Ashburne Mild and Fuggle SMaSH

[fatduck]

I have been wanting to do a beer with this malt ever since we got it at Midwest, so after trying to find any info about this malt, other than from Briess, I decided to do a SMaSH and really get a feel for the malt, and to share my results.

I will brew this tomorrow, and make an update then with results from brewday, and maybe pictures.

Recipe: #24 Ashbourne SMaSH
Brewer: Paul Johnston
Asst Brewer:
Style: English IPA
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 11.00 gal
Boil Size: 13.14 gal
Estimated OG: 1.066 SG
Estimated Color: 8.9 SRM
Estimated IBU: 60.0 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
28.00 lb Ashburne Mild (5.3 SRM) Grain 100.00 %
5.11 oz Fuggles [4.00 %] (90 min) (First Wort HopHops 35.1 IBU
4.35 oz Fuggles [4.00 %] (20 min) Hops 15.4 IBU
4.50 oz Fuggles [4.00 %] (10 min) Hops 9.5 IBU
1 Pkgs European Ale (White Labs #WLP011) Yeast-Ale
1 Pkgs Pacific Ale (White Labs #WLP041) Yeast-Ale

The batch will be split into 2, 6.5 gallon carboys and each will get one of the two yeasts, which are growing right now in 1 gallon growlers. Fermentation will be at 66 until FG, and then taken into the 52 degree cellar for 2-3 weeks until they are kegged and severed.

 

[fatduck]

Brewday went very well. I hit my target gravity, +1, with a 1.067. I ended up with more like an 80 minute boil over 90, but my volume was right on. So, all told it will fit better into "English IPA" than it would have if everything would have been perfect. I will still end up with something like 55 IBUs. The color is wonderful, copper orange, exactly what I hoped for.

Started fermenting pretty fast, the Pacific faster than the Euro by about 3-4 hours, but both are churning away now at about 66F.

I will try to keep this post updated as I take samples and let everyone know a little more about ashburne malt.

 

[novafire]

I am looking forward to your results. I just went through a bag of mild malt myself, but I did not get a chance to make a SMASH to really get a feel for the malt.

 

[fatduck]

Overall I am not very happy with this beer, the first keg is gone, and I just tapped the second. Its a bit darker than expected, and a little fuller than I had wanted. I would not do a SMaSH with this malt again, but I do look forward to brewing with it.

One thing that I DO want to try is a all Ashburne Mild Barleywine, there is a lot of complexity that would be perfect for a BW, but doesn't work so well for an english IPA.

Take it for what its worth, its a darkish base malt with a lot of dark fruit complexity, maybe from the longer boil, but I doubt that would do it alone.

 

[Judochop]

I just took a stab at the exact same thing.

10 lbs Ashburne Mild
2.25 oz Fuggles (60 min)
.75 oz Fuggles (15 min)
.75 oz Fuggles (0 min)

Nailed my predicted OG of 1.047, so I can vouch for the claims that this malt can convert at least itself.

I used the London Ale III (1318) by Wyeast. Not exactly the strain I would've picked, but I had it harvested and we're in a frickin' recession, frick it all.

I'm not sure about the OP's complaint about the color. It's a healthy golden, like you'd expect from a vienna malt, but not dark. Wort tasted nice, that's for sure. I'll report back with better data in, oh... let's say, 5 days.

Merry Christmas!

 

[Judochop]

I'm happy to report that the Ashburne mild makes a great SMaSHburn bitter. It's got a nice warm, lightly bready flavor. I am very satisfied with it as a sole base malt, with the respectable hop profile I used. (I should note that I have since dry-hopped the recipe I noted above with another 0.5 oz of Fuggles.)

I'm not sure what I'd think of it, however, if I used it to brew a true English (pale) Mild ale laid off the hops, relying more heavily on the malt qualities. Despite it's name, I'm not sure if it has what it takes to carry a beer. Then again, I've never had an example of a "true English (pale) Mild ale', so...

I'd be curious to try it against both a 100% Vienna and a 100% English Pale Ale recipe to see how it compares.