English Ales - What's your favorite recipe?

[urbanmyth]

Thanks! Looks great, except what's with all that torrified wheat?

Body, head retention, authenticity. Not sure I would miss it in the recipe, but I have never tried it without it. I usually like having at least 5% wheat in most of my recipes, just to add a little foam stability. If you think the recipe doesn't need it, I'm sure it would still be a great beer without it.

 

[rhys333]

I make a mean English brown that is around 5.7% or so. It is based on the Brewing Network's Can You Brew It recipe of Black Sheep's Riggwelter. It is more of a Northern Brown, but the malt character is fantastic.

OG: 1.057

80% Maris Otter
10% Torrified Wheat
6% Crystal 80 (English)
4% Pale Chocolate (200L)

35 IBUs of EKG with about an ounce at 15 minutes.

I usually try to ferment this with 1469 from Wyeast, but I have used Nottingham in a pinch with great results, too. If you aren't up to making a starter, I would suggest the dry Nottingham. If you want it to finish a bit sweeter, a yeast like WLP002 or Wyeast 1968 would work just as well.

I've been looking for a good english brown. If I wanted to make this southern english, would you recommend an additional 4% chocolate (400L)? Cheers.

 

[urbanmyth]

I've been looking for a good english brown. If I wanted to make this southern english, would you recommend an additional 4% chocolate (400L)? Cheers.

You certainly could. I would probably add a little higher lovibond crystal malt (around 120L), too. Maybe a quarter pound of each.

 

[nutty_gnome]

Would anyone have any qualms about adding a quarter pound of melanoidin malt to amber english milds? Malt bill is 7 pounds Marris Otter, 8 ounces C-150 and 4 ounces melanoidin. I've done this already and it is good. Just wondering about taking it out in the next version and subbing in 4 ounces of amber malt. Anyone else using melanoidin malt in milds?

 

[JKaranka]

I've never used melanoidin malt. I've used amber malt in milds and it's good. Some dark invert (4oz or so) is very good too and gives that fruity edge.

 

[Blueflint]

Like many here, I brew a lot of English Ales, probably 80% of what I brew. I use 1469, 1968 and 1318 yeasts. I find in most of my recipes, 1469 need to age a little more than the other yeasts for best flavor, at 8 weeks it really comes thru. I find 1968 and 1318 are excellent from the get go but 1469 seems to have suppressed flavors early on. I have a few favorite recipes, these are all 3 gallon batches, I brew on the stove and boils are gentle to middle, nothing violent like when using a large outside gas burner. I use mostly Crisp Maris Otter for the base but use mostly Briess for the other malts due to easy availability.

Dark Mild
3 gallon all grain
3.4 gallon boil size
60 minute boil
O.G. 1.034
F.G. 1.008
2.75# Crisp Maris Otter
4 oz. Briess Chocolate 350L
4 oz. Briess Carabrown
2 oz. Briess Caramel 80L
2 oz. Red Wheat (home malted)
1/2 oz. EK Goldings @ 60 minutes
1/4 oz. EKG @ 10 minutes
1.25 quarts water per pound of grain mash, mash high to help increase body (156F) ferment cool, start @ 62, allow to raise to 66-68 at finish, rouse yeast at day 2, let stay on yeast bed 10-14 days. Easy drinking but flavorful. Light notes from chocolate.

Pale Mild
3 gallon all grain
3.4 gallon boil size
60 minute boil
O.G. 1.034
F.G. 1.008
2.75# Crisp Maris Otter
4 oz. Briess Victory
4 oz. Briess Carabrown
4 oz. Flaked Corn or instant grits
1/2 oz. EK Goldings @ 60 minutes
1/4 oz. EKG @ 10 minutes
1.25 quarts water per pound of grain mash, ferment cool, start @ 62, allow to raise to 66-68 at finish, rouse yeast at day 2, let stay on yeast bed 10-14 days. This is a very easy drinking ale, thirst quencher in the summer.

Robust Porter
3 gallon batch size
3.4 gallon boil size
60 minute boil time
1.056 O.G.
1.016 F.G.
31 SRM
28 IBU
4 lbs. Crisp Maris Otter
14 oz. Briess Carabrown Malt
9 oz. Briess Caramel 80L
7 oz. Briess Chocolate 350L
3/4 oz. Fuggle @ 60 minutes
1/2 oz. Fuggle @ 30 minutes
1.25 quarts water per pound of grain mash, ferment cool, start @ 62, allow to raise to 68 at finish, rouse yeast at day 2, possible more, let stay on yeast bed 14 days. Strong chocolate and coffee flavors but not roasty like a stout. Good body, an after dinner sipper in the winter.

Pub Ale
3 gallon batch size
3.4 gallon boil size
60 minute boil time
1.040 O.G.
1.010 F.G. (can be lower depending on mash)
4 lbs. Crisp Maris Otter
3 oz. Briess Caramel 80L
1 oz. Briess Chocolate 350L
1/2 oz. EKG @ 60 minutes
1/2 oz. EKG @ 20 minutes
1.25 quarts water per pound of grain mash, mash low (148-150) makes more crisp, ferment cool, start @ 62, allow to raise to 66-68 at finish, rouse yeast at day 2, let stay on yeast bed 10-14 days. Easy drinking, basic pub ale.

Enjoy, Tony

 

[Chops1867]

Like many here, I brew a lot of English Ales, probably 80% of what I brew.

I'm on my phone, so I can't calculate- what ABV do you get with your porter?

 

[Chops1867]

Oops. Just remembered I have a calculator in my phone. 5.25% is what it says.

 

[Blueflint]

Oops. Just remembered I have a calculator in my phone. 5.25% is what it says.

Yeah, depending on your exact numbers, 5% to 5.2%...

 

[okiedog]

I noticed that some people are using red wheat in their recipes. Compared to white wheat, how does red wheat differ in flavor and other attributes?

 

[rhys333]

I have a few favorite recipes, these are all 3 gallon batches, I brew on the stove and boils are gentle to middle, nothing violent like when using a large outside gas burner. I use mostly Crisp Maris Otter for the base but use mostly Briess for the other malts due to easy availability.

Awesome, thanks for sharing. I'll have to give the dark mild a go. I also do 3 gallon stovetop batches. Interesting you only lose 0.4 gallons with the gentle boil. I typically start with 4, losing 1 gallon to the evil spirits. I'll have to turn it down next time.

 

[Dirty25]

I have a bitter I like to make.

9lbs MO
1 lb dark english crystal
2oz EKG a at 60m
1oz EKG at 15m
1oz EKG at 0m

OG 1.047
FG 1.013
IBU 41
Abv 4.5 ish
I use W1968/WlP002. But it's all about treating that yeast right to get a clean profile..Also the carbonation needs to be low and Beer needs to be served a little warm

 

[Blueflint]

I noticed that some people are using red wheat in their recipes. Compared to white wheat, how does red wheat differ in flavor and other attributes?

Red Wheat has a much stronger, more nutty flavor than white does. In a wheat recipe that is 50% or more of the grain, it can be overpowering. A slight amount added to any recipe just contributes to the nutty flavor, aids in foam stability too.

Tony

 

[okiedog]

It sounds like red wheat would be good in a Nut Brown Ale. As for foam stability, do you think it is better than white wheat?

 

[Blueflint]

It sounds like red wheat would be good in a Nut Brown Ale. As for foam stability, do you think it is better than white wheat?

Better...probably not but yes, it is excellent in dark milds and nut browns.

 

[lhommedieu]

I have a bitter I like to make.

9lbs MO
1 lb dark english crystal
2oz EKG a at 60m
1oz EKG at 15m
1oz EKG at 0m

OG 1.047
FG 1.013
IBU 41
Abv 4.5 ish
I use W1968/WlP002. But it's all about treating that yeast right to get a clean profile..Also the carbonation needs to be low and Beer needs to be served a little warm

Sounds like a classic premium Bitter. I prefer to keep my Crystal percentage below 7.5%. Lately I've been brewing with Crystal 80 instead of 60. I plugged your recipe into BeerSmith and tweaked it a bit to get the following:

5.5 gallon batch
90 minute boil

8 lbs 12 oz. MO (92.59%)
12 oz. Crystal 80 (7.41 %)
1.3 oz EKG at 60m
1oz EKG at 15m
1oz EKG at 0m

OG 1.047
FG 1.013
IBU 33.6 (IBU/SG: 0.721)
Abv 4.4

 

[DavidJP]

It sounds like red wheat would be good in a Nut Brown Ale. As for foam stability, do you think it is better than white wheat?

For what its worth I think red wheat is primarily grown in the US and traditionally they grow white wheat in the UK and so I presume that's what they would have originally used. At least that's true for the wheat that goes into flour production. I think red wheat is better for bread, higher gluten but UK weather wouldn't support it to its best extent hence the need to import Canadian prairie wheat to get high rising bread, although they have come up with some processes to get around that (Chorleywood bread processing).

 

[lhommedieu]

Has anyone tried step-mashing to get a drier beer? This thread suggests that a short step mash at @ 140F followed by normal mash for a total of an hour will result in a drier beer.

 

[Qhrumphf]

I do step mashes on German beers and starchy adjunct heavy beers, but that's about it. Otherwise, if I want dry, I just mash low and use sugar.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Although if you read Pattinson's book, it seems that a number of English breweries have actually done lower temp steps (say from 152 to 148). And I recall an experiment (might have been Chris Colby talking about it on Basic Brewing Radio) doing something similar. Don't recall what the purpose or the result it though.

 

[lhommedieu]

I do step mashes on German beers and starchy adjunct heavy beers, but that's about it. Otherwise, if I want dry, I just mash low and use sugar.

That certainly makes sense. I'm tending towards decoction mashes for German beers, and while that doesn't fit for highly-modified British malts, I'm thinking that a step-mash might line up to to my equipment and process better.

 

[DavidJP]

Interestingly Firestone Walker does a 60 min mash at 145F, followed by 10 mins at 155F for their american pale 31 beer. Most of their stuff is heavily UK influenced. Have done that quite a few times and it really works well for that recipe (as below link)

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/can-you-brew-recipe-firestone-walker-pale-31-a-189855/

 

[JKaranka]

Has anyone tried step-mashing to get a drier beer? This thread suggests that a short step mash at @ 140F followed by normal mash for a total of an hour will result in a drier beer.

My usual mashing is two batches with a first mash at around 63-65c for 60m, a quick sparge, a second mash around 68-72c for 40m and a second quick sparge. If I have some maize or I need to finish it very dry I also add a short and very thick protein rest for 20 minutes. I tend to get higher OG than what I expect from calculators and a lower FG.

 

[lowtones84]

Working on a recipe for a mild that I'm going to brew Saturday. It's partially just using what I have around, but I think it will be fairly accurate.

As with all of my recipes, this is for a FOUR gallon batch.

Est. OG: 1.043
IBU: Negotiable. Shooting for 15-20ish.

5.25 lb. Crisp MO
.5 lb. Crisp Crystal 60L
.5 lb. Crisp Brown malt
.5 lb. Flaked Barley
5 oz. Crisp Chocolate malt

Hops: I have Fuggles, EKG, Bramling Cross, Target, and Challenger on hand not much of each. Will probably finish with a small amount of Fuggles, EKG, or Bramling.

Yeast: WLP 002

What do you guys think? Flaked barley out of place? The recipe I'm basing it off of (Orfy's) uses more Crystal and more brown malt, but as I said, I'm just using what I have. I also have two 1 gal cubitainers ordered, this will be my first time trying to gravity serve in that manner. Will have a buddy or two over when it's carbed so we can enjoy

Thanks for the input!

 

[Braufessor]

I absolutely love flaked barley or flaked oats in milds. I think it does a lot for such a low gravity beer. I think you have a great starting point, it will be a good beer and you can adjust anything you want to change in the future.

Hops - I usually just go with .5 oz each of EKG and Fuggle for 60 minutes in a 6 gallon batch.

Yeast - 002 is great. 2 other ones to play with in the future are 1318 and 1469 (1469 in the 65 range to start and 68 range to finish).

The one thing you may want to play with at some point in your recipe is the brown/chocolate malt. You will be toward the roasty end with the proportion you have (nothing wrong with that - but you may want less possibly in another batch). I like pale chocolate and a bit of crystal 120 for a bit more nuttiness and sweetness.

Like I said - I think your recipe looks good as is..... those are just some other ideas for a future rebrew.

Going to transfer my mild and ordinary bitter to kegs this weekend.

 

[Auger]

I'm doing an ESB this weekend with Wyeast 1968 London ESB....anyone used that recently?

 

[lowtones84]

Yeast - 002 is great. 2 other ones to play with in the future are 1318 and 1469 (1469 in the 65 range to start and 68 range to finish).

The one thing you may want to play with at some point in your recipe is the brown/chocolate malt. You will be toward the roasty end with the proportion you have (nothing wrong with that - but you may want less possibly in another batch). I like pale chocolate and a bit of crystal 120 for a bit more nuttiness and sweetness.

Cool, thanks for the feedback! I've never used pale chocolate before, I'll have to try it sometime. I tend to like a bit of roast but I will definitely be playing with the recipe over time.

 

[Qhrumphf]

I use Muntons 150L crystal and TF pale chocolate in mine. Completely agree with that suggestion.

 

[JF_HBrews]

I'm doing an ESB this weekend with Wyeast 1968 London ESB....anyone used that recently?

Yes, 1968 is a great yeast for an ESB and, from time to time , I use it for APA's and IPA's. I like the esters, it leaves just the right amount of sweetness and seems to accentuate malt flavors.

 

[Auger]

Sweet (no pun intended), thats pretty much what I'm hoping for

 

[Braufessor]

Yes, 1968 is a great yeast for an ESB and, from time to time , I use it for APA's and IPA's. I like the esters, it leaves just the right amount of sweetness and seems to accentuate malt flavors.

Also, I have found it to work really well in "session" APA/IPA type beers in the 3-4% ABV range...... it often will finish out at 1.012 and leave a full bodied beer with great malty flavors - as opposed to other yeasts that will make a small beer seem thin and watery.

 

[lowtones84]

Well, I brewed the mild from last page tonight. I ended up with an OG of 1.051 instead of 1.044 or whatever because I boiled off a bit more than expected and got slightly better efficiency.

I think it will be just fine though My IBUs ended up around 21 so I think it will balance any more body that results. Smelled great during the boil and the wort tasted great, sitting at 62F right now.

 

[Qhrumphf]

I'm working on the next version of clone of Coniston Bluebird Bitter now.

7 lbs 4.0 oz Pale Malt, Maris Otter (Thomas Fawcett) (3.0 SRM) Grain 7 95.1 %
6.0 oz Crystal, Dark - 150L (Muntons) (150.0 SRM) Grain 8 4.9 %
0.80 oz Challenger [8.90 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 9 27.9 IBUs
0.50 oz Challenger [8.90 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 10 10.6 IBUs
0.70 oz Challenger [8.90 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 11 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg Coniston Yeast (cultured from bottle and then repitched from previous batch)

Est Original Gravity: 1.042 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.010 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.2 %
Bitterness: 38.5 IBUs
Est Color: 9.2 SRM

The most recent batch I bottled/casked last night was really close, hopefully this'll hit it on the money.

 

[lowtones84]

^ Sounds interesting, I've never used Challenger by itself as a late hop. I've used it in combination with I believe EKG and the results were good. Does it end up a touch more aggressive or no?

 

[azscoob]

Why haven't I stumbled on this thread before now? I looove milds and bitters, it's always nice to see others of a similar mindset.

Good info here that I haven't thought about trying in my milds...

 

[Braufessor]

Ordinary Bitter + Beer Engine = Just about as good as it gets.

Also kegged my dark mild and another batch of ordinary bitter today as well - both tasted pretty good out of the fermenter.

 

[Qhrumphf]

^ Sounds interesting, I've never used Challenger by itself as a late hop. I've used it in combination with I believe EKG and the results were good. Does it end up a touch more aggressive or no?

They're similar but definitely different hops. I don't often use it by itself, only in this beer. I also usually use it in conjunction with EKG. It does have a noticeable hop punch at this level (but so does the original, which is also all-Challenger)

 

[lowtones84]

Okay, that bitter on the beer engine looks phenomenal And here I am excited about getting in two 1 gallon cubitainers so I can gravity serve my mild!

I wish I had more access to good commercial examples of English beers. About all I ever see is Fuller's, Old Speckled Hen, Newcastle, etc. And they're good, but...eh...So I just do my best to make them!

 

[Braufessor]

Okay, that bitter on the beer engine looks phenomenal And here I am excited about getting in two 1 gallon cubitainers so I can gravity serve my mild!

I've been brewing for about 18 years..... I used up all my "needs" for x-mas over the years and went with something totally unnecessary that I just "wanted" last year for christmas. Once I got it and used it - I realized I "needed" it all along

 

[lowtones84]

It's on my list someday for sure. Right now the cubitainers are about all I can afford being an out of state grad student. But 18 years of brewing, you've earned it! Have you had many technical difficulties or other problems with it?