Dark Mild Mild Mannered Ale (AG) (E) UK/US

[rico567]

Bottled this today, on day 14. Per previous post, it was 1.014 at day 10, but this morning much to my surprise (given the high OG), it had gone down where the recipe says it's supposed to be (1.009). Primed with 3 oz. dextrose since I'm used to higher levels of carbonation, usually 2 volumes or so.

 

[america]

Brewed a batch of this up on saturday and it was bubbling away in less than 12 hours! Added the 45 min. addition at 60 min. by mistake, but beersmith said that would only bump up the IBUs by 1 or 2. Also my LHBS didnt have enough Crystal 60, so i did a mix of 60, 40 and 80 just for the hell of it. Can't wait to see the turn around on this one! Really excited to have a beer that be turned around in under a month! Cheers!

 

[rico567]

My batch has been in the bottle about three weeks, and is tasting good....nice and malty!

 

[hops2it]

Brewed this yesterday and the notty has it bubbling away today as usual.

I adjusted the grain bill (and hops accordingly to keep IBU's the same) in order to eek it up to 4% abv. So I guess the 2 week wait is on. Look forward to posting up some pics when the time comes.

edit #1: 1.016 at 1 week. Seems to be a similar theme. Moved out of temp controlled freezer (66 F) which should cause a few degrees of temp rise. I'm waiting another week. Smelled good enough to drink.

 

[rico567]

My MMA is now nicely matured, about a month in the swing-top pints. The malty character is quite evident, think it would be even nicer if I hadn't gone a few degrees lower than intended on the mash temp. An interesting venture into a new style (for me).

 

[grimstuff]

Perhaps I just don't have a taste for brown/mild ales, but I've made this three times now and each time it takes several months of conditioning before it really develops anything approaching a fully satisfying beer. When it "should" be peaking, it tastes flat and one-dimensional, much in the same way I perceive most light brown ales. Am I missing something?

 

[Hermit]

Perhaps I just don't have a taste for brown/mild ales, but I've made this three times now and each time it takes several months of conditioning before it really develops anything approaching a fully satisfying beer. When it "should" be peaking, it tastes flat and one-dimensional, much in the same way I perceive most light brown ales. Am I missing something?

Age it if that is the way you like it best.

 

[JKaranka]

Also, don't overcarbonate it. Carbing a mild up to 2.0 and above will make it taste thin and pretty much kill the malty flavours. Around 1.5 is best for the style, and then to drink it coolish (10-14c). If it comes from the fridge, leave it warm up for half an hour.

 

[rico567]

Also, don't overcarbonate it. Carbing a mild up to 2.0 and above will make it taste thin and pretty much kill the malty flavours. Around 1.5 is best for the style, and then to drink it coolish (10-14c). If it comes from the fridge, leave it warm up for half an hour.

I think, from what I've imbibed from my first batch, that this is sound advice. I usually prime with 5 oz. / 5 gallons, and dropped it down to 3 oz. This provides a modest carbonation, but hardly "fizzy." Also, I agree that this beer benefits more than most ales by letting it warm a bit from refrigerator temps before drinking. The maltiness in mine continues to come on, although by no means rapidly.

 

[JKaranka]

One of the best local pints here is a mild, so I do drink the stuff regularly! It's a bit like a dark, light pint of regular bitter or a low abv porter. When I've made it at home once I overcarbed it and it accentuated the alcohol flavours and hid the malt and roast flavours, not particularly good. A lot of the idea behind the best milds I've drank is that the low attenuation and the darker grains should make it feel full bodied and creamy, pretty much making up for 1% abv when it comes to taste. Healthy beer!

 

[rico567]

I think I can make a final report on my first batch of this beer. In short, I like it.

Brewed on April Fool's. Malted a bit low, probably closer to 154F than 158F, everything else per recipe.

Nottingham fermented out well, did a hydrometer test at 10 days and it wasn't at FG, tested at 14 days and it was 1.009, right on the money.

Bottled at 14 days (4/15), kept at 70F for two weeks, stored in basement on 4/29 @62F.

Sampled after 1 week in basement (5/6) and it was drinkable, but clearly could be better. After three weeks in basement (5/20), it was quite enjoyable, and I think that now (6/2) it is probably at its peak.

Would I make it again? Yes. Recommend to others....well, it depends on what I know of their taste in beer.

 

[hops2it]

Well, I'm at week 3 in the keg and it's very good. Finish seems a slight bit dry to me but might be mistaking some roastiness. Tastes better than 2 weeks in the keg though, hoping 4 weeks makes it ideal. I would say it's exactly what is advertised though in terms of style. If I make it again, I may drop the Notty and try another ale yeast in it's place. That might clean up that finish a little as well.

 

[bruderbier]

Yeah, I found I had an amazing transformation from week 3 to week 4 with this recipe. The roastiness softened to a beautiful malty chocolate.

That was my results/perception anyway.

 

[BrandonBrews]

If I make it again, I may drop the Notty and try another ale yeast in it's place.

I have brewed this several times now using a Fullers strain with great results. I ferment at 62°F for a nice clean finish or a couple of degrees more if I want to mix it up a bit.
Brandon

 

[hops2it]

I have brewed this several times now using a Fullers strain with great results. I ferment at 62°F for a nice clean finish or a couple of degrees more if I want to mix it up a bit.
Brandon

+1 to this approach. I fermented at 66 and it was a little too high for my tastes. Next time for this recipe, I'll be shooting for lower 60's.

 

[Orfy]

I'm glad to see this recipe is still being brewed. and developed.
For those interesed there is a book being published later this year that includes this recipe (and a couple of others)
I'm sure the Author will share the details on here at the time of publishing.

 

[evandena]

Third batch of this turned out great. That's 45 gallons so far!

 

[blackbeltbrewer]

I just cracked open the first bottles of this, brewed about 6 weeks ago (a little longer in the fermentor than planned, but oh well). My first all-grain batch. I am thrilled - it came out great. Thanks for the great recipe!

I was/am a little concerned because the very first bottle was way over carbonated, and seemed to have a larger-than-normal layer of yeast in the bottom. But the next 2 were fine, carbonation right where I expected. I'm a little puzzled with this.

Anyway, I couldn't be happier with the Mild. Thanks again!

 

[captainkirk83]

Drinking from the primary at 7 days old and better than the six month old Budweiser I had last night that had lost a little carbonation. Gonna leave in primary for 5-7 more days before bottling

 

[Orfy]

Just a little bit of news on this recipe.

It's been published in a book released this week.

I've yet to read the book but Homebrewtalk gets a mention.

The Author is a member of the board. I'm sure he'll share the details.

I hope to brew the recipe early next year at a commercial brewery. If it happens it should appear at a few local real ale pubs.

 

[fathergoat]

I chose this recipe for my first all grain brew. Everything went pretty smooth and it smelled amazing, I can't wait to drink it. My batch had a starting gravity of 1.040

 

[Orfy]

Here's a copy of a press release in several newspapers.

Every Sunday Lunchtime Dave Taylor, his Dad (Jim) and Granddad (Sam) would pop down to the Rope and Anchor in Woolaston for a pint (or two) whilst his mum lovingly prepared them Sunday lunch for their return. It’s a classic British scene that was mirrored up and down the country. Whilst intergeneration drinking might still be around pints of Mild have been something of a rarity for many years. This is why Dave decided to brew his own Mild as a tribute to his family outings.



Little did Dave know that this would be later picked up by a bestselling homebrew author for inclusion in his latest book. Andy Hamilton, author of the Bestseller Booze for Free, went on a two year quest for his latest book, Brewing Britain- quest for the perfect pint which covers tasting notes and recipes for beers across the country. When it came to the chapter on Milds Andy felt delighted to find Dave and his recipe for a perfect pint of Mild. “It wasn’t just the fact that Dave’s beer gathered interested from home brewers across the planet that roused my interest, nor that he had perfected a remarkable beer recipe, but the real story and intention behind it”. Says Andy “My Dad has never drank beer, but I did enjoy a few with my Granddad and they are treasured memories. For me these were some of the perfect pints in my life and I know it was the same for Dave and his family. I’m just pleased that Dave’s kind permission to allow me to print his beer recipe means that hopefully families across the world will be able to share in a few pints of his Mild. A fitting tribute indeed to his Granddad who has now sadly passed away.

Dave, who now drinks in the Albion Hotel, The Lower Angel, The Tavern all in Warrington is delighted to be immortalised and states that thanks to Andy’s book he now has the perfect Christmas present for his Nan! Brewing Britain is published by Bantam Press and is available in all good bookshops RRP £12.99.

 

[luke_d]

Couldn't help but notice that "saison" is spelled incorrectly on that book cover.

 

[Orfy]

Well spotted.
I think there is either two ways to spell it or it is commonly misspelt. But yes the most common way is Saision.

 

[thecomingdarkage]

I brewed this with London ESB yeast(WL1968) and Willamette for the 15 minute addition. Fermented at the low temperature range to keep esters down and raised temperature for week two to cleanup. FG was 1.016, which seems about right for this yeast. Tastes bright, slightly fruity, and very slightly tart. Very enjoyable at this point. Cold crashing and kegging this week. Can not wait to enjoy this while it ages, if it lasts long enough

 

[Malty_Dog]

Here's a copy of a press release in several newspapers.

Orfy - are you the fellow the author mentions in the book?

As for the recipe - I'd like to give this a go. Really feel the need/desire to brew some English styles, preferably the more sessionable ones. Learning so much from this hobby right now. May not get to it til Christmas, but looks like it turns around pretty quickly.

 

[Low-n-Lean]

Addition of Flaked Oats 2% of bill, S-04 and served at 5 weeks. By far a favorite. Thank you Sir.

 

[casesensative]

Brewed this on Saturday evening via BIAB. Checked gravity today and its down to 1.018. No more airlock activity, hoping the yeast can still get it down a few more points. OG was 1.037. Had airlock activity within a few hours of pitching a nice amount of yeast from a fresh slurry of s-04. Fermented at 66. Now raising to 71 and gonna try and rouse to get some more points knocked off. Already tastes very good, if a bit 'grainy'.

Changed the hops just a touch on accident. So did .5 oz fuggles @ 60, 30, and 15 for a rough total of 23 IBUS on a 6G batchw to match the original recipe.

Ill repost final results.

 

[beerofhrod]

I am really excited to try this extract recipe and I happen to have some marris otter. Not quite enough of it though so I thought to use light dme too.
Extract 5 gallons
3.15 lb Marris otter LME
1 lb light dme
.8 lb crystal 60
.25 lb chocolate malt

.87 oz fuggles for 45 min
.87 oz fuggles for 15 min

Nottingham dry yeast

I plugged this into Qbrew and my og is 1.036 Bitterness 25 Color 18 degrees alc:3.5% I will look for british versions of the steeping grains, I think my lhbs carries uk crystal 70-80 and uk chocolate. if not then I'll grab generic stuff.

If this recipe doesn't look right let me know. I don't have beer smith and Qbrew is the only free calculator with a large database of malts. Salud!

 

[MrFeltimo]

I brewed this yesterday, Hit all me numbers from following the reciepe, adjusted the hops to allow for AA but came up with 23 IBUs,.
so for so good. we will see how it turns out.