1895 very pale ale

[JKaranka]

I have been considering brewing one of these traditional British pale ales for a while now, and one of the recipes in Shut Up About Barclay Perkins inspired me to put something together. I have not brewed it yet as I am still gathering feedback. I use metric, but I've been approaching the recipe to your American (not-quite-imperial) system

1895 Pale Ale
5 US gallons
OG: 1.054, FG: 1.012, IBU: 40, SRM: 4

Grist:
- #4.1 Maris Otter
- #4.1 Belgian Pilsner (original asks for Continental pale)
- #2 Flaked corn

90 minute boil:
90 - 1oz of East Kent Goldings
15 - 1oz East Kent Goldings, 1/2oz Cluster, 1/2oz Bobek
Steep - 1/2oz Cluster, 1/2oz Bobek
Dry hop - 1oz East Kent Goldings, 1oz Cluster, 1oz Bobek

Mash schedule: add the pilsner and flaked corn, give them a 45 minute protein rest in a thick mash, add the pale malt and hot water. Bring up the temperature to a low mash temp for 60 minutes. Get the wort, follow with a second 60 minute mash at a medium temp, collect the wort and give a quick sparge.

I've been considering the hop schedule quite a while between the different hops that were commonly available at the time and that seems as one of the fruitier combinations. A different way to go would be quite earthy for such a pale and dry beer, and would be using Fuggles, Spalt, Hallertau and Whitebread Goldings. I do like Cluster quite a lot, though, and for once it's on offer.

 

[14thstreet]

I brewed something similar back in November. I'd bet the beer was "ready" at 2-3 months as I felt I had to mellow the hops a bit so that it was enjoyable. You like Clusters so your timeframe might be different. I used 1g/L bittering and 2g/L steep (overnight). I was expecting a short turn around and it was just harsh. I suspect the slow chill extracted a bit too much of what I didn't want of the hops. With the light malt you don't have much to hide behind. Let us know how it goes for you!

 

[JKaranka]

Yeah, I think I'll order the flaked corn for this next week...

 

[JKaranka]

I brewed this one. 4 pounds each of lager and maris otter malt, 2 pounds of flaked maize. Had a protein rest followed by two 50m mashes, first at 62c second at 70c. Ferments very steadily with a quick start using MJ West Coast. I changed the hops so it's got cluster, saaz, ekg in that order.

 

[Aonghus]

I am interested in how your batch eventually turns out. Did you hit your estimated OG's (pre-boil and post)?

 

[JKaranka]

I didn't have all my gear (I'm about to move house) so I couldn't get gravity measures. I'll let you know how it tastes, though. I'll have to go to the storage facility to pick up some casks and a syphon...

Fermentation is smelling very classy and starting to slow down. There's a nice restrained hop smell and the wort was fairly clear. Good hot break at the bottom of the pan. I'll be dry hopping with 2oz Saaz and 2oz EKG next week.

 

[mjohnson]

Maybe I'm speaking out of turn, but I've had odd flavors when dry-hopping with Saaz. Almost menthol/minty flavors. It wasn't offensive, but it was a bit distracting. By all means go ahead and do it, but if you get some odd flavors, you might want to try it without the next time.

 

[JKaranka]

Back in the day they pretty much only used EKG for dry hops (lots of international hops for everything else) but Saaz looks like a risk worth taking. To be fair, I'm a bit fed up of modern IPAs and pale ales and I definitively don't want something fruity as a result, rather get more earthy and floral notes yet light and refreshing.

 

[mjohnson]

Sounds good. In my experience Saaz in dryhop is neither earthy nor floral. Let us know what you find!

 

[JKaranka]

I'll have sampled it in about a month!

 

[JKaranka]

Dry hopping. Ended up with 3oz EKG and 1/2oz Saaz.

 

[JKaranka]

I think it's got Brett! Pellicule that turns crusty on top with bubbles from the CO2 being released. Tastes, ok, though. So that is, again, true to style. I'll cask and prime it in a couple of days and let it rest.

 

[JKaranka]

I've been away and ill so I just racked. The pellicle does not seem to have any negative effect on smell or flavour so its probably a very clean Brett. I got four minicasks and a 75cl bottle full and primed. It's very hoppy, dry and refreshing, can't wait for it to condition. The big EKG dry hop has let plenty of citrus and orange peel that seem to work out with the saaz. Needs bubbles!

 

[JKaranka]

Rounding up, following what I actually ended up doing and replacing British ingredients and measures by US ones...

Keppoch PA (5 US gallons)
OG 1055, FG 1012, 5.6% ABV, IBU 52, SRM 4

Mash
4lb US 2 Row
4lb UK Maris Otter (pale)
2lb Flaked Maize
10oz US 6 Row

Mash schedule
Protein rest - 25m at 130F
First mash - 60m at 145F (~3 gallons)
Second mash - 60m at 155F (~2 gallons)
Sparge - 1 gallon at 170F

90 minute boil (add copper finings at 15m)
90m - 1oz Cluster
40m - 1oz Saaz
20m - 1oz Saaz & 1oz East Kent Goldings

Cool, pitch yeast (I used MJ West Coast, but nothing stops you using S04, Nottingham or a liquid yeast... this could work fairly well with a Burton yeast). When fermentation slows down dry hop with 3oz East Kent Goldings and 1/2oz Saaz. Rack after two weeks and prime (I prime at 1.7-2.0 volumes). If you rack into cask, add a 1/2oz of Goldings for another dry hopping and prime closer to 1.5.