Beer Style: English Bitter, Mild, and Pale Ale
Blonde Bloke British Golden Ale
This Golden Ale recipe uses two specialty malts that will add body and mouthfeel to what otherwise might be a fairly straightforward beer. The subtle complexity of the dextrin and caramelized oats make this a summery beer without being boring.
Turning Point Brew Co.’s Nightcall clone
The bitterness of this Yorkshire bitter is below the minimum for a best bitter under the BJCP Style Guide. Bitterness is still present with the lower ABV beer, but the star of the show is the malt character. A healthy addition of melanoidin malt gives the beer the classic biscuit flavor Yorkshire bitters are known for, with more caramel character being added with the brown and crystal malts. The late addition of the East Kent Golding hops add floral notes with a hint of fruit character from the Archer addition. As my Grandad would have said: “A proper pint.”
Marble Beers’ Manchester Bitter clone
You can see the focus on the distinctive color with the use of the extra pale malt, giving wiggle room to build some malt flavor with crystal and Munich malts. The ABV is the mid-range of a best bitter, but just tips over the maximum IBUs. What you’re left with is a light and refreshing but incredibly bitter beer.
Parti-Gyled English Pale Ale and Light Mild
Create two recipes, but use the same grist for both. For the second batch, change the brewhouse efficiency setting to one half the first recipe (in this case, 65% and 32%). Each recipe has different sugars, hops, and yeast. But read the recipe — these beers are blended before they are fermented! You will likely have to adjust this recipe after brewing to use your system efficiencies based on your sparge techniques.
Cross Borders Brewing Co. & Dark Star Brewing Co.’s Intergalactic Mild clone
Cross Borders Brewing Co. & Dark Star Brewing Co.’s Intergalactic Mild clone (5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)OG = 1.061 FG = 1.015IBU = 25 SRM = 22 ABV = 6.1% This recipe represents the hybrid mild.
Steam Machine Brewing Co.’s Imperial Honeyed Mild clone
Steam Machine Brewing Co.’s Imperial Honeyed Mild clone (5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)OG = 1.079 FG = 1.013IBU = 32.5 SRM = 5.7 ABV = 8.7% This is a good example of a modern homage
Thornbridge Brewery & Bundobust Brewery’s Dark Mild clone
Thornbridge Brewery & Bundobust Brewery’s Dark Mild clone (5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)OG = 1.039 FG = 1.010IBU = 25 SRM = 23 ABV = 3.8% A bit more chocolate malt than you’d usually see
Elusive Brewing’s Microball clone
Elusive Brewing’s Microball clone (5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)OG = 1.041 FG = 1.013IBU = 16 SRM = 18 ABV = 3.7% This is a great example of how to build the grain bill
Patriot Homebrew Supply’s Better Best Bitter clone
Patriot Homebrew Supply’s Better Best Bitter clone (5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)OG = 1.041 FG = 1.010IBU = 34 SRM = 11 ABV = 4.2% Ingredients8 lbs. (3.6 kg) Maris Otter pale
Drew’s Open Fermentation Experimental Mild
Drew’s Mild sings best when allowed to breathe! So be sure to keep the fermentation open (but covered).
Welsh Archer’s Bitter Ale
We want to use crystal malt to give it some extra flavor and body, and more importantly to make it copper colored rather than pale gold in hue. Perfect in a bitter.
Poe’s Boston Bitter
“Fill with mingled cream and amber, I will drain that glass again. Such hilarious visions clamber through the chambers of my brain. Quaintest thoughts – queerest fancies, come to life and fade away: What care I how time advances? I am drinking ale today.”
– Edgar Allan Poe
