Dark Mild -

[leigh1919]

Evening fellas -

If you wouldnt mind casting your eyes over this, i've just created my first recipe with BeerSmith. It was fun, although I think there's a lot more for me to learn on this program - jesus! Anyway, I've tooled around and came up with this simple Dark Mild, in the vein of Brain's Dark (which i like a lot) -

Type: All Grain
Date: 04/03/2009
Batch Size: 22.73 L
Boil Size: 19.77 L Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: Brew Pot (5 Gallon)
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00


Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
3.00 kg Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (5.9 EBC) Grain 81.08 %
0.45 kg Caramel Wheat Malt (90.6 EBC) Grain 12.16 %
0.25 kg Chocolate Malt (886.5 EBC) Grain 6.76 %
40.00 gm Fuggles [4.50 %] (60 min) Hops 19.3 IBU
5.00 gm Fuggles [4.50 %] (30 min) Hops 1.9 IBU
5.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (10 min) Hops 1.0 IBU


Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.036 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.036 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.010 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.010 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 3.47 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 3.38 %
Bitterness: 22.1 IBU Calories: 333 cal/l
Est Color: 44.3 EBC Color: Color


Mash Profile

Mash Name: Single Infusion, Full Body, Batch Sparge Total Grain Weight: 3.70 kg
Sparge Water: 14.78 L Grain Temperature: 22.2 C
Sparge Temperature: 75.6 C TunTemperature: 22.2 C
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE Mash PH: 5.4 PH

Single Infusion, Full Body, Batch Sparge Step Time Name Description Step Temp
45 min Mash In Add 9.65 L of water at 77.0 C 70.0 C
Yeast - US05


The 'caramel wheat malt' it talks of is actually Crystal Malt, and I have assumed 125L for the colour as that is what I would be buying. The pale malt would be good old unforgiving M.O (until I get cocky enough to give Golden Promise a try)

Any thoughts- am I missing anything out, or any glaring mistakes here? I have had fun messing with BeerSmith but it's complex at first!!

[tomU]

Recipe looks good. I love a mild...

I wouldn't use US-05 to be honest though - I can almost guarantee that wont finish at 1010 from an OG of 1036 - probably more like 1004ish... I think S-04 works really well in milds - it doesn't attenuate too far so leaves some body in low strength beers, and also works quickly and flocculates really well so you could be drinking this crystal clear in a fortnight easy.

[svensson.lu]

Batch Size: 22.73 L
Boil Size: 19.77 L Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: Brew Pot (5 Gallon)
Sparge Water: 14.78 L Grain Temperature: 22.2 C
45 min Mash In Add 9.65 L of water at 77.0 C 70.0 C

I would add mash in water so that the sparge water is half of your boil size.
You will end up with 5L from the first running and 15L from sparge. I think it should be closer to 50/50
Are you going to add more water later to end up with the batch size?

[prodigal2]

Recipe looks good. I love a mild...

I wouldn't use US-05 to be honest though - I can almost guarantee that wont finish at 1010 from an OG of 1036 - probably more like 1004ish... I think S-04 works really well in milds - it doesn't attenuate too far so leaves some body in low strength beers, and also works quickly and flocculates really well so you could be drinking this crystal clear in a fortnight easy.

I would agree with tomU, US05 would not be the best choice as you are looking for the maltiness to read, if you only have US05 to hand I would mash at 68/69C, to leave some residual sweetness(which is what I do if I am using nottingham in a mild). if I am honest I would say US05 would be to dry.

With your caramel wheat, I have never used it so I will be interested in your thoughts.

Modern dark milds are great for quick turn around, and are a great style to play with.

[leigh1919]

Guys -

thanks for the tips re US05 / S04 - I do have both so can be flexible - i'm not making this until April so have got the time.

As for the mash in water, I don't really know what I'm doing with BeerSmith yet! I was concentrating more on the old ingredients!!

I will have a tweak and bear that in mind! I'm thinking the IBU's are quite high for a Dark Mild- thinking of reducing the inital fuggles to 30g to reduce it? any thoughts?

Cheers!

[dcq1974]

Looks like a goodun to me! I love Dark Mild!

[mysterio]

Looks good, why did you enter caramel wheat? Crystal malt is included in the beersmith ingredients.

Where did you get the percentages? Is this based off anything you know about the recipes for Brains?

Another vote to toss away the US-05, you'll end up with slightly sugary tasting water if you use that. S04 or Windsor is a good dried choice.

IBUs seem fine to me! I wouldn't pay much attention to the figures Beersmith gives you for IBUs, it's an art rather than a science. The figures are ok for a guide but let your taste guide you in your future recipes. Best advice is to take the BU/GU ratio for this, then take notes when the beer is ready. So the BU/GU ratio here is 22/36 = 0.61. So if the beer tastes a touch too bitter or sweet then you know how to adjust it for next time.

[leigh1919]

Mysterio -

Cheers mate - could be my relative inexperience fiddling with BrewSmith - i'll have another look. And the S04 is in, again, Jim's board come to the rescue.

As for the Brain's info, there's a little bit of info on the internet, but nothing in terms of exacts. I just sort of muddled through but its looks like i'm not far off. im learning all the time - i've got a goldings pale which last week was just a little too bitter - one more week on and it's mellowed right out - beer continues to amaze me!!!