English Ales - What's your favorite recipe?

[duncan_disorderly]

Nice one, Erik!

And now for something completely different.

I have been planning to brew a low alcohol light ale in the tradition of table ales, dinner ales or even family ales for some time now. My aim is to brew a tasty ale that I can enjoy with lunch at the vicarage while still being able to celebrate a funeral afterwards without falling into the grave.

I stumbled across the following recipe in Ron Pattinson's Home Brewer's Guide to Vintage Beer (p.95):

___________________________________________________________________

1965 Courage Light Ale

Batch Size 23 L

Losses 2 L

Boil Time 90 mins

Mash Efficiency 80%

Mash Volume 10.34 L

Sparge Volume 20.73 L

OG (SG) 1.032 FG (SG) 1.008

IBU 31.9

Colour (EBC) 15.8

ABV 3.17%



Fermentables

Pale Malt 1.40 kg (47%)

Mild Malt 0.79 kg (27%)

Invert Sugar 0.46 kg (15%)

Corn, Flaked 0.23 kg (8%)

Crystal – Light 0.11 kg (4%)



Mash Steps

Mash In 67 °C - 60 min

Mash Out 74 °C - 10 min



Hops

Northern Brewer (IBU: 17.6) 14.00 g (44%) - Boil 90 min

Bramling Cross (IBU: 14.3) 18.00 g (56%) - Boil 60 min



Yeast

British Ale Yeast (WY-1098)



Fermentation

18 °C 10 days
___________________________________________________________________

What do you guys think about this? Should I give it a go or do you have any suggestions on tweaking it. I was wondering if adding a late hop addition (even some dry hopping?) and switching the yeast for something more characterful would be a good idea. Looking forward to your comments.

Cheers! Marc

It has a whiff of Boddingtons about it, that recipe. I would brew it exactly as it is, just requires a little courage, bdum tish.

If I tweaked it at all it would be to replace some of the invert with more base malt but I think first attempt I would trust the recipe. That's me.

 

[Colindo]

What do you guys think about this? Should I give it a go or do you have any suggestions on tweaking it. I was wondering if adding a late hop addition (even some dry hopping?) and switching the yeast for something more characterful would be a good idea. Looking forward to your comments.

You could definitely get more flavour from some dry-hopping, which boosts these light ales into the session IPA category. Fuller's Chiswick Bitter is made that way. They add 0,8g/l of Target together with the yeast and some Goldings in the maturation tank.

You could also change the very neutral yeast to something more flavourful, which will help. Some suspect that London Ale III is from Courage, so you could give that a go.

 

[corncob]

Nice one, Erik!

And now for something completely different.

I have been planning to brew a low alcohol light ale in the tradition of table ales, dinner ales or even family ales for some time now. My aim is to brew a tasty ale that I can enjoy with lunch at the vicarage while still being able to celebrate a funeral afterwards without falling into the grave.

I stumbled across the following recipe in Ron Pattinson's Home Brewer's Guide to Vintage Beer (p.95):

___________________________________________________________________

1965 Courage Light Ale

Batch Size 23 L

Losses 2 L

Boil Time 90 mins

Mash Efficiency 80%

Mash Volume 10.34 L

Sparge Volume 20.73 L

OG (SG) 1.032 FG (SG) 1.008

IBU 31.9

Colour (EBC) 15.8

ABV 3.17%



Fermentables

Pale Malt 1.40 kg (47%)

Mild Malt 0.79 kg (27%)

Invert Sugar 0.46 kg (15%)

Corn, Flaked 0.23 kg (8%)

Crystal – Light 0.11 kg (4%)



Mash Steps

Mash In 67 °C - 60 min

Mash Out 74 °C - 10 min



Hops

Northern Brewer (IBU: 17.6) 14.00 g (44%) - Boil 90 min

Bramling Cross (IBU: 14.3) 18.00 g (56%) - Boil 60 min



Yeast

British Ale Yeast (WY-1098)



Fermentation

18 °C 10 days
___________________________________________________________________

What do you guys think about this? Should I give it a go or do you have any suggestions on tweaking it. I was wondering if adding a late hop addition (even some dry hopping?) and switching the yeast for something more characterful would be a good idea. Looking forward to your comments.

Cheers! Marc

I would totally brew this. Yeast is usually a guess on these old recipes--like you, I would go with something with some character. You won't get much anyway, due to the low OG.

I would keep the hops the way they are. This is a watery little guy. Any late hops will totally change the character.

I would just use demerara for the invert, added at the beginning of the boil, and I would keep all the sugar and all the corn, personally.

The one actual deviation I would be tempted to make is to mash high and use more malt/less water to get the body up just a little while keeping the ABV. I do this with milds. Higher kilned ale malt, high mash temp, along with a ton of Caribbean sugar to balance makes these little ones sing, in my opinion.

Whatever you do, this will be a drinker, I think.

 

[monkeymath]

Guys, can we please focus more on the vicar and funeral thing? That stuff is gold.

Like, how about including in your last will the recipe for a brew to be carried out by the vicar holding your funeral?

 

[Miraculix]

Nice one, Erik!

And now for something completely different.

I have been planning to brew a low alcohol light ale in the tradition of table ales, dinner ales or even family ales for some time now. My aim is to brew a tasty ale that I can enjoy with lunch at the vicarage while still being able to celebrate a funeral afterwards without falling into the grave.

I stumbled across the following recipe in Ron Pattinson's Home Brewer's Guide to Vintage Beer (p.95):

___________________________________________________________________

1965 Courage Light Ale

Batch Size 23 L

Losses 2 L

Boil Time 90 mins

Mash Efficiency 80%

Mash Volume 10.34 L

Sparge Volume 20.73 L

OG (SG) 1.032 FG (SG) 1.008

IBU 31.9

Colour (EBC) 15.8

ABV 3.17%



Fermentables

Pale Malt 1.40 kg (47%)

Mild Malt 0.79 kg (27%)

Invert Sugar 0.46 kg (15%)

Corn, Flaked 0.23 kg (8%)

Crystal – Light 0.11 kg (4%)



Mash Steps

Mash In 67 °C - 60 min

Mash Out 74 °C - 10 min



Hops

Northern Brewer (IBU: 17.6) 14.00 g (44%) - Boil 90 min

Bramling Cross (IBU: 14.3) 18.00 g (56%) - Boil 60 min



Yeast

British Ale Yeast (WY-1098)



Fermentation

18 °C 10 days
___________________________________________________________________

What do you guys think about this? Should I give it a go or do you have any suggestions on tweaking it. I was wondering if adding a late hop addition (even some dry hopping?) and switching the yeast for something more characterful would be a good idea. Looking forward to your comments.

Cheers! Marc

You're for real regarding the funeral?

I have to Google vicar....

Hahaha, you Catholics are funny guys.

The recipe looks really good to me! I'd be in line with what corncob said as that reflects my experiences with small beers (I make them quite often). However, for the first time, I'd brew it as it is, just to get a solid base for further experiments.

 

[Fr_Marc]

Guys, can we please focus more on the vicar and funeral thing? That stuff is gold.

Funny thing is that I was actually not joking...

 

[Fr_Marc]

You're for real regarding the funeral?

Absolutely, yes!

 

[Fr_Marc]

The one actual deviation I would be tempted to make is to mash high and use more malt/less water to get the body up just a little while keeping the ABV.

I'm afraid I do not know how to do the maths in order to archieve this. Probably the best idea would be to brew it as is for the first time, just like Miraculix suggested.

 

[duncan_disorderly]

Ah but "correctly" in this case is not as black and white as some people may think. The Peak District is pretty much in the cask heartland so the average standard of cellarmanship is pretty good and I would guess they know what they're doing.

What is this cask heartland of which you speak? First I've heard of it, and I've been drinking cask since the 70s. I don't get around the country so much now but I do get into Lancashire and Yorkshire where cask still seems to be going strong.

 

[duncan_disorderly]

Guys, can we please focus more on the vicar and funeral thing? That stuff is gold.

Like, how about including in your last will the recipe for a brew to be carried out by the vicar holding your funeral?

I have wondered about brewing a beer that people could drink at my funeral! A strong bottled ale that would age well. I don't intend to move on for a while yet.

 

[Erik the Anglophile]

Guys, can we please focus more on the vicar and funeral thing? That stuff is gold.

Like, how about including in your last will the recipe for a brew to be carried out by the vicar holding your funeral?

Ah, a "Gravöl" in Swedish. Literally translated to grave-beer. The tradition here is to bury the dead, then after the ceremony you eat some food, have a beer and a small swig of brännvin in honour of the departed and to discuss and remember the good memories you have with the person.

 

[HighlandTap]

Guys, can we please focus more on the vicar and funeral thing? That stuff is gold.

Like, how about including in your last will the recipe for a brew to be carried out by the vicar holding your funeral?

Ah, the vicar. I feel we are definitely in the “now for something completely different” territory.
As an Anglophile yank obsessed with English ales, I am quite vicar-less on this side of the pond (although we have a lunatic running rampant over here.)
As long as I’m given a send off which is mostly Maris Otter, East Kent Goldings and a good English yeast. (West Yorkshire, 1318 and the like) I’ll be happy. Perhaps call the brew “Silly Walks”. And if the “vicar” can’t brew very well, a couple of pints of Landlord real ale poured over my ashes will do.

 

[duncan_disorderly]

.

 

[Fr_Marc]

Well, that escalated quickly…

 

[HighlandTap]

Well, that escalated quickly…

I meant no disrespect to vicars Fr_Marc, only to that lunatic over here. Spot on duncan_ … I’ll have another pint please…

 

[Fr_Marc]

No worries, HighlandTap. I‘m fine.

 

[Derp]

a couple of pints of Landlord real ale poured over my ashes will do.

My feelings exactly, except I'd like to have a few before I pass, as well. Haven't had a pint since I was at the The Theatre Royal Bar in Edinburgh almost exactly a year ago.

I see you're in Ypsi. My father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were all born there. I think my great-great-grandfather moved there just after the Civil War.

 

[HighlandTap]

My feelings exactly, except I'd like to have a few before I pass, as well. Haven't had a pint since I was at the The Theatre Royal Bar in Edinburgh almost exactly a year ago.

I see you're in Ypsi. My father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were all born there. I think my great-great-grandfather moved there just after the Civil War.

I am relatively new to Ypsi, by that comparison. We’ve been here eight years, but have really grown to love the place. There are more than a few impressive Civil War era homes here. There is also a local brewpub, the first one here years ago, which brews a pub ale that could pass for Fullers ESB in a blind taste test. Also interesting that your last Landlord was in Edinburgh. I think my last one was there as well, but at Captain’s Bar. My first Landlord on cask was at the Carpenters Arms in London (by Hyde Park), and the experience is still with me to this day.

I had the pleasure of a lengthy conversation with the head brewer at Timothy Taylor, Andy. And while he was cordial and conversational, I couldn’t get much help as far as brewing my own Landlord here in Ypsi. Andy was not giving away any house secrets, but he did assure me without Keighley spring water, my prospects of making a Landlord homebrew clone over here were rather dim. It hasn’t stopped me from trying.

 

[Colindo]

Did all the English chaps in here sign the petition from the Craft Beer Channel already? The goal is to get Cask Ale ratified as Unesco World Heritage.

 

[duncan_disorderly]

Did all the English chaps in here sign the petition from the Craft Beer Channel already? The goal is to get Cask Ale ratified as Unesco World Heritage.

Don't forget Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland too.

 

[An Ankoù]

Did all the English chaps in here sign the petition from the Craft Beer Channel already? The goal is to get Cask Ale ratified as Unesco World Heritage.

Yep, all signed up. British nationals abroad can also sign the petition.

Don't forget Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland too.

And the isle of Wight.

 

[Erik the Anglophile]

And my axe!

 

[Shenanigans]

I'm from the British Isles am I allowed to sign up?
I've just come back from a trip home and the only regularly available cask ale in Ireland is in Weaterspoon's pubs.
Which is not really taken good care of by the part-time student bar staff.
It can also be that's just a normal keg connected to a handpump.
Tastes sh!te either way.
Starting at 2.05€ a pint, compared to 5 to 8 € elsewhere, the majority of the patrons who drink it don't seem to mind

 

[Shenanigans]

Yep, all signed up. British nationals abroad can also sign the petition.

And the isle of Wight.

Ah here was me thinking you were French.
Explains a lot

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Did all the English chaps in here sign the petition from the Craft Beer Channel already? The goal is to get Cask Ale ratified as Unesco World Heritage.

Yes I’ve signed it.

 

[Derp]

Just got an email from Hop Alliance that 2024 English hops are in stock.

https://hopalliance.com/collections/english-hops

 

[Shenanigans]

Just got an email from Hop Alliance that 2024 English hops are in stock.

https://hopalliance.com/collections/english-hops

Don't know what the postage prices are like, but I'm surprised the hop prices are comparable to what I pay here from the shops in the UK and Ireland.
German hops seem to have a higher mark up, well some varieties.

 

[Shenanigans]

BTW I kegged the below beer on Sunday and it's already tasting good.
It was based on post #4 from this thread.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/anyone-brewed-an-ipa-with-ekg.140192/

I just changed EKG with Pilgrim.
The only strange thing is that is ended up around 1.005 instead of 1.010.
It wasn't hop creep because it was already at this SG before dry hopping.
I also mashed for 60 mins at 66oC and my thermometer is reading correctly.
It was also a new pack of yeast so first generation and should not have mutated unless that happend when stepping up the starter.
It also tastes fine and is not as thin as I was expecting so all good but maybe some slight contamination got in there to drive up the attenuation.
I want to do a Bass Ale clone next using the same yeast so I hope it behaves differently, but just in case I might mash around 68 or 69oC to hopefully lower the attenuation a bit.

 

[Colindo]

Don't forget Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland too.

Should have said 'UK folk', my bad

 

[An Ankoù]

Ah here was me thinking you were French.
Explains a lot

Moi?