English Ales - What's your favorite recipe?

[z-bob]

Could the beer I brewed about 9 days ago be ready to bottle already? It's in a carboy with a lot of headspace, so taking a gravity reading is a PITA and I haven't done it. OG was 1.04-something. It dropped clear after just a few days of activity. I swirled the carboy to roust the yeast, and it's clear again.

I haven't used S-04 yeast much. I usually let beers go at least 3 weeks before I even think about bottling.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Certainly could. I'd confirm via gravity. But most of mine have finished by 10 days, often in 5-7.

Been pushing really hard to get my boss to green light brewing either a Bitter or Dark Mild, ideally both lol (don't know if I mentioned I'd gone pro a while back).

May be able to get one out for Mild Month. Will see. But it'd probably be an all-malt one (I'd probably scale up my less-than-traditional but very popular one up from 2.8% to 3.8%) but making some invert to do it right isn't out of the question. Already got us almost exclusively on Crisp specialty grains, so half my house grains are already on hand. But we're working out a pilot system so I can certainly push out some classics on that when we get it running.

 

[JKaranka]

Certainly could. I'd confirm via gravity. But most of mine have finished by 10 days, often in 5-7.

Been pushing really hard to get my boss to green light brewing either a Bitter or Dark Mild, ideally both lol (don't know if I mentioned I'd gone pro a while back).

May be able to get one out for Mild Month. Will see. But it'd probably be an all-malt one (I'd probably scale up my less-than-traditional but very popular one up from 2.8% to 3.8%) but making some invert to do it right isn't out of the question. Already got us almost exclusively on Crisp specialty grains, so half my house grains are already on hand. But we're working out a pilot system so I can certainly push out some classics on that when we get it running.

Cool! Congratulations! With a dark mild you could try to brew it up to 15-18SRM and then darken it with brewers' caramel / sinamar. Maybe that and some flaked maize instead of invert sugar syrup if that becomes difficult to acquire? My local one is 3.5% in cask and 4.1% in bottle; brewed continuously since the 1920s, so 3.8% wouldn't be unheard of.

Could a special bitter have some traction over there? 8-10SRM, light dry hopping, 4.5% abv, decent bitterness with some malt back-bone? (Note: this stuff is so standard fare in the UK that I don't find it particularly appealing, but can be very drinkable.)

 

[JKaranka]

Another thing you could try to brew is a mild old ale which in spirit is just a dark mild on steroids. Obviously, some additional alcohol gives you those yummy, fruity alcohol notes )

 

[Qhrumphf]

Cool! Congratulations! With a dark mild you could try to brew it up to 15-18SRM and then darken it with brewers' caramel / sinamar. Maybe that and some flaked maize instead of invert sugar syrup if that becomes difficult to acquire? My local one is 3.5% in cask and 4.1% in bottle; brewed continuously since the 1920s, so 3.8% wouldn't be unheard of.

Could a special bitter have some traction over there? 8-10SRM, light dry hopping, 4.5% abv, decent bitterness with some malt back-bone? (Note: this stuff is so standard fare in the UK that I don't find it particularly appealing, but can be very drinkable.)

I've barked up the colorant tree before. That one won't happen, period. Boss is a former baker and familiar with invert sugar from a baking perspective and we both know how to make it, so that's not the issue. It's just the time to make it (since making 50 lbs of it is no different from making 5 lbs). We could easily do it in the kitchen. Just a working kitchen so it'd be an even earlier day than normal to be done in time if we want #3 or #4 (which I'd prefer over a lighter one).

A Bitter would have more traction than a Mild would. And she knows I know them well. My boss just hates the style . She's not wild about English beers in general. Despite two of our mainstays being an Irish Red and an Irish-styled Oatmeal Stout.

Did almost get her to back a Summer Ale though

We'll see.

 

[JKaranka]

I can send you a recipe and then you can claim you have a Welsh Summer Ale. Might have more marketing kudos.

 

[Qhrumphf]

I think you've posted it before. It sounds familiar. I'd probably just go 90% Maris Otter, 10% wheat, aim for a dry finish, about 4% ABV, probably 35 IBUs, and a potent whirlpool hop, probably something New Zealand.

 

[JKaranka]

I think you've posted it before. It sounds familiar. I'd probably just go 90% Maris Otter, 10% wheat, aim for a dry finish, about 4% ABV, probably 35 IBUs, and a potent whirlpool hop, probably something New Zealand.

Make that 4.5% abv and sorted

 

[JKaranka]

Can't figure out whether to brew for my birthday BBQ a dark mild or a Belgian pale.

If it's a dark mild it would be ~85% pale malt, then crystal, brown, chocolate and patent for an OG of 1.038, with a dash of flaked maize and then darkened with caramel from 15-20 SRM to 35 SRM. Just 20 IBU.

If it's a Belgian pale, it's more like pale malt, a helping of Amber malt (1/2lb), and a dash of dark candi sugar syrup for colour and an OG around 1.050, finished with a mix of Celeia, EKG and Cascade. Circa 30 IBU.

 

[deere322]

Can't figure out whether to brew for my birthday BBQ a dark mild or a Belgian pale.

If it's a dark mild it would be ~85% pale malt, then crystal, brown, chocolate and patent for an OG of 1.038, with a dash of flaked maize and then darkened with caramel from 15-20 SRM to 35 SRM. Just 20 IBU.

If it's a Belgian pale, it's more like pale malt, a helping of Amber malt (1/2lb), and a dash of dark candi sugar syrup for colour and an OG around 1.050, finished with a mix of Celeia, EKG and Cascade. Circa 30 IBU.

I brewed a mild similar to the one you mentioned above but subbed victory instead of crystal.
Cluster for bittering and EKG at flame out.
Turned out excellent.

 

[z-bob]

I brewed a mild similar to the one you mentioned above but subbed victory instead of crystal.
Cluster for bittering and EKG at flame out.
Turned out excellent.

I really like Cluster for a bittering hop. I never considered it for a British-ish style, though. Thanks.

 

[deere322]

I really like Cluster for a bittering hop. I never considered it for a British-ish style, though. Thanks.

Cluster has been used for English ales since the mid 1800's or around that time.
Just going off of memory from what I've read.

 

[JKaranka]

Yeah, American hops were widely used for bittering until the world wars. Cluster works really well in British beers.

 

[rhys333]

My favorite English recipe at the moment is a porter I've been working on the past year or so. I've gone through a few different variations, but the stand-out version is shown below. It's malt focused and I tend to use whatever suitable hops I have on hand (Chinook, Hallertauer, EKG, etc.). I shoot for 70-72% attenuation with 1469 or even just US05/1056 as AP. It's a pretty beer, awesome dark malt aroma and a cap that sticks around till the last sip. I'll get it posted to the recipe database sooner or later.

BROWN PORTER
55% MO
20% Wheat
10% C80
10% Brown
5% Chocolate
hops @ 60 & 15. 23 IBU

 

[JKaranka]

I went to the local university beer & cider festival on Thursday. I knew all the beers fairly well, but they had an incredible selection of ciders.

It was surprisingly popular, which I find amazing. We are all used to beer, which is a fairly smooth affair: plenty of malty flavours, bitterness controlled by the brewer and, overall, clean fermentations. The cider selection is a completely different thing: lots of tartness, incredibly dry ciders, full of different wild yeast populations in the palate, lots of bitterness and astringency from the cider apples. Incredible that it has become so popular considering that they were also on average stronger than beers (ciders were mostly 6.5-7.5% abv to mostly 4.5-6% abv for beers). Quite a selection of different barrel aged ciders as well (many more than beers), where the one I liked the most was a medium sweet cider aged in Pedro Ximenez cask. I guess it's one of those things that with cider you have to age your cider anyway (a few months), while with beer you can have a very fast turnaround (a couple of weeks).

 

[JKaranka]

Good article on Fullers' Vintage Ale:
http://zythophile.co.uk/2017/02/20/the-mystery-of-the-vanishing-2016-vintage-ale/

It is parti-gyled with London Pride (and I assume other beers). So, at some point in spring, London Pride would have contained Nelson Sauvin and nobody noticed...

 

[trav77]

It is parti-gyled with London Pride (and I assume other beers). So, at some point in spring, London Pride would have contained Nelson Sauvin and nobody noticed...

Doesn't the parti-gyle just apply to pre-boil runnings? I would think they could still blend runnings but then keep worts for vintage and LP separate once the hops hit the kettle. No?

 

[JKaranka]

Doesn't the parti-gyle just apply to pre-boil runnings? I would think they could still blend runnings but then keep worts for vintage and LP separate once the hops hit the kettle. No?

Parti-gyle is always post-boil. That's how you can create four different beers from one single mash and two boils. They might make an exemption and blend worts pre-boil that one time when they make VA.

 

[deere322]

That looks great

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1488135657.548214.jpg
Gold Label
2 months after kegging yields a clear brew.
Aroma of citrusy fruit, jammy orange marmalade, thick malt backbone melded with booze.
Taste has mellowed, smooth malt, bitter throughout,
Thick orange marmalade, nice carb on the tongue and finishes dry with no sweetness.
Still lip smacking fruity bitterness.

2.5 gal Keg is almost gone.

 

[JKaranka]

Good description of parti-gyle here:
https://beerandbrewing.com/VUpBSygAANqiT-1n/article/practical-parti-gyle-brewing

Fullers makes VA, Golden Pride, ESB, London Pride and Chiswick bitter from the same mash. Quite a gravity range too.

 

[JKaranka]

Was going to brew a Belgian pale ale (like Palm) but I had the wrong Belgian yeast at hand. Ended up with a best bitter instead. 1.042, 94% Belgian pale malt, 6% Amber malt, and a dash of dark candi sugar syrup (!). Hops are fairly international too: Target to bitter, and then a blend of mainly Celeia with EKG and Cascade. Now that is going that way I'll dry hop it with 1/4 of each EKG and Cascade...

 

[deere322]

Was going to brew a Belgian pale ale (like Palm) but I had the wrong Belgian yeast at hand. Ended up with a best bitter instead. 1.042, 94% Belgian pale malt, 6% Amber malt, and a dash of dark candi sugar syrup (!). Hops are fairly international too: Target to bitter, and then a blend of mainly Celeia with EKG and Cascade. Now that is going that way I'll dry hop it with 1/4 of each EKG and Cascade...

Sounds delicious!
What yeast did you end up using?

 

[JKaranka]

Mangrove Jacks M42 - New World Strong Ale. Sounds very modern, but at the same time a bit like a twist on Nottingham. Floculates and attenuates (75-80%) well, has a neutral character. Not tried it before, but it got going fairly fast.

 

[deere322]

Mangrove Jacks M42 - New World Strong Ale. Sounds very modern, but at the same time a bit like a twist on Nottingham. Floculates and attenuates (75-80%) well, has a neutral character. Not tried it before, but it got going fairly fast.

Never tried MJ yeast yet.

Let us know how it turns out.

 

[deere322]

This weekend I'm brewing up a 5.5 gallon batch of Bath Ales SPA and am wondering what yeast I should use.
Here's the recipe -
Golden Promise - 84.4%
Amber (crisp) -9.5%
Wheat Malt (Weyerman) - 5.7%
First Gold - 1 oz @ 90, .73 oz @ 15

I have multiple slurries on hand
1968
1469
1099
1275
04
05

Which would work best to replicate what Bath uses?

 

[crusader1612]

This weekend I'm brewing up a 5.5 gallon batch of Bath Ales SPA and am wondering what yeast I should use.
Here's the recipe -
Golden Promise - 84.4%
Amber (crisp) -9.5%
Wheat Malt (Weyerman) - 5.7%
First Gold - 1 oz @ 90, .73 oz @ 15

I have multiple slurries on hand
1968
1469
1099
1275
04
05

Which would work best to replicate what Bath uses?

1469 or 1275 are fantastic

 

[deere322]

This weekend I'm brewing up a 5.5 gallon batch of Bath Ales SPA and am wondering what yeast I should use.
Here's the recipe -
Golden Promise - 84.4%
Amber (crisp) -9.5%
Wheat Malt (Weyerman) - 5.7%
First Gold - 1 oz @ 90, .73 oz @ 15

I have multiple slurries on hand
1968
1469
1099
1275
04
05

Which would work best to replicate what Bath uses?

Decided to go with 1099

 

[Hanglow]

Bath use one of the whitbread yeasts so that was probably a good choice Although I have no idea how similar they are. Should make a nice beer though

 

[JKaranka]

That beer went from 1.042 to 1.006. Seems a tad thin and alcoholic from the sample I took when racking to cask. Fairly toasty. 6% amber malt is a bit much when there are no other strong competing flavours. Tastes a bit like when a red wine has been 'corked'. Fingers crossed for two weeks of conditioning sorting this one out!

 

[z-bob]

The ESB I brewed a couple of months ago still tastes kind of watery and metallic. It's overcarbonated a little, could that be the whole problem? (especially the minerally metallic part)

I am going to open a couple of cold bottles tonight and pour them vigorously into a pitcher, then pour from that after it warms up just a little and the foam dies down. Deflate it a bit.