English Ales - What's your favorite recipe?

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Look what I got in the mail today
 

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Look what I got in the mail today
Specs look better than the stuff in the US (2020 crop). Color, nitrogen, and yield are back in line.

Diastatic power is really poor though. WK converts to only 42 Lintner.

https://coa.bsgcraft.com/Resources/...allier Malt PO160-042644 SS26550 59018-2 .pdf
I used the last of my sack yesterday and realized that all my brews with my old stock had pH values that were WAY too low. Calculated at ~5.5-5.6 had me at 5.05-5.15 for all 4 batches I used with my sack. Has anyone had issues with pH before? Not sure if it was the batch I had, or if it's an issue with all Chevallier malt.
 
Specs look better than the stuff in the US (2020 crop). Color, nitrogen, and yield are back in line.

Diastatic power is really poor though. WK converts to only 42 Lintner.

https://coa.bsgcraft.com/Resources/...allier Malt PO160-042644 SS26550 59018-2 .pdf
I used the last of my sack yesterday and realized that all my brews with my old stock had pH values that were WAY too low. Calculated at ~5.5-5.6 had me at 5.05-5.15 for all 4 batches I used with my sack. Has anyone had issues with pH before? Not sure if it was the batch I had, or if it's an issue with all Chevallier malt.
I'll likely do a a 50c/15 min protein rest followed by a 90 min mash anyways, and plan to use it in primarily turn of the last century -+10y inspired milds and AK.
Next vintage of old ale will probably be Chevalier aswell...
 
I'll be brewing this beer for the 3rd time - Let's Brew Wednesday - 1914 Courage Imperial

I have a pound of invert #3 which I was thinking on using for this recipe. I ordered it by mistake instead of #1 for another beer I brewed recently.

I figured I'd ask folks here if this is a bad idea and if it would impart any "off flavors".

My first thought is that it would only increase the gravity since there is a ton of brown and black and it wouldn't hurt to add the #3.

Thoughts?
 
I'll be brewing this beer for the 3rd time - Let's Brew Wednesday - 1914 Courage Imperial

I have a pound of invert #3 which I was thinking on using for this recipe. I ordered it by mistake instead of #1 for another beer I brewed recently.

I figured I'd ask folks here if this is a bad idea and if it would impart any "off flavors".

My first thought is that it would only increase the gravity since there is a ton of brown and black and it wouldn't hurt to add the #3.

Thoughts?

Go for it. I brewed that beer with a super dark DIY invert. Delicious.

Have you noticed there are two Let's Brew recipes for it? The earlier was written by Kristen England. The later by Ron.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/1914-courage-imperial-stout-which-one.693027/
 
Go for it. I brewed that beer with a super dark DIY invert. Delicious.

Have you noticed there are two Let's Brew recipes for it? The earlier was written by Kristen England. The later by Ron.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/1914-courage-imperial-stout-which-one.693027/
Well, alrighty then!!

I've always brewed the Kristen version so it looks like it'll be a combo of both per se.

I missed that later recipe by Ron and I read SUABP daily for the last 8 years.

Great thread, btw. I'll read through it.

Thanks!
 
You guys just inspired me to use up my stock of malts in an imperial something old.

I don't remember what I got, but I got too much of it. I want to brew something which can be stored for years as I want to get out of this "I have to drink it because it goes bad in a few weeks" cycle plus I want to get rid of all my current malt.

Perfect time for an imperial old something ale! A pack of notty, a pack of s04, a pack of Windsor, rye malt, wheat malt, dark malts, pale malts, invert, hops for 60-70 ibus, og above 1.1, sounds nice, doesn't it? :D
 
Coming up on 2yrs with that brew. Almost time for another tasting report. Almost time to brew it again. It'll likely be next winter's brett'd cellar beer. Two stock ales in a row, time for another roasty.
Why not both? I plan to get a rotation going on a vintaged stock/old ale and an Imperial Stout each winter.
 
I'm just building the starter for my second go at the Thomas Hardy original clone from Ron site design by Kristen. Recently bottled the first batch after 7 months in second vessel with some oak blocks and a repitch with wyeast 1007. Some suggestions this might have been the yeast used by Eldridge pope.
Gravity was 1.107 down to 1.034 with wlp099 then finally at bottling was 1.016.
Tasted pretty good flat, I'll crack a bottle at the brew day anniversary in August.
 
And from having two pints yesterday of my latest bitter I can now conclude I am not a big fan of Bramling X.
A part of the blackcurrant-ish hoppy flavour leaves a sort of "raspy" aftertaste I do not enjoy.
I am confident enough in my ability to tell it apart from grain astringency and feel pretty certain it is part of the hop flavour.
Anyone else who gets this?
 
Machine House in Seattle will close at the current location on June 11.

Waiting on permits for the new place and fingers crossed there will be no downtime and be open soon
 
Anyone else who gets this?
Never used it for dry-hop, but in the other additions it was a smooth behaviour. Last 10 mins gives a subtle but noticeable flavour, while the WP addition gives strong aroma. I like to combine these two additions with more hops in the 10 mins than in the WP. I made great Schwarzbiers using this hopping scheme.
 
My second go at the Thomas Hardy ale was a trial but managed 23 litres into fermenter at 1.126.
WLP099 is going great guns as picture below.
Also partigyle 1.044 19.5 litres which is fermenting a bit cooler with the same yeast.
 

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Are you gonna secondary ferment it with brett?
Assuming you are asking me. Not planning on it.
The first one of these I had a go at initially fermented down to 1.034 from 1.107 and then after several months in secondary with some sterilised oak blocks it didn't change gravity. I then added the wyeast 1007 ( dusseldorf alt) and it was 1.020 when I bottled it.
That's quite alcoholic enough and the original wasn't bretted.
My recent research suggests that Eldridge Pope had several additions of Carlsberg lager yeast to the oak barrels over the 6 months they were vatted. I'll be able to taste the first batch at a year before deciding on the secondary yeasting of this batch.

A gravity check last night and it was down to 1.062 in four days, fermenting at 22 celsius now after slow rise.
 
Either recipe or page number pls :D
It's my own recipe but in the same vane as post ww1 and interwar milds.

For a 21L post-boil batch, 83% efficiency.
Simpson Vienna(mild malt sub) 2190g 75%
Simpson Crystal Light 150g 5%
Wheat malt 150g 5%
Simpson Crystal Dark 90g 3%
Invert 3 350g 12%
The invert is a emulation, 50% base sugar(white refined cane) and the other half 2/3 light muscovado and 1/3 dark muscovado. Add at last 15 min.

Boil 90 min
Challenger 15.5g 60 min
EKG 15g 20 min
EKG 8g dry hop in keg

Est OG 1.035 20 IBU
I mashed at 71c to try to keep the AA around 75%, depends on what yeast you use I guess.
 
It's my own recipe but in the same vane as post ww1 and interwar milds.

For a 21L post-boil batch, 83% efficiency.
Simpson Vienna(mild malt sub) 2190g 75%
Simpson Crystal Light 150g 5%
Wheat malt 150g 5%
Simpson Crystal Dark 90g 3%
Invert 3 350g 12%
The invert is a emulation, 50% base sugar(white refined cane) and the other half 2/3 light muscovado and 1/3 dark muscovado. Add at last 15 min.

Boil 90 min
Challenger 15.5g 60 min
EKG 15g 20 min
EKG 8g dry hop in keg

Est OG 1.035 20 IBU
I mashed at 71c to try to keep the AA around 75%, depends on what yeast you use I guess.
83 is mash efficiency?
 
White Labs has Manchester WLP038 available. It's a yeast strain but have released a limited quantity.

IMHO, this is the yeast if you're trying to do a Tony's Boddington's Pre-1970

Where do you see 038 available? I just got a WLP group buy announcement from my LHBS and it's not one of the listed vault strains. Don't see it as available on WL's website either.
 
Where do you see 038 available? I just got a WLP group buy announcement from my LHBS and it's not one of the listed vault strains. Don't see it as available on WL's website either.
It's on yeastman.com (along with a couple of other of the better Vault strains), so any LHBS should be able to order it at the moment.

I am thinking about what blend you could do to achieve something that is the closest match to the original Boddington's multi strain.
This and some of the london ale strains?
It needs repeating - London Ale III and friends appear to have nothing to do with the "original" (ie mid-20th-century, Tadcaster) strain used by Boddies. LAIII is a classic Whitbread yeast, I suspect it was harvested from a product carrying the Boddies label that was made in a Whitbread factory at some time after the Whitbread takeover, long after the period of "classic" Boddies.

If nothing else, no Whitbread strain is going to give you anything close to the 90+% apparent attenuation that was common in 1970s Boddies. So maybe something like WLP038 miced with Omega Gulo, or Belle Saison fermented on the cool side.

But since it's available, I would encourage everyone on this thread to give it a try, there's very little on the internet about it (as it only leaves the Vault every 4-5 years) but reviews like this make it sound like possibly the best yeast for British bitter of anything available from the US yeast labs, certainly for northern styles. It's one of a very few strains available from the US yeastlabs that reflect the fact that "real" British beers are really quite frequently brewed with members of the saison family - but they may need generous aeration to control the phenols.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/wlp-038-manchester-yeast-review.672130/#post-8737370
ba-brewer said:
I got wlp038 from the vault too, it was POF+ for me. Mild clove with a pear or apple ester, at times the beers aroma reminded me a little of apple pie. Attenuation only about 68%, cleared well did not really enhance malt flavor or aroma though.

Franktalk said :
Okay, so I tapped my bitter. I do get a a subtle clove, more in the aroma than the taste. It is mixed with a nice floral hop bouquet. As far as apple pie, I do get cinnamon, but with dried fruits such as apricot, prune and maybe dried pineapple It is very complex fruitiness. No wonder that it enhanced my NEIPA. Also, I used #2 invert in my recipe, and I can taste that. The hop bitterness is balanced with the malt. It is as clear as a bell from the first pint, and the mouth feel is low to medium.
I'm onto my second pint now, and the more I drink it the clovier it gets. It is not a saison; it's too sweet. Is it a biere de garde? No, too fruity. Got to do some more experimenting!
 
WLP006 is similar to WLP005 but better behaved, does not drop out so quickly and has lower diacetyl. It has similar fruity esters to wlp005.
 
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I'm not sure where I got this link from (hopefully not here :p) but I thought I'd share as there are some interesting and nicely presented recipes on there.

https://www.wildabouthops.nz/UK_ipa_recipes.html
I'm also not sure how accurate they are but they do use local NZ malts so they should of course be changed with the british equivalent for which they posted a substitution chart.

https://www.wildabouthops.nz/malt_substitutes.html
There are also some more British ales in the other recipe sections; some nice brewing software resouces too.
I need to dig deeper when I find some time 👀
 
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I'm not sure where I got this link from (hopefully not here :p) but I thought I'd share as there are some interesting and nicely presented recipes on there.

https://www.wildabouthops.nz/UK_ipa_recipes.html
I'm also not sure how accurate they are but they do use local NZ malts so they should of course be changed with the british equivalent for which they posted a substitution chart.

https://www.wildabouthops.nz/malt_substitutes.html
There are also some more British ales in the other recipe sections; some nice brewing software resouces too.
I need to dig deeper when I find some time 👀
It's a good source of information that site especially some of the talks with great brewers. The owner is an expat Brit and it's the company I bought my hop plants from.
 
@Miraculix @DBhomebrew
Took a sample of my mild yesterday, it had stopped at 1.011 from 1.035. mashed at 71c to account for the 12%sugar and a fairly attenuative yeast(MJ M42 in a mix).

It seems one should keep in mind that if using only Simpson Vienna as base it creates a fairly dextrinous wort, only regular pale would likely have fermented out more at that mash temp, whereas 68c probably would have been good in this instance.
 
Great timing. I've just got 5# of continental Vienna that'll go in my simple bitter recipe. 90/10 Vienna/invert. Planned on mashing like normal at 152°F with a standard recipe to see what I get. Quite similar to Ron's recent dinner ale.

After that, I've got a sack of Baird's Vienna on its way. That'll make some historical milds among other things.

I appreciate your initiative on the Vienna. I'm looking forward to it.

[I just converted your 71c. No wonder it finished high!]
 
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