British Golden Ale Miraculix Best - Classic English Ale

[Shenanigans]

@Miraculix if I remember correctly you tried brewing this with Verdant in an attempt to find a decent dry yeast for it.
However it was too fruity and had lower attenuation than you wanted.

Maybe WHC Saturated dry yeast might be worth a try?

https://whclab.com/product/dehydrated-saturated-dried-yeast-500g/?v=3a52f3c22ed6

It's also supposed to be a dry version of the London III Ale yeast but from what I read about it, it should have slightly higher attenuation and is not as fruity as Verdant.
I ordered a pack a while ago from an Irish shop but see it is now also available from Braumarkt and Amihopfen.

I haven't used it yet but I plan on brewing a Young's London Special ale clone that I did with Verdant last year (which was very tasty) and see how different it turns out.
I'm also going to do an NEIPA with it too but that's not really related to a bitter.

 

[balrog]

I think he settled on half each Verdant and Nottingham. That's what I use and it has a really nice flavor without overdoing it. Which I understand is a personal taste matter.

 

[user 246304]

I think he settled on half each Verdant and Nottingham. That's what I use and it has a really nice flavor without overdoing it. Which I understand is a personal taste matter.

View attachment 845762

Beautiful beer, Balrog!

 

[balrog]

Beautiful beer, Balrog!

Aw shucks. T weren’t nuthin’.

It clears very well and this is about 3 pints from end of keg <sniff>.

 

[Miraculix]

I think he settled on half each Verdant and Nottingham. That's what I use and it has a really nice flavor without overdoing it. Which I understand is a personal taste matter.

View attachment 845762

Nowadays, I'm using all Nottingham instead of a mix. It's not the same beer as with pub, but it's still a great one. If you mix, I'd recommend 30% verdant, rest Nottingham. Verdant is just too intense for me.

But it's a REALLY great yeast for everything American hop forward!

 

[Miraculix]

@Miraculix if I remember correctly you tried brewing this with Verdant in an attempt to find a decent dry yeast for it.
However it was too fruity and had lower attenuation than you wanted.

Maybe WHC Saturated dry yeast might be worth a try?

https://whclab.com/product/dehydrated-saturated-dried-yeast-500g/?v=3a52f3c22ed6

It's also supposed to be a dry version of the London III Ale yeast but from what I read about it, it should have slightly higher attenuation and is not as fruity as Verdant.
I ordered a pack a while ago from an Irish shop but see it is now also available from Braumarkt and Amihopfen.

I haven't used it yet but I plan on brewing a Young's London Special ale clone that I did with Verdant last year (which was very tasty) and see how different it turns out.
I'm also going to do an NEIPA with it too but that's not really related to a bitter.

I will try that one, thanks!

 

[balrog]

Nowadays, I'm using all Nottingham instead of a mix. It's not the same newer as with pub, but it's still a great one. If you mix, I'd recommend 30% verdant, rest Nottingham. Verdant is just to intense for me.

But it's a REALLY great yeast for everything American hop forward!

Everyone's tastes will have a different answer. You hit it just right for me with 1/2 & 1/2.

 

[Miraculix]

Everyone's tastes will have a different answer. You hit it just right for me with 1/2 & 1/2.

I'm glad you like it! And yes, this is really a matter of personal taste. Verdant is very unique with it's extreme fruityness.

 

[balrog]

Cobb's *is* a Golding. When you buy "Goldings" it can be a mix or any one of several named clones of the Goldings family, that include Amos' Early Bird, Eastwell, Cobb's etc - but not Styrian or WGV!

I was getting ready to brew this again, as it's a hit with me and the tennis mooks who'll drink anything wet pretty much.

And I have only Celeia. <fume>

I will buy some EKG and make something else instead.

 

[Miraculix]

I was getting ready to brew this again, as it's a hit with me and the tennis mooks who'll drink anything wet pretty much.

And I have only Celeia. <fume>

I will buy some EKG and make something else instead.

Thanks for the..... Kind words?

 

[balrog]

Thanks for the..... Kind words?

Absolutely intended to be kind; I cannot in good conscience make this recipe with the wrong hops!

 

[DBhomebrew]

FWIW, a batch with Saaz is proving to be perfectly enjoyable.

 

[Miraculix]

FWIW, a batch with Saaz is proving to be perfectly enjoyable.

Been there done that, I wholeheartedly agree!

Also Mittelfrüh is an excellent choice, as is Perle and probably a whole lot more.

 

[Erik the Anglophile]

It wouldn't be "inauthentic" either, as Brittish brewers judging by old brewing records regularly spiced things up with the odd continental hop....

 

[Miraculix]

It wouldn't be "inauthentic" either, as Brittish brewers judging by old brewing records regularly spiced things up with the odd continental hop....

I think it was more about prices and availability, but they surely used off shore hops. Also American ones.

 

[balrog]

FWIW, a batch with Saaz is proving to be perfectly enjoyable.

Been there done that, I wholeheartedly agree!

Also Mittelfrüh is an excellent choice, as is Perle and probably a whole lot more.

Sehr interessant.

I have both Saaz and MIttelfruh.

Hmmmm.

 

[Miraculix]

Sehr interessant.

I have both Saaz and MIttelfruh.

Hmmmm.

Saaz is a bit rougher and mittelfrüh is a bit more delicate. Both highly enjoyable!

 

[balrog]

I wonder what Balrog just made...

I'm calling it the Mittelfruh Miraculix.

 

[user 246304]

It wouldn't be "inauthentic" either, as Brittish brewers judging by old brewing records regularly spiced things up with the odd continental hop....

That was one of the things I discovered reading through Ron Pattinson's Vintage book. Never knew this. Strisselspalt (1918 Courage Double Stout), Spalt (1885 Young XP), Styrian (1939 Barclay Perkins IPA; 1939 Maclay SA), Saaz (1933 Lee's Bitter; 1868 Tetley XX), Hallertauer (1920 Fuller's XX Mild; 1909 Maclay Pl 60/-).

The other one that really surprised me was North American Cluster from Canada and the U.S.. It's everywhere in these recipes, even though even then (1863 Farmer' Almanac) North American hops weren't universally esteemed:

...The hops from Canada and the States, in the opinion of the best judges, still exhibit the disagreeable flavour which renders them quite unsuitable for fine qualities of ales....

 

[Shenanigans]

That was one of the things I discovered reading through Ron Pattinson's Vintage book. Never knew this. Strisselspalt (1918 Courage Double Stout), Spalt (1885 Young XP), Styrian (1939 Barclay Perkins IPA; 1939 Maclay SA), Saaz (1933 Lee's Bitter; 1868 Tetley XX), Hallertauer (1920 Fuller's XX Mild; 1909 Maclay Pl 60/-).

The other one that really surprised me was North American Cluster from Canada and the U.S.. It's everywhere in these recipes, even though even then (1863 Farmer' Almanac) North American hops weren't universally esteemed:

It's over 10 years ago but I think I remember reading something similar in "For the love of hops by Stan Hieronymus" that American hops were used in England back then but not everyone was convinced about them as they had some kind of abbrasive twang compared to British nobel hops.

 

[user 246304]

It's over 10 years ago but I think I remember reading something similar in "For the love of hops by Stan Hieronymus" that American hops were used in England back then but not everyone was convinced about them as they had some kind of abbrasive twang compared to British nobel hops.

It's not "catty," is it?

 

[Miraculix]

That was one of the things I discovered reading through Ron Pattinson's Vintage book. Never knew this. Strisselspalt (1918 Courage Double Stout), Spalt (1885 Young XP), Styrian (1939 Barclay Perkins IPA; 1939 Maclay SA), Saaz (1933 Lee's Bitter; 1868 Tetley XX), Hallertauer (1920 Fuller's XX Mild; 1909 Maclay Pl 60/-).

The other one that really surprised me was North American Cluster from Canada and the U.S.. It's everywhere in these recipes, even though even then (1863 Farmer' Almanac) North American hops weren't universally esteemed:

If i remember correctly, most of the times the non-English hops were historically used for bittering additions, while reserving the flavour additions for more traditional English or maybe German hops.

 

[Shenanigans]

It's not "catty," is it?

It's been a long time I need to read it again to see the exact term he used.
It might have been just a harsher bitterness.

 

[kmarkstevens]

I am especially sensitive to "cat whiz" aka "catty" aka comes across as very skunked. I can't stand most American hops, especially the C family, as these usually manifest to my palate as dank, skunked, cat whiz.

It's a meme with my LHBS regular crew, and while I take a sip of all beers, I can't do more than that for most of the American IPA's.

 

[Miraculix]

I am especially sensitive to "cat whiz" aka "catty" aka comes across as very skunked. I can't stand most American hops, especially the C family, as these usually manifest to my palate as dank, skunked, cat whiz.

It's a meme with my LHBS regular crew, and while I take a sip of all beers, I can't do more than that for most of the American IPA's.

That's tough man!

But you can always go back to the classic UK ipas.

Speaking of which..... Need to brew one!

 

[Erik the Anglophile]

Just brew a pale ale and call it IPA...

 

[Miraculix]

Just brew a pale ale and call it IPA...

Works.

But in my mind, an IPA is stronger and a bit more bitter than a pale ale. At least the historic ones.

I know there are certainly historic examples where this is not the case, but for simple minded people like myself, let's keep things simple.

I've got marris otter, that's all the malt. Then a noble hop, probably only two additions, one bittering, one fifteen minutes.

45 to 50 ibus all noble, 1.06 og.

Safale 04 starter, probably two steps, first step 3g of s04, second step the previous step plus 3g of Nottingham.

This should get the ale done nice and quick!

 

[DBhomebrew]

But in my mind, an IPA is stronger and a bit more bitter than a pale ale. At least the historic ones.

I know there are certainly historic examples where this is not the case, but for simple minded people like myself, let's keep things simple.

A little exercise that put that notion to the test.

 

[balrog]

I think the exotherm has happened.

 

[balrog]

Ok all you folks, it's up to us to save the English Mild.
Apparently.

https://www.insidehook.com/beer/these-craft-beer-styles-dying-can-they-saved