My first attempt at brewing an English Mild in early 2013 was less than stellar since I bottled either before fermentation was complete or with too much priming sugar. Either way it was very overcarbonated and made me feel not so 'Mild.' I was very excited having the opportunity to brew with Mad Fox's house yeast but this time I decided to go with the more familiar Nottingham ale yeast. I do intend to try brewing again (maybe several more times) with the yeast from Mad Fox but that will be a yarn for future tales.
I wanted to double the amount of chocolate malt in the recipe to give it more charred flavor than a typical mild but without the harsher bite a black malt can contribute. So the extra chocolate will put the 'black' in 'black and mild.'
I wanted to double the amount of chocolate malt in the recipe to give it more charred flavor than a typical mild but without the harsher bite a black malt can contribute. So the extra chocolate will put the 'black' in 'black and mild.'
Recipe Notes
Style: Mild
Style: Mild
Batch Volume: 4 gal.
Color: 28 SRM
Target Bitterness: 24 IBU
Target OG: 1.035
Color: 28 SRM
Target Bitterness: 24 IBU
Target OG: 1.035
Grist
3 lb. 2-Row
1 lb. Crystal 60L
11 oz. Crystal 40L
8 oz. Special Roast
8 oz. Chocolate Malt
3 lb. 2-Row
1 lb. Crystal 60L
11 oz. Crystal 40L
8 oz. Special Roast
8 oz. Chocolate Malt
0.5 oz. Fuggles 5.3% (60 min.)
0.5 oz. Fuggles 5.3% (30 min.)
Nottingham Ale Yeast
0.5 oz. Fuggles 5.3% (30 min.)
Nottingham Ale Yeast
Brew Notes
Brew Date: 8/3/14
Mash Temp: 152F
Mash Time: 75 min.
Boil Time: 60 min.
Fermenter Volume: 4.75 gal
Measured OG: 1.030
Brewhouse Efficiency: 71%
Brew Date: 8/3/14
Mash Temp: 152F
Mash Time: 75 min.
Boil Time: 60 min.
Fermenter Volume: 4.75 gal
Measured OG: 1.030
Brewhouse Efficiency: 71%
The big mistake I made with this brew regarded water calculation. I decided to do a 4 gallon brew instead of a 5 gallon to help speed up the process and to go through the keg a little faster. However I used the same amount of mash water that I usually do anticipating I would add less water after the mash.
So I started with 5.5 gallons of water and after the mash ended up with 5 gallons of wort, losing about 0.1 gallons per pound of grain. The hour long boil only reduced that by 1/4 gallon so I ended up with 4.75 gallons of wort for the yeast to munch on. This lowered my gravity from the calculated 1.035 to 1.030 turning this into an English EXTRA Mild. On this up side this might be my first brew the clocks in at under 100 calories per bottle.
So for an average 4 gallon brew I should be using slightly less than 5 gallons in the mash. For these session ale's I've been brewing a lot of lately it'll be maybe 4.75 gallons.
Update 8/13/2014 - Racked the now 1.009 SG Mild to secondary - my 'ole oak whiskey barrel. Put a 1/2 gallon of water in the whiskey barrel (which hasn't seen use for a few months) and it was leaking all over the place. I guess this enforces the importance of rehydraing your barrels. Brought 5 gallons of water up to 180F, dumped it into the barrel, and let it sit for 60 minutes. This should help sanitize the barrel and swell the wood to seal up any gaps. It worked like a charm. The water I dumped out of the barrel smelled great. Nice and woody with the sweet whiskey/bourbon aroma and a bit of roasty char. Hated to see it go down the drain. Racked the mild into the barrel and plugged with a rubber stopper. No airlock.
Update 8/18/2014 - Pulled a sample with Mrs. DrewsBrew's autosiphon. Nice and roasty with a little char character. Not much contribution from the whiskey yet. Will sample again in another week. Gravity is 1.008.
So I started with 5.5 gallons of water and after the mash ended up with 5 gallons of wort, losing about 0.1 gallons per pound of grain. The hour long boil only reduced that by 1/4 gallon so I ended up with 4.75 gallons of wort for the yeast to munch on. This lowered my gravity from the calculated 1.035 to 1.030 turning this into an English EXTRA Mild. On this up side this might be my first brew the clocks in at under 100 calories per bottle.
So for an average 4 gallon brew I should be using slightly less than 5 gallons in the mash. For these session ale's I've been brewing a lot of lately it'll be maybe 4.75 gallons.
Update 8/13/2014 - Racked the now 1.009 SG Mild to secondary - my 'ole oak whiskey barrel. Put a 1/2 gallon of water in the whiskey barrel (which hasn't seen use for a few months) and it was leaking all over the place. I guess this enforces the importance of rehydraing your barrels. Brought 5 gallons of water up to 180F, dumped it into the barrel, and let it sit for 60 minutes. This should help sanitize the barrel and swell the wood to seal up any gaps. It worked like a charm. The water I dumped out of the barrel smelled great. Nice and woody with the sweet whiskey/bourbon aroma and a bit of roasty char. Hated to see it go down the drain. Racked the mild into the barrel and plugged with a rubber stopper. No airlock.
Update 8/18/2014 - Pulled a sample with Mrs. DrewsBrew's autosiphon. Nice and roasty with a little char character. Not much contribution from the whiskey yet. Will sample again in another week. Gravity is 1.008.
Kegging Notes
Measured FG: 1.008
ABV: 2.9%
Calories: 98
Carbonation: 2.3
Update 8/26/14 - Kegged today after 13 days in the whiskey barrel. Tastes oak-y and with a dry aftertaste but roasty and sweet initially. Definitely enough time for this petite mild. Tastes pretty good uncarbonated at room temperature. I'm actually afraid of losing some of the flavor once it's chilled and carbed.
Measured FG: 1.008
ABV: 2.9%
Calories: 98
Carbonation: 2.3
Update 8/26/14 - Kegged today after 13 days in the whiskey barrel. Tastes oak-y and with a dry aftertaste but roasty and sweet initially. Definitely enough time for this petite mild. Tastes pretty good uncarbonated at room temperature. I'm actually afraid of losing some of the flavor once it's chilled and carbed.
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