Elusive Brewing’s Microball Clone
All-Grain Recipe
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.041 FG = 1.013
IBU = 16 SRM = 18 ABV = 3.7%
This is a great example of how to build the grain bill without relying on chocolate or black malt. A blend of dark crystal malts gives this recipe that classic malty mild flavor. Andy Parker, Owner and Head Brewer of Elusive, is a homebrewer at heart; however, and couldn’t resist using Bramling Cross to make this recipe a bit different from other traditional English mild ales. Bramling is a relatively modern hop, released in the 1960s, and has a distinct blackcurrant aroma. Bramling adds atypical flavors for a mild, yet they complement the sweet malt flavors well.
Ingredients
6 lbs. (2.7 kg) Maris Otter pale ale malt
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) Munich malt (20 °L)
8.8 oz. (250 g) Crisp crystal 400 (150 °L)
3.5 oz. (100 g) Special B malt
3.5 oz. (100 g) Simpsons DRC malt
1.2 AAU Bramling Cross hops (60 min.) (0.2 oz./6 g at 6% alpha acids)
2.4 AAU Bramling Cross hops (30 min.) (0.4 oz./11 g at 6% alpha acids)
2.4 AAU Bramling Cross hops (15 min.) (0.4 oz./11 g at 6% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Bramling Cross hops (0 min)
White Labs WLP002 (English Ale), Wyeast 1968 (London ESB Ale), or LalBrew London yeast
1⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mash crushed grains at 151 °F (66 °C) for 60 minutes. Batch sparge slowly for 15 minutes at 162 °F (72 °C). Collect 6.5 gallons (24.5 L) of wort in the brew kettle. Bring wort to boil for a standard 60-minute boil, adding hops as indicated in the ingredients list.
When the boil is complete, cool wort down to 65 °F (18 °C) and transfer to fermentation vessel.
Add yeast as packet directs. Bottle conditioning mild is much more traditional than force carbonating in a keg, but either way mild is best served at lower carbonation levels. Aim for 1.5–2.0 volumes of carbonation.
Extract With Grains Recipe
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.041 FG = 1.013
IBU = 16 SRM = 18 ABV = 3.7%
Ingredients
5 lbs. (2.3 kg) Maris Otter liquid malt extract
8.8 oz. (250 g) Crisp crystal 400 (150 °L)
3.5 oz. (100 g) Special B malt
3.5 oz. (100 g) Simpsons DRC malt
1.2 AAU Bramling Cross hops (60 min.) (0.2 oz./6 g at 6% alpha acids)
2.4 AAU Bramling Cross hops (30 min.) (0.4 oz./11 g at 6% alpha acids)
2.4 AAU Bramling Cross hops (15 min.) (0.4 oz./11 g at 6% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Bramling Cross hops (0 min)
White Labs WLP002 (English Ale), Wyeast 1968 (London ESB Ale), or LalBrew London yeast
1⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Steep crushed grains in a muslin bag as brewing water heats up to 170 °F (77 °C). Turn off the heat, remove the grains allowing liquid to drip back in the kettle, and stir in all the liquid malt extract. Once extract is fully dissolved, bring wort up to a boil for a standard 60-minute boil, adding hops as indicated in the ingredients list.
When the boil is complete, cool wort to 65 °F (18 °C) and transfer to fermenter. Add yeast as packet
directs. Bottle conditioning mild is much more traditional than force carbonating in a keg, but either way mild is best served at lower carbonation levels. Aim for 1.5–2.0 volumes of carbonation.
Tips For Success
Bramling Cross hops can be difficult to source outside of the U.K. If you can’t get ahold of Bramling Cross then Bullion or Galena would be appropriate substitutes for a similar blackcurrant character. You could also go with a traditional mild ale variety such as Fuggle or East Kent Golding, but this will result in a beer further from Elusive’s Microball.
