Does anyone make English Ales anymore?

[Kuhndog]

I see recipes for heavily hopped beer and "experimental" styles but very few classic British Pale Ales or Extra Special Bitters, Special Bitters...etc. Not only that but when I see some - they have US hops...Cascade...etc.

Is it "out of style" to make the original ales? Not everyone is hoppy as the homebrew market seems to indicate.

Can anyone help me out here? Are there people out there that don't need a triple IPA to smile and say - that's a good beer?

I like toned down and less hoppy beer but I seem to be in the minority with that one. BUT I don't call Bud, Miller....beer anymore - in fact when I was offered one free I turned it down - because it has no taste. Is that what people think of british pale ales...when compared to it's American counterparts?

 

[SenorPepe]

Does anyone make English ales anymore? Yes. Have you looked at the recipes section? Here's one I liked a lot: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f67/reapers-mild-1st-place-2011-hbt-competition-239228/

There are plenty.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Sure. Lots of people make them. But the process is as simple as teh recipe and there just isn't much to "talk" about.

I suggest you take the reigns and become the new pioneer of the pale. I think Malt bursting is a seriously under considered approach to taking EPA to the extreme.

 

[Jaysus]

Hi Kuhndog, I am a South-central PA homebrewer who primarily makes English style ales. Always with Marris Otter, usually with s-04 and mostly with EKG. Some of my "flagships" are Mel's Bitter, Paul's Pride ESB, Devil Monkey mild, and Poochie Porter.

I actually brewed 8 gallons of the porter last weekend. Good times.

 

[permo]

Yes sir, bitter and ESB are two of my favorites. I have found, the key to getting that distinct english yeasty goodness, is to crash the yeast out before they have had a chance to clean up.

Get to final gravity, and crash cool! WY1275 takes 3-6 days and I am crashing it. Makes all the difference in the world.

 

[Boleslaus]

I got into brewing english styles this year. I've made a few bitters, a southern brown ale, and just kegged a porter that seems to be more like a double mild. I love Marris Otter and EKG.

 

[Boleslaus]

Sure. Lots of people make them. But the process is as simple as teh recipe and there just isn't much to "talk" about.

I suggest you take the reigns and become the new pioneer of the pale. I think Malt bursting is a seriously under considered approach to taking EPA to the extreme.

What is this "malt bursting" you speak of??

 

[gypsyhead]

Plenty of recipes out there, made in the traditional fashion. Check out Brewing Classic Styles by JZ and John Palmer for some straight up, stylistically accurate recipes, though there are plenty more out there.

 

[Homercidal]

I brewed a mild recently and it was pretty good for a low ABV drink. A bit over malty IMO, but I'd do it again and tweak it a bit. Maybe give it a bit more hops for balance next time.

I'd like a nice English Brown, but man, I also dig the American Hops.

A good bitter is hard to beat too.

 

[Revvy]

There's been several threads since the new year discussing them.

Like this one, Need Help With English Ales

I'm currently on a drinking and reading about them kick, and deciding what I want in one that I plan on brewing.

I've been pouring through the history of them on Shut up about Barclay Perkins /

Many of the recipes are available on line at http://www.hopandgrain.com/recipes.aspx

There's also a book called 'The Real Ale Almanc" which lists the ingredients and other info for hundreds of british beers. Many of these have been converetd into useable recipes at this site: http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5022

Alll of this stuff is in metric, but you can convert it easily.

Other good sources of info:
The British Brewer http://www.britishbrewer.com/ (authentic, tested recipes there too)
http://perfectpint.blogspot.com/2011/02/near-perfect-pint-dark-mild-tasting.html# (recipes and good commentary about them)

 

[wailingguitar]

I prefer traditional English pale ale and ESB to the highly hopped American derivatives... also very fond of Helles, Bohemian Pilzner and Marzen!

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

What is this "malt bursting" you speak of??

You fill your tun with teh strike water and throw a single ounce of malt in every minute until your mash is complete.








It was a joke. A play on hop bursting. Popular with really hoppy beers.

 

[geolover]

I'm curious. These "English Ales" of which you speak...do these concoctions contain beer? If so, then bravo. If not, then maybe they could be blended with a liquid that actually contains beer...that would surely create more interest, no?

I like beer.

 

[frankstoneline]

Brewing almost exclusively english these days. I think there is a large homebrew crowd caught by the IPA craze, so you hear lots of shouting about really hoppy beers, less about well balanced english styles. I suppose its a taste thing.

 

[Hammy71]

As you can see, many make English ales. I quickly got bored of all six taps being 6+%ABV beers pretty quick. I love a sub 4% Mild or low bitterness British IPA. I guess I've come to realize that in England they make English Ales. In America, well.....we tend to concentrate on American taste. Of course, for me, it's my search for the perfect, elusive, American style lager.

 

[Dr. Francois]

What is this "malt bursting" you speak of??

+1

I want to try a Malt Burst-ed beer!

 

[Boleslaus]

You fill your tun with teh strike water and throw a single ounce of malt in every minute until your mash is complete.








It was a joke. A play on hop bursting. Popular with really hoppy beers.

That's unfortunate...I was hoping it was a real technique. I've tried hop bursting before, but not continuous hoping.

 

[Bithead]

I did a bitter and a mild early last summer. Probably do the bitter again this year. There both thirst quenching in the hot weather.

 

[RDWHAHB]

I see recipes for heavily hopped beer and "experimental" styles but very few classic British Pale Ales or Extra Special Bitters, Special Bitters...etc. Not only that but when I see some - they have US hops...Cascade...etc.

Is it "out of style" to make the original ales? Not everyone is hoppy as the homebrew market seems to indicate.

Can anyone help me out here? Are there people out there that don't need a triple IPA to smile and say - that's a good beer?

I like toned down and less hoppy beer but I seem to be in the minority with that one. BUT I don't call Bud, Miller....beer anymore - in fact when I was offered one free I turned it down - because it has no taste. Is that what people think of british pale ales...when compared to it's American counterparts?

No, generally we strive to make good beer here.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

That's unfortunate...I was hoping it was a real technique.

It could be.

I am sure continuous hopping sounded rediculous to a bunch of people too.

Tell me how it goes. I'll only collect 50% of any profits generated off the technique.

 

[unionrdr]

I did an all extract version of the old #3 Burton ale. Def in strong ale territory at 6.8%. It's my 1st try at the ale said to have died as a style (the original anyway) about 1890. It's got a lil bittersweet bite to it,2.0V carbonation. Pic is in my gallery. Turns out very clear. The Cooper's English Bitter from the International Series is good with a couple pounds of plain light DME & some EKG hops. Makes a beer close to Fuller's ESB.