Dark Mild

[MAF]

Going to put together a Dark Mild for my next brew, any thoughts on the recipe?

Recipe: Hibernian Mild

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size (fermenter): 20.00 l
Boil Size: 24.00 l
Bottling Volume: 20.00 l
Estimated OG: 1.037 SG
Estimated Color: 52.9 EBC
Estimated IBU: 22.8 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 68.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name %/IBU
3.00 kg Mild Malt (6.0 EBC) 82.2 %
0.25 kg Cara-Pils/Dextrine (3.9 EBC) 6.8 %
0.20 kg Carafa II (1100.0 EBC) 5.5 %
0.20 kg Extra Dark Crystal Malt (400.0 EBC) 5.5 %
10.00 g Magnum [12.60 %] - Boil 60.0 min 17.7 IBUs
10.00 g Bramling Cross [6.00 %] - Boil 20.0 min 5.1 IBUs
40.00 g Bramling Cross [6.00 %] - Boil 0.0 min 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg Edinburgh Ale (White Labs #WLP028)

[greenxpaddy]

Wouldn't be really a mild with that much late hops.... I'd weight the hops at the 60 mins end

[Befuddler]

Most milds don't have any late hops at all.. Personally, I'd drop the Magnum and use the Bramling X at 60 and 30 if you're trying to get blackcurrant notes.

5.5% Carafa II seems a lot as well.. have you used that amount before? I'd be a little worried about it taking over, but that might actually be quite nice in a mild.

Most important consideration for a mild - What temp are you mashing at?

[MAF]

Good advice greenxpaddy and Befuddler, thanks.
I was indeed hoping to get some blackcurrant notes. The Bramling Cross I have weren't bought from a commercial hop grower, and I've no idea what the AA% is (6% is an estimate), so I'm a bit cautious using them as a bittering hop. Although at these relatively low hopping rates, I suppose it would be fine.
Looking back on the recipe the % of Carafa II does seem a little high, I might tone this down a bit
Plan to mash around 69C

[greenxpaddy]

The carafa is not so bitter as other dark malt but with the strong crystal think one or tother needs toning down. Having just done a mild with carafa think I am a traditionalist and would use choc malt next time.

This was a really great mild

Christmas Mild


Fermentable Colour lb: oz Grams Ratio
Pale Malt 5 EBC 12 lbs. 0.5 oz 5460 grams 84%
Munich Malt 20 EBC 1 lbs. 4.6 oz 585 grams 9%
Crystal Malt 130 EBC 0 lbs. 6.8 oz 195 grams 3%
Chocolate Malt 1050 EBC 0 lbs. 4.6 oz 130 grams 2%
Armoatic Malt 150 EBC 0 lbs. 4.6 oz 130 grams 2%

Mash 67 degrees C 90 mins

75min boil

Hop Variety Type Alpha Time lb: oz grams Ratio
Challenger Whole 7.6 % 60 mins 0 lbs. 1.1 oz 30 grams 83.4%
Challenger Whole 7.6 % 5 mins 0 lbs. 1.1 oz 30 grams 16.6%

Protofloc 10 mins

Final Volume: 33 Litres
Original Gravity: 1.044
Final Gravity: 1.011
Alcohol Content: 4.3% ABV
Total Liquor: 45.8 Litres
Mash Liquor: 16.2 Litres
Mash Efficiency: 75 %
Bitterness: 20.2203397291872 EBU
Colour: 50 EBC
Protofloc at 10 mins


Final Volume: 33 Litres
Original Gravity: 1.044
Final Gravity: 1.011
Alcohol Content: 4.3% ABV
Total Liquor: 45.8 Litres
Mash Liquor: 16.2 Litres
Mash Efficiency: 75 %
Bitterness: 20.2203397291872 EBU
Colour: 45 EBC

Wyeast London 1098

[beernsurfing]

A traditionalist wouldn't put munich in a mild, would they? . Might be sacrelege but i like my milds light bodied and dryish. Haven't seen too many commercial recipes, but the ones i have seem to have loads of sugar, like 15%+. I like em with none, and i find mashing around 66 i still come down to 1.010 or slightly under. If you like more body/mouthfeel, mash closer to 70c.

[MAF]

The carafa is not so bitter as other dark malt but with the strong crystal think one or tother needs toning down. Having just done a mild with carafa think I am a traditionalist and would use choc malt next time.

I overdid choc malt in a porter and it put me off it a bit, so am trying out the carafa instead. You recipe looks great - can't beat a bit of Munich!

Might be sacrelege but i like my milds light bodied and dryish..... If you like more body/mouthfeel, mash closer to 70c.

I've just done a really light and dry Spelt Saison (FG 1.003), so gonna do something with a bit more body this time! Planning to mash it high alright.

[deanrpwaacs]

Hello.
This is my dark mild.
An easy drinker.

Fermentable Colour lb: oz Grams Ratio
Pale Malt 5 EBC 6 lbs. 5.9 oz 2890 grams 74%
Torrefied Wheat 4 EBC 0 lbs. 15.7 oz 445 grams 11.5%
Crystal Malt 130 EBC 0 lbs. 11.7 oz 330 grams 8.5%
Chocolate Malt 1050 EBC 0 lbs. 8.2 oz 235 grams 6%


Hop Variety Type Alpha Time lb: oz grams Ratio
Fuggle Whole 4.9 % 90 mins 0 lbs. 1.3 oz 38 grams 100%


Final Volume: 23 Litres
Original Gravity: 1.037
Final Gravity: 1.010
Alcohol Content: 3.5% ABV
Total Liquor: 32.2 Litres
Mash Liquor: 9.8 Litres
Mash Efficiency: 75 %
Bitterness: 22.6195063904831 EBU
Colour: 100 EBC

I use nottingham yeast for this one.
Regards Dean.

[MAF]

Hi Dean, I did a porter before with 6% choc malt and I thought it was a bit too much. It wasn't awful, but I thought it could've been better. Do you think having 8.5% crystal in your recipe helps to make the choc not too dominant?

[beernsurfing]

MAF, i find if i have more crystal than choc, the result is less roasty, and it compliments well. More choc than crystal, and it seems more roasty. SOunds simple, but choc isn't so dark that crystal can't overpower it i have found. Black patent and roasted barley are a different story though haha. I hope that makes sense!

[MAF]

Lookin back on my porter recipe, it had 5.9% choc, 5.3% crystal and 2% black patent. That said, it wasn't the roastiness that I didn't like about it, just found the choc taste not to my liking - maybe it's just my taste buds, or maybe I just prefer it to be a little more subtle.
Black patent and roasted barley together make a great stout!

[MAF]

For my Mild I ended up going for:

3kg Mild Malt
0.2kg Extra Dark Crystal
0.18 Carapils
0.15 Carafa II
20g Bramling Cross @60mins
20g Bramling Cross @10mins

[CharlieTwoPies]

I have recently just brewed up something similar, although I suppose its actually a porter in essence. Wanted to try and experiment with different grain bill/hops combinations as I have brewed quite alot of plae ales, IPAs, American pale ales etc but have wanted to try my hand at a dark mild/porter for a while.

23L brew length
2.2kg Plae Malt
1.5kg Crystal Malt
mash @ 67 for 90 mins
(added 250g sugar during boil just to get the alcohol up a touch)
30g Simcoe 90 mins
20g Styrian 90mins
10g Simcoe 15mins
20g Styrian 15mins
20g Styrian Dry Hop
Youngs Ale Yeast (being around Christmas I couldn't order off of the net for delivery in sufficient time so had to get the one single yeast my local HB shop stocked)
OG at 1.042

Any comments on wht you think this'll be like or possible comments on this recipe would be much appreciated

[MAF]

For my Mild I ended up going for:

3kg Mild Malt
0.2kg Extra Dark Crystal
0.18 Carapils
0.15 Carafa II
20g Bramling Cross @60mins
20g Bramling Cross @10mins

Turned out flippin lovely

[MAF]

I have recently just brewed up something similar, although I suppose its actually a porter in essence. Wanted to try and experiment with different grain bill/hops combinations as I have brewed quite alot of plae ales, IPAs, American pale ales etc but have wanted to try my hand at a dark mild/porter for a while.

23L brew length
2.2kg Plae Malt
1.5kg Crystal Malt
mash @ 67 for 90 mins
(added 250g sugar during boil just to get the alcohol up a touch)
30g Simcoe 90 mins
20g Styrian 90mins
10g Simcoe 15mins
20g Styrian 15mins
20g Styrian Dry Hop
Youngs Ale Yeast (being around Christmas I couldn't order off of the net for delivery in sufficient time so had to get the one single yeast my local HB shop stocked)
OG at 1.042

Any comments on wht you think this'll be like or possible comments on this recipe would be much appreciated

Charlie, just saw yer post; That looks like an awful lot of Crystal, should turn out really sweet - let us know how it goes!