English Ales - What's your favorite recipe?

[HM-2]

For some reason they just resonate with me. I suppose it's because most of the places, natural cycles and wonder they refer to is what I live among and call home.

I was supposed to see them at ManorFestival back in 2022 but it ended up being cancelled.

 

[Witherby]

To get us back to the pub, here’s my recent ordinary bitter fermented with Windsor and Nottingham. After a few weeks in the fridge it cleared up quite nicely.

 

[Miraculix]

To get us back to the pub, here’s my recent ordinary bitter fermented with Windsor and Nottingham. After a few weeks in the fridge it cleared up quite nicely.

View attachment 868928

I'd certainly drink that!

 

[DuncB]

To get us back to the pub, here’s my recent ordinary bitter fermented with Windsor and Nottingham. After a few weeks in the fridge it cleared up quite nicely.

View attachment 868928

I'd drink the beer looks good.

You can keep the bar snacks though!

 

[DuncB]

This is a must watch.

 

[Brewer dad]

This is a must watch.

That was really cool, thanks for sharing it. I found the Timothy Taylor part especially interesting, I’ve brewed a clone of that beer twice but never had the real thing. I am going to incorporate some tidbits from this into English ale recipe I’ve been working on, will post it here for feedback soon.

 

[DuncB]

That was really cool, thanks for sharing it. I found the Timothy Taylor part especially interesting, I’ve brewed a clone of that beer twice but never had the real thing. I am going to incorporate some tidbits from this into English ale recipe I’ve been working on, will post it here for feedback soon.

Loved the TT part but also Thornbridge with the Burton Union system.
I'm currently fermenting using White labs burton ale yeast and it is a super thick and creamy barm. It's got me thinking could I make a union fermenter with a 40 litre firkin, some stainless steel sinks and some piping. I think so.
Starting the head scratching process.

 

[Brewer dad]

Ok here is where I’m at for a best bitter. Going for something with hair more alcohol than I’ve previously done(below is 4.6abv for me) and a bit of hop character.

5gal 75% efficiency

9lb Warminster Maris Otter(89.4%)
8oz Bairds Carastan(5%)
8oz Invert Sugar(5%)
1oz Bairds Black Malt(.6%)

Mash 154 single infusion

1oz Fuggles 60min
1oz Fuggles 30min
.5oz Fuggles 10min
.5oz EKG 10 min
.5oz EKG DH 2 days during cold crash

I’ve been using Wyeast Yorkshire a lot and am inclined to go with it again, but have not gotten as good fermentation flavor out of it last batch or two. I also have A09(fullers).

 

[schmurf]

This is a must watch.

Here's another interesting watch, a bit of history

 

[Shenanigans]

Hi All,

Even after reading about all the horror stories of stuck fermintations and diacetyl with WYEAST 1187 Ringwood I ordered a discounted pack today.
I'm a sucker for a deal.

I actually have it earmarked for an India Brown Ale recipe I usually brew with WLP005 but after a few gernerations the attenuation is going through the roof.
A new pack of WLP005 was more than twice the price so said I'd give the Ringwood a go.

Anyway, is there anyone on here that use this yeast and what are you brewing with it?

Thanks!

​

 

[Shenanigans]

Hi All,

Even after reading about all the horror stories of stuck fermintations and diacetyl with WYEAST 1187 Ringwood I ordered a discounted pack today.
I'm a sucker for a deal.

I actually have it earmarked for an India Brown Ale recipe I usually brew with WLP005 but after a few gernerations the attenuation is going through the roof.
A new pack of WLP005 was more than twice the price so said I'd give the Ringwood a go.

Anyway, is there anyone on here that use this yeast and what are you brewing with it?

Thanks!

​

Same goes for WYEAST 1099 Whitbread.
After a bit of research, it looks like it's the liquid version of Windsor with low attenuation.
So maybe a session English brown ale or a pale ale with some sort of sugar addition?

 

[DuncB]

Same goes for WYEAST 1099 Whitbread.
After a bit of research, it looks like it's the liquid version of Windsor with low attenuation.
So maybe a session English brown ale or a pale ale with some sort of sugar addition?

I have used 1099 a lot and have not found it anything like Windsor at all.
Attenuation is good, beer not super dry but clears well.

 

[elproducto]

I need to re-up my EKG stock, just wondering how the 2023 EKG crop was?

And alternatively, has anyone used US Goldings? Just wonder how they compare.

 

[HaveABeer]

Just got a ESB kit today...
6.6 Gold Liquid Malt Extract
1lb British Pale Grain M&F 2 row
1lb British Crystal Grain M&F
1oz Chinook
2oz Cascade
1tsp Irish Moss
White Labs WLP001 California Ale Yeast

3 time Best of Show winner.

 

[balrog]

According to this, they compare this way:

 

[Erik the Anglophile]

According to this, they compare this way:

View attachment 869749

So it's kinda the same but the US might be perceived as a wee bit more fruity?

 

[Erik the Anglophile]

And as some of you might remember, I have been trialing some good dry yeast and mixes of dry yeast for a good English character.
I thought I'd share my findings: what I've been doing lately is a 50/50 mix of some neutral attenuative English yeast and a non diastatic Belgian.

In my case MJ m42 and m47, you could likely use ordinary notty aswell but i find the MJ variety to have a tad bit more character and ability to control AA via mash temps.
Pitch cool and start fermentation at 17c and let free-rise to 20c.

 

[Shenanigans]

I have used 1099 a lot and have not found it anything like Windsor at all.
Attenuation is good, beer not super dry but clears well.

Nice, so I can't believe everything I read on an internet forum

What are the favourite beers you have brewed with it?
There are several old traditional ones on Barclayperkins including some pale ales and IPAs.

 

[Colindo]

@Shenanigans I cloned Sharp's Doom Bar once with 1099. Worked like a charm and it is very forgiving at higher temperatures (up to 25°C).
I've used 1187 several times for different beers. Can't say I ever noticed stuck fermentation or diacetyl, but then the former is mostly down to water treatment and protein rests in my opinion, rarely to yeast strain. And diacetyl will go as long as you do a secondary fermentation or just leave it a bit longer in the fermenter. 1187 gives apricot in my opinion, especially with a low pitch rate.

 

[Shenanigans]

@Shenanigans I cloned Sharp's Doom Bar once with 1099. Worked like a charm and it is very forgiving at higher temperatures (up to 25°C).
I've used 1187 several times for different beers. Can't say I ever noticed stuck fermentation or diacetyl, but then the former is mostly down to water treatment and protein rests in my opinion, rarely to yeast strain. And diacetyl will go as long as you do a secondary fermentation or just leave it a bit longer in the fermenter. 1187 gives apricot in my opinion, especially with a low pitch rate.

Thanks for the tip, Doom Bar sounds like a decent beer, found a recipe from Maltmiller and have everything here on hand once the yeast arrives.

For the German based lads you probably already know https://www.hobbybrauerversand.de/ have been taken over by Braumarkt and will close.

They are selling off some WYEAST packs that went out of date at the end of 2024 for about 50% of what you would pay for a new pack now.
I heard they are very slow at sending orders as they have limited staff and are occupied with moving location, but I ordered on Monday, and they are due to be delivered today so not too bad.
I took one of everything they had on discount except the 1332 Northwest Ale because that doesn't sound very good.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Doombar is a bland beer which used to be better. In a pub I would only have it if there was no other real ale. You could do the following to improve it
1. Brew to 4.3% not 4.0%
2. Use medium crystal not light crystal.
3. Colour with chocolate malt not roasted barley or black malt
4. Try using either a Nottingham style yeast or WHC Old English or Bond.
5. Substitute the Perle Hops with Bramling Cross.

It won’t be a true Doombar but it will be an Amber Bitter.

 

[ExpatPete]

This is a must watch.

Thanks for sharing this link! I love the show and love cask ales. I was fortunate enough to live in the UK for 3-1/2 years (I am US based), and developed a deep love for good cask ales. Fascinating shows!

I am making a list of their stops, and this Fall we are going to the UK on Holiday and plan to hit several of the classic British Cask Ale Pubs they visited.

 

[DuncB]

Episode 7 now on YouTube.
Visits to Birmingham and Fullers.
Not as many " clues " for us as in episode 6.
I've used the 1099 for milds, best bitter and a Ron pattinson historical brown stout.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

I need to re-up my EKG stock, just wondering how the 2023 EKG crop was?

It was a difficult vintage in Kent for most of the early varieties like most of the Golding clones, there was some decent stuff out there but you needed growers who cared about quality. August was positively autumnal so things grew slowly and didn't really develop much flavour, then there was a heatwave after the early varieties were picked which meant all the remaining varieties ripened all at once so growers were under pressure to pick at the right time. Some of the neomex-heritage varieties did OK but overall it was a tough vintage. 2024 is better in general, and Hereford Goldings may have been less badly affected in 2023 than Kent.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Thanks for the tip, Doom Bar sounds like a decent beer

Heh - it was a cult thing back in the mid-90s, but then they got bought by Coors and massively expanded so that it's now the biggest cask ale in the UK, but that means it tends not to be very well kept, so it's a bit of a distress purchase. It's OK when kept well, but they've blandified the recipe somewhat. I guess it's a similar process to what's happened with Goose Island, Lagunitas etc - but starting with a relatively delicate blond-ish cask ale.

I took one of everything they had on discount except the 1332 Northwest Ale because that doesn't sound very good.

I'm not sure of the relationship between White Labs and Wyeast here, but I find WLP041 which is the notional equivalent, to make a beer with bags of drinkability and moreish-ness.

 

[Shenanigans]

I'm not sure of the relationship between White Labs and Wyeast here, but I find WLP041 which is the notional equivalent, to make a beer with bags of drinkability and moreish-ness.

Ok maybe I missed out on that one then but I have more than enough new strains to experiment with now.
It might be that the negative feedback was due to the name being a bit misleading for some people and they used it in the wrong beer style or expected something different.

 

[Colindo]

@Shenanigans I absolutely love 1332 and did some Gale's clones with it. Think red berries, really nice.

By the way, the trouble with Braumarkt is said to have been resolved and everything works more or less smoothly now. The worst was in November and December.

 

[Fr_Marc]

@Shenanigans I absolutely love 1332 and did some Gale's clones with it. Think red berries, really nice.

I would be really interested in your recipe and method for a Gale‘s clone. Do you mind sharing some notes? Or is there even a video by chance?

Cheers! Marc

 

[Colindo]

@Fr_Marc Sure there is. This is the recipe from the 90s. In the comments you'll find someone who wrote down a newer all-malt recipe that he got from a documentary

 

[Colindo]

Huh, I'm at a pub in the Peak District and while they served the Adnam's Ghost Ship with a sparkler yesterday, the TT Golden Best today is served without one...

It's a strange world.