Dark Mild Session Mild (E)

[MrWiggles]

This beer is fantastic; exactly what I was looking for. Light chocolate roasted flavors, extremely smooth. Brewed the recipe as stated, but subbed in Fuggles. I will be brewing this again in the future. Thanks for the recipe.

Personally, I subbed in a half OZ of Fuggles and half OZ of Liberty just to see how it comes out. It should be fully carbed by wednesday so I'll report back then. But as I have already said, my hydrometer sample at bottling (which I accidentally took after adding the priming sugar) tasted wonderful. So I have been dying to taste this beer. I have managed to distract myself with some craft beers though like the Flying Dog sampler 12pk, SN Porter, and tonight: Lazy Magnolia's Reb Ale (which is quite good I might add).

 

[jfr1111]

Checked FG today after 6 days and reports of no activity (I'm not at home during the week, so I have my girlfriend on beer watching duties to insure against blow-offs and the like). 1.010, wich seems to be right for the style. I tasted the sample and it was good and smooth. I could really taste the caramel and caramber (wich was a sub). The chocolate is only a faint note in the background, hope it picks up a bit more but the beer is still extremly green altough it is smooth. Very, very smooth.

Considering all the hiccups associated with this brew such as a 2 hours cool-off time, no formation of krausen, pitching bad notty and repitching with US-05, it is good, if not great. It was also the first brew using my well water.

I finally topped off 4 hours after picthing the bad notty. I was tipsy, saw the two cheap (and probably ancient) 1.89 liters spring water bottles I had lying around and reasoned they were a good option... So I had an OG of whatever but in the ballpark of my expected gravity...

I know that you like everything to be well organized Bob, but for a first AG brew, I'm really happy to have chosen your recipe. Sorry for mangling it though, but this looks like a sure rebrew. I'll be a better boy next time I promise

 

[Bob]

I'm really happy you're happy!

Don't be sorry about anything - unless, of course, you didn't learn anything from it. Then I'll get my passport, stand outside your house and shout really, really bad French at you.

And trust me; my French is terrible.

Bob

 

[jfr1111]

Bottled this today: I used gelatin because the beer wasn't clear enough for me. I lost about half a gallon to rock solid trub/yeast (no way I could have racked that stuff), but the beer flowing from the tube was very clear. Still, once the beer was in a glass, it wasn't as clear as intended. Might have to refrigerate for a week or two after carbing if I want to give some to guests who are used to being able to watch the tv through their beer. Or serve into ceramic mugs or smaller glasses...

The taste was a bit sweet, but I attribute that to the priming sugar. Not as dry as the FG suggested and I have pleasant background fruit/dark caramel. The chocolate was more present than when I took my OG.

It might have to do with my water, but the bitterness is almost non existent. Might pick up a bit once the beer is carbed though.

 

[jfr1111]

I bumped a case of this today while getting my skis out of the closet and a bottle started spewing... Now, what can I do, except drink it ?

Poured into a small coke glass. The beer is now CRYSTAL clear: you can see the bubbles rising to the top. I might have lost some beer to the gelatin but it looks like a commercial brew. Little to no head (yeah, not even a week in, talk about robbing the craddle), even with a forceful pour. Really pleased with the visual result, especially considering it took two hours to cool down, I used no kettle finings and dumped everything in the fermenter. It really is a beautiful beer.

Aroma/taste is malty with caramel and some breadiness (probably from the caramber). No notes of fruit or yeast as there was at bottling. Taste has some mild carbonation bite (already). Strangely, I get some slight earthy hop flavour now, altough I only did a bittering addition per the recipe. Even young, this is smooth and drinkable due to the crisp finish. This is a dark beer for people who do not like dark beer. I might just bump the bitterness a bit for my taste and brewing water (I have extremly soft water).

Now that I have special roast on hand, I will probably brew this again and also use the recipe as a base for a bitter.

 

[daenja]

I brewed this on the 9th of this month and have almost gone through the whole batch. It's so good I can't seem to stay away from it and let it mature! I'm off to my LHBS right now to get more ingredients to brew it again! Thanks for the great recipe!

 

[jfr1111]

^^^ I had never had a Mild before I made my own using Bob's recipe. It really is a nice style that I will try to have on hand at all time. I might just try to make it lighter colour-wise so the dark beer naysayers will still try it. To me it doesn't taste like it looks, at all: there's almost no roastiness or nuttyness, only a bit of bread, caramel and earth (for lack of a better term) coming from the speciality grains. I don't doubt that the Special Roast, wich I will use next time, rounds out the flavour if it's a bit tangy.

I can't wait until the beer has really carbed up.

 

[tagz]

Just a side note, this beer s best drunk in the first month. The flavor is awesome for the first three weeks. After that it's still a solid beer, but some of the nuances fade. In other words, don't bother with aging - drink this one fresh!

 

[Bob]

I've noticed that, too. Drink it fresh, that's my advice.

 

[jfr1111]

I'll brew my next batch on the first week of December so it's ready around Christmas, so yeah, it's a rebrew. I've noticed in my last serving yesterday that the taste is indeed going downhil It is still very good, but the caramel, mild earthiness and floral qualities are gone. The bread also increased, so it's not nearly as balanced as it was before. It also never carbed to my liking: I have an American palate and 1,6 or whatever I shot for was too low. It pours beautiful, but the head dissipates completly in a minute and then it looks still.

I have sat on it in the primary for too long. Next time, I'll take a reading after 7 days and 10 days, gelatin if it hasn't moved and I'll bottle at 14 days. The time you wait for it to carb in bottles plays against you. I now understand why it's a style that doesn't travel well and is exclusively on draught.

 

[daenja]

I just bottled my second batch of this one yesterday! Can't wait till it lightly carbs up!

+1 on drinking it fresh!
I've got one bottle left from the first batch which is just over a month old...

 

[jfr1111]

Finished my last bottle of this tonight I will brew this again very soon to have some by Christmas. So drinkable...

 

[beerspitnight]

Anyone do this as an all grain? Suggestions on a grain bill for AG?
Thanks.

 

[Bob]

Yes.

Substitute pale ale malt (Maris Otter or Briess Pale Ale) for the extract. Target the same OG.

No, I'm not going to quote you exact amounts, because your brewhouse has a different efficiency than mine. Remembering that 1 pound of pale malt = 0.75 pounds LME = 0.6 pounds DME will get you close.

Cheers!

Bob

 

[beerspitnight]

Yes.

Substitute pale ale malt (Maris Otter or Briess Pale Ale) for the extract. Target the same OG.

No, I'm not going to quote you exact amounts, because your brewhouse has a different efficiency than mine. Remembering that 1 pound of pale malt = 0.75 pounds LME = 0.6 pounds DME will get you close.

Cheers!

Bob

That is good enough for me!
Cheers!

 

[BadgerHound]

Making my second batch of this today. The special roast really makes this beer stand out.

 

[Bob]

Excellent! I'm glad you thought highly enough of it to brew it again.



Bob

 

[ckresge]

I recently brewed this with high expectations, and they were surpassed! I used Fuggle hops instead of Hallertauer because I had an ounce that I had to use up, and I used Wyeast 1028 (London Ale) instead of Nottingham. This is the best extract beer I've ever brewed. I debuted it at a party over the weekend and it was a huge hit, by both beer snobs and non-beer drinkers. I will be making it again very shortly!

 

[Bob]

Sweeeeeeeeet.

Fuggles is actually a better choice; these days I generally use Willamette. 1028 is a great yeast for it, too. I'm glad it worked for you!

Bob

 

[edm1602]

This sounds like an awesome brew. Still fermenting my first ever brew, looking forward to one day giving this one a shot!

 

[Poobah58]

Bob, I only have Brewer's Gold, Challenger, Delta, Glacier and Newport hops available for a brew this weekend. I might be able to scrounge up some Willamette (not sure). Any preferences? I'm using WL Yorkshire Square yeast and subbing Brown Malt for the Special Roast if it makes a difference...

 

[Bob]

I just did a Best Bitter with Delta and really enjoyed it. I'd say Brewer's Gold or Delta. Brewer's Gold is more "authentic".

Bob

 

[Poobah58]

Thanks a bunch...

 

[sathrovarr]

I'm going to brew this!
Just one question: should I call it "English Brown Ale" or "English Mild Ale" or "English Dark Mild Ale" or "Mild Ale"?

 

[CrookedTail]

Hi Bob,
I was wondering what your thoughts would be on scaling this up to a Northern English Brown ale.

6lbs Maris Otter LME
8oz Crystal 55L
5oz Chocolate Malt
4oz Special Roast

Hopped with Fuggles to 25 IBUs

Nottingham Yeast


Thanks in advance. Love your recipes!

 

[Bob]

I think that'd be awful. But I tell you what - brew it anyway, bottle it, and send it all to me. I assure you I will dispose of it properly.



Seriously, that sounds like a beer I'd drink a LOT of and enjoy every drop. Good luck with it!



Bob

 

[duckmanco]

As a worn out and time pressed AG mostly brewer, I picked up this recipe today to use up some of my bulk dme. I've got Windsor ale yeast that I won't let get north of 65f to ferment it with.

I've never even tasted a mild, but as sessionable as it seems, and as much as I need a brownish ale on tap, and as much as I need a nice and simple stove top partial boil brew day.... This beer sounds perfect.

Oh and off topic, but Bob for British bitter templates (and because I've made a grand total of two bitters, making me an expert ) between your Pride of Raubsville and the Landlord clone I made, I preferred the Pride recipe. Here's hoping this is just as enjoyable.


Edited - boiled this up today, and it reminded me why extract brewing can be so nice. Stove top boil, Steeping grains smelled like coffee and chocolate, chilling inside to 90 or so, then adding 2.5 gallons of 36f distilled water... I breezed through that brew day.. And it made me think about finding some seriously good extract recipes (nothing hoppy I'd imagine) to take a break from the AG process. Here's hoping it tastes great.

 

[Bob]

I hope you enjoy the finished product! Mild can be described as a lower-octane brown ale. Flavor can be on a par with less-assertive brown ales like Newcastle, and malt should definitely be noticeable over hops and bitterness.

Cheers,

Bob

 

[ckresge]

Does anyone have any experience with Wyeast 1275 - Thames Valley Ale? My LHBS was out of 1028 for a porter that's currently fermenting, so I decided to give 1275 a try. I am planning on reusing it for this brown ale. I can't imagine it being bad, but I was just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on this strain and how it would affect this beer.

 

[duckmanco]

Does anyone have any experience with Wyeast 1275 - Thames Valley Ale? My LHBS was out of 1028 for a porter that's currently fermenting, so I decided to give 1275 a try. I am planning on reusing it for this brown ale. I can't imagine it being bad, but I was just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on this strain and how it would affect this beer.

I have zero experience with it, but in general (having used wyeast 1968, wlp007, wyeast 1469, safale s04, Nottingham, and Windsor) its hard to go wrong with most British styles. Given that this is supposed to be a lighter flavored ale, I'd imagine any British strain will work nicely. I vote give it a shot and let us know. I'm about to pitch Windsor in mine once the fridge brings the bucket down to 65f.