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks!

Just make sure you keep your fermentation temps below 65 with the notty yeast. My second batch of this brew came out tasting like bananas.
 
With such a small grain bill / session brew, is there not any reason for concern on having this beer turn out thin or without body so to speak.
Any little tips on things to be careful with during this brew session would be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks!

Be sure to mash high as suggested. That plus the relatively high percentage of specialty malts is designed to keep it from being too thin. We'll see, mine's in primary now!
 
Brewed this in 10 days for a birthday river trip. It was good, real good. Only downside: I served it alongside a pale ale that had higher abv. People chose the higher abv cause they wanted to get their buzz on. Guess it's not a problem because I brought home half a keg and am enjoying it a lot!
 
Brewed this in 10 days for a birthday river trip. It was good, real good. Only downside: I served it alongside a pale ale that had higher abv. People chose the higher abv cause they wanted to get their buzz on. Guess it's not a problem because I brought home half a keg and am enjoying it a lot!

When I'm out with friends, going tubing down the river, whatnot I'm also looking to get a good buzz on...

When I'm mowing the lawn, cleaning the garage out... I'm looking for a beer that doesn't put the binders on productivity, a higher ABV beverage is gonna put me in holding patten......where I prefer to imbibe instead of working.

This beverage gets my taste buds working, satisfies that thirst, and keeps me focused on the work at hand.
 
With such a small grain bill / session brew, is there not any reason for concern on having this beer turn out thin or without body so to speak.
Any little tips on things to be careful with during this brew session would be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks!

Sorry for the long reply time...

A word of caution, watch your temps, the lower grainbill can mess with your mash temps, but it's usually a simple correction...
 
So since I kegged this a few weeks ago, I've been laying into this beer pretty hard. Excellent beer! I could drink the whole keg in one night (and probably be only slightly buzzed). Thanks azscoob!
 
Brewed this a couple weeks ago. Took a reading yesterday and its down to 1.011. Probably bottling on Monday. Sample was maybe a bit thin. Is this common? Will it fatten up conditioning in the bottle? I plan on about 3 weeks of conditioning. Want to have it in May for my birthday.
 
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