Mild

[Pigster]

Good morning!
CAMRA usually promote Mild May. So just wondered is anyone brewing a mild for next month?
Anyone happy to share recipes?
Dunham Massey brew both a light and a dark mild, the dark mild is superb, based on the old Chesters mild I believe. But not sure what’s in it ... and they are not forthcoming!
http://www.dunhammasseybrewing.co.uk/dark.html

[Pigster]

Sorry, posted in the wrong place and not sure how to move it!

[PeeBee]

Oh aye, I'll have this currently brewing Mild ready in May - I'd not clicked CAMRA were having a promotion of Mild during May.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=83077&start=30#p857025

Perhaps not what you're expecting? 1901 recipe. And with remarks about dark and light a plenty, but I've not kicked off much debate about that yet. As Victorian ales go, it's quite modest alcohol-wise (4-5%), but you'd be pushed to brew it before May is out now (but not impossible?).

[Trefoyl]

I didn’t know about Mild May, but coincidentally I just kegged this recipe from BYO and will put it on beer engine in May. I used Wyeast Ringwood. A sample from the fermenter was absolutely delicious.
https://byo.com/recipe/british-dark-mild-ale/

[Rookie]

It's been a while since I've brewed a mild. I need to fit one into the rotation.

[Pigster]

I didn’t know about Mild May, but coincidentally I just kegged this recipe from BYO and will put it on beer engine in May. I used Wyeast Ringwood. A sample from the fermenter was absolutely delicious.
https://byo.com/recipe/british-dark-mild-ale/

Excellent, I was thinking along those lines but possibly adding a slight flavour hop at 15 mins?

I’ve copied the recipe from BYO and then adjusted the batch volume from 23l to 19l. Before adjusting I was pretty close to their numbers but at 19l I’m up to 3.8%. Have I missed something?! Still a fine abv for a mild in my book!

And will using trusty s-04 be ok?

I’m thinking that if it’s fermenting in may then that counts!

Cheers!

[Pigster]

https://camra.org.uk/beer-and-cider/beer/mild-month/

[Trefoyl]

I didn’t know about Mild May, but coincidentally I just kegged this recipe from BYO and will put it on beer engine in May. I used Wyeast Ringwood. A sample from the fermenter was absolutely delicious.
https://byo.com/recipe/british-dark-mild-ale/

Excellent, I was thinking along those lines but possibly adding a slight flavour hop at 15 mins?

I’ve copied the recipe from BYO and then adjusted the batch volume from 23l to 19l. Before adjusting I was pretty close to their numbers but at 19l I’m up to 3.8%. Have I missed something?! Still a fine abv for a mild in my book!

And will using trusty s-04 be ok?

I’m thinking that if it’s fermenting in may then that counts!

Cheers!

I always have to adjust recipes to my efficiency and in this case had to liquor back a little because OG was 1.038
S-04 is my favorite dry yeast when I want character, I was just trying Ringwood to see how it compares.

[Pigster]

Awesome, thank you Trefoyl!

[Pigster]

Last question hopefully (he says in a Columbo way!).
The BYO recipe says mash @ 68c. This sounds high, I know mild should be fairly thin but wouldn’t say 65-66 be better for preserving some body?

[Marshbrewer]

Higher mash temperature= more sugars that yeasts struggle to ferment = more body / lower attenuation

Lower mash temperature= more easily fermented sugars thus less body, higher attenuation

So, if I were brewing a mild, I would tend to mash higher than normal to give it a bit of body to compensate for the low abv (I'm talking post ear milds here)

[Cobnut]

Funnily enough I brewed a mild yesterday.

Based on a recipe from "Guile Brews" by Peter Symons. His interpretation of Banks's Mild from 1953.

His recipe uses mild ale malt, but I didn't have any in stock, so I used Maris Otter and mashed at 68C rather than the 66C he suggested.

His recipe uses all Fuggles (@60 mins and 20 mins), but on brew day I discovered my inventory was awry and I didn't have sufficient Fuggles, so I substituted EKG for the 60 min addition. Doubt it'll make much difference.

So:

23L batch
OG 1038
FG 1008 (estimated)
ABV 3.9%
IBU 24
Maris Otter 3.45Kg
Invert No. 1 230g (15 min boil addition)
Brown Rice Malt syrup 80g (15 min boil addition)
Mash 68C for 60 mins
Boil 60 mins
EKG (whole) 37g (4.8%AA) @ 60 mins
Fuggle (whole) 8g (5% AA) @20 mins
Protafloc 0.5 tabs @ 15 mins
Brewers caramel (colour adjustment) 10ml @ 15 mins
Yeast WLP002 English Ale Yeast

It's my first mild, so we shall see how it turns out.

I suspect it may be more like a low bitterness, bitter.

[Pigster]

Like it!
I try to avoid adding syrup etc, keen to stick to Manx brewing purity law and just using malts ... so any tips on substituting invert sugars, golden syrup and treacle for the real deal?
Loving the chat!

[Pigster]

One question regarding adding protofloc tablets at 15 mins then later whirlpooling ... the tablets helps mass settle yet whirlpooling stirs it all up. So do you let everything settle for say a further 15 mins after whirlpooling then chill? I’m guessing yes!

[Trefoyl]

One question regarding adding protofloc tablets at 15 mins then later whirlpooling ... the tablets helps mass settle yet whirlpooling stirs it all up. So do you let everything settle for say a further 15 mins after whirlpooling then chill? I’m guessing yes!

Whirlfloc should be added the last 5 minutes, 15 is too long, and after agitating while chilling let the wort sit for 30 minutes or longer. I also only use 1/2 a tablet of Whirlfloc in 21 liters.