March Brown Mild

[flyangler18]

March Brown Mild
11-A Mild
Author: Jason Konopinski
Date: 2/3/09

http://www.beertools.com/images/colors/17.jpg (http://www.beertools.com/)

Size: 6.0 gal
Efficiency: 80%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 119.27 kcal per 12.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.036 (1.030 - 1.038)
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Terminal Gravity: 1.009 (1.008 - 1.013)
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Color: 17.77 (12.0 - 25.0)
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Alcohol: 3.53% (2.8% - 4.5%)
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Bitterness: 15.6 (10.0 - 25.0)
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Ingredients:
6.5 lb Maris Otter Pale Ale Malt
7.0 oz Dark Crystal
7.0 oz Extra Dark Crystal
3.5 oz Pale Chocolate Malt
2.0 oz British Black Patent
1.0 oz Willamette (5.0%) - added during boil, boiled 60 min


00:03:00 Mash-In - Liquor: 2.54 gal; Strike: 170.82 °F; Target: 158.0 °F
00:43:00 Saccharification Rest - Rest: 40 min; Final: 156.1 °F
01:13:00 Batch Sparge - First Runnings: 0.0 gal sparge @ 168.0 °F, 10.0 min; Sparge #1: 3.02 gal sparge @ 175 °F, 10.0 min; Sparge #2: 3.02 gal sparge @ 175 °F, 10.0 min; Total Runoff: 7.87 gal

Results generated by BeerTools Pro 1.5.3 (http://www.beertools.com/)

Yeast choices: 1469 or 1275

[Niedermier]

Been waffling back and forth for the last 24 hours on what to brew this weekend. I've got a pack of 1275 that I want to use so I've been looking at what I could work it into. Ultimately, I wanted something relatively cheap because my next three brews are going to hit the wallet a little harder than normal. This mild seemed to fit the bill perferctly so this is what I settled on. Will be brewing Sunday. I imagine that this can go grain-to-glass fairly quick so I expect to be drinking it within a month.

[flyangler18]

I take it grain-to-glass in 14 days - and it's at the very peak of freshness.

The combination of highly modified malts and the smallish grainbill will likely result in you overshooting your gravity, so you might want to assume a higher efficiency than your usual. I've been assuming 90% on this recipe in recent batches and it's spot on for my system.

Take care not to overcarb - 1.5 volumes is perfect. Anything higher and all those delicate flavors are blown to bits. ;)

[Niedermier]

Thanks for the tips. I'm going to brew this "no-sparge".

[Niedermier]

Is the Black Patent primarily for color? I'd like to get this just a touch lighter than the ~18 SRM. Maybe around 14. Any suggested modifications?

[flyangler18]

Is the Black Patent primarily for color? I'd like to get this just a touch lighter than the ~18 SRM. Maybe around 14. Any suggested modifications?

Indeed, it is primarily for color though I find that even in seemingly miniscule amounts, black patent has a distinctive acrid, somewhat ashy bite. Feel free to omit it; though if you can perceive the slight color gradation of 3 - 4 SRM, you've better eyes than I!

[Niedermier]

Indeed, it is primarily for color though I find that even in seemingly miniscule amounts, black patent has a distinctive acrid, somewhat ashy bite. Feel free to omit it; though if you can perceive the slight color gradation of 3 - 4 SRM, you've better eyes than I!

I buy my contacts from a little mom & pop store near the Fortress of Solitude. Your probably right on the isue of color though I will probably omit the BP.

[flyangler18]

If you want to substitute, roasted barley will give you the same color effect.

[Niedermier]

My do that. I actually have some roasted barley needing a home. Damn, I can't wait to drink this.

[flyangler18]

Damn, I can't wait to drink this.

Closest thing to a true house staple of anything that I brew. Hope you enjoy it!

[Niedermier]

Just realized that I wont have a free tap for a few weeks so I'm going to put this in an empty keg w/ priming sugar and let it carb naturally. I'm thinking maybe an ounce of corn sugar should get me the proper carb level. Any tips/thoughts on natural carbing in a keg?

[Niedermier]

Just finished this up. Hot as a fucking nut sack here. I cut the sprinkler on and watched my four year old son run through it for over two hours. Priceless stuff. I'm beat. Better get drunk to salvage the day.

[Niedermier]

Ended up pitching a pack of S-04 because I think some undesirables may have found their way into my 1275 starter. Didnt want to take the risk so I tossed the starter.

[christo]

S-04 will do nicely in a Mild. Hopefully you mashed high like Fly did. It's a lovely thing when fresh, so be ready to gulp once it is carbed up. Unfortunately, I have never had one of my milds last more than 3 hours (my Pale Mild is a standard "party" beer and it's great as I can go grain to glass in 10 days).

On the color, I make a Pale Mild as well as a Dark Mild, only changing the chocolate malt quantities and one less hop pellet (literally) in the dark. Did you use the English Pale Chocolate or standard US Chocolate? That has made a difference to me as well.

[flyangler18]

I concur, S-04 will do quite well in a Mild. You may lose some 'Englishness' from the yeast, as that particular strain pales in comparison to the liquid English strains. I've brewed this beer so many times, I now use it as an experimental canvas for various platinum/VSS releases. Quite frankly, 1469 is the ultimate strain for a beer such as this. :)

UK Pale Chocolate has a hint of nuttiness that is totally absent in the US version, at least to my palate.

Mild is an interesting style, for sure; in fact, the Midlands versions were historically quite boozy ('Mild' referred not to alcoholic strength but the level of hopping). On a personal note, I wish the BJCP would place Pale Mild into the recognized style pile.

[Tesgüino]

'Mild' referred not to alcoholic strength but the level of hopping.Thought I just read somewhere (can't remember) that "mild" referred to a beer that was consumed young?

[Niedermier]

S-04 will do nicely in a Mild. Hopefully you mashed high like Fly did. It's a lovely thing when fresh, so be ready to gulp once it is carbed up. Unfortunately, I have never had one of my milds last more than 3 hours (my Pale Mild is a standard "party" beer and it's great as I can go grain to glass in 10 days).

On the color, I make a Pale Mild as well as a Dark Mild, only changing the chocolate malt quantities and one less hop pellet (literally) in the dark. Did you use the English Pale Chocolate or standard US Chocolate? That has made a difference to me as well.


I really wanted to give the Thames a go on this but I just didnt feel good about the starter. Better safe than sorry.

Unfortunately I had some troube getting mash temp right. I ended up at about 152 for 60 minutes (actually was at around 158-160 for 15-20 minutes before I brought it down too much).

I was able to get UK Pale Chocolate so good for me.

[PseudoChef]

What do you think was wrong with the Thames? I have found that it seems to be a slow yeast to get going.

[Niedermier]

What do you think was wrong with the Thames? I have found that it seems to be a slow yeast to get going.

I dont think anything was wrong with the yeast. I think the starter may have gotten infected so I never pitched it.

[flyangler18]

Thought I just read somewhere (can't remember) that "mild" referred to a beer that was consumed young?

It's a combination, actually. 'Mild' has been interpreted to mean both 'mildly hopped' and 'unaged' (as 'stale' beer would have had a tang) at various points in the history of the style. The naming convention extended to pretty much any fresh, young unaged beer. Tricky, eh? :)

[Lerxst]

IMHO, S04 is a little too clean and one dimensional...I like a more expressive yeast strain in my milds, bitters, etc.

Anyhow, mild as a style has been all over the place and like mentioned it was once a term that was attached to a relatively young (iow, not stale) beer of moderate gravity in some cases up and around 6% +. At its low points, it was sometimes the dregs of other casks or had the image of an old man's beer...and suffered in popularity in both cases. I really like what the style has evolved into and it's become the ultimate session ale....low abv with plenty of flavor and character.

This is on my wish list:
http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/mild/6390493

[Lamppa]

LHBS is out of 1275 so I got 1272 for my stout yesterday...I plan on reusing part of the cake for my next beer....this mild. I really appreciate u sharing this recipie with us. The 1272 right out of the activator tastes very similar to 1275 just a little less sharp and a little rounder than 1275. Thoughts on using american ale -II 1272 in this mild?