Modern Homebrew Recipes (50 page)

Water treatment:

RO water treated with ¼ tsp 10% phosphoric acid per 5 gallons

1 tsp CaCl
₂
in mash

Mash technique:

Step mash, mashout, dark grains added at
vorlauf

Mash rests:

131°F (55°C) 15 minutes

145°F (63°C) 60 minutes

158°F (70°C) 10 minutes

168°F (76°C) 15 minutes

Kettle volume:

8.5 gallons (32 L)

Boil length:

90 minutes

Final volume:

6.5 gallons (25 L)

Fermentation temp:

73°F (23°C)

Sensory description:
Starts with rich and toasty malt flavors and notes of dark fruit and light chocolate. Finishes somewhat dry and bitter, with a spicy, peppery flavor.

Formulation notes:
The hardest part of this recipe is getting the necessary attenuation when using the more highly kilned base malts. The next hardest is balancing the spicy flavors from the yeast and hops with the base malts without clashing.

Variations:
This can be made as a spiced beer using dried orange peel, star anise, black pepper, or traditional Christmas spices.

LIGHT MILD

This style wasn’t added to the 2015 BJCP Style Guidelines, but it can sometimes be found in remote corners of the UK. It’s fairly pale, like British Golden Ale, but less bitter and with more complex malt and sugar flavors.

Style:
Historical Beer (Experimental)

Description:
A pale golden beer with medium-low to medium bitterness, and moderate fruit and toffee flavors.

Ingredients:

Water treatment:

RO water treated with ¼ tsp 10% phosphoric acid per 5 gallons

1 tsp CaCl
₂
and 0.5 tsp CaSO
₄
in mash

Mash technique:

Infusion, mashout

Mash rests:

147°F (64°C) 60 minutes

168°F (76°C) 15 minutes

Kettle volume:

8.5 gallons (32 L)

Boil length:

90 minutes

Final volume:

6.5 gallons (25 L)

Fermentation temp:

70°F (21°C)

Sensory description:
Brilliantly clear, pale gold color. Medium-light body. Medium to medium-low bitterness. Moderate fruit and toffee. Light caramel-like flavor. Clean but attenuative fermentation profile that favors the malt.

Formulation notes:
Since the hopping is intentionally subdued (at least in flavor and aroma), the malt and sugar flavors carry this beer. I love the flavor of Golden Promise, but I didn’t want it to dominate the beer so I’m blended it with another pale malt. I had some Belgian malt on hand, but anything British would be fine too (although I’d probably avoid the biscuity Maris Otter). The maize gives it some roundness, while the Golden Syrup provides some of the caramelized sugar flavor. I’m used the chocolate malt for color adjustment only. A darker brewing syrup or sugar could be used instead.

Variations:
I didn’t use late hops in this beer, but they could be used. I wouldn’t go overboard (as this isn’t supposed to be a hop-driven style), but additional hops could add a new dimension if they complemented the malt. Using other sugars like soft brown sugars, or amber caramel-type syrups would change the flavor profile, but could work with the right balance.

STERLING BITTER

British Golden Bitter was developed recently, but is not widely understood. It’s a fairly broad style, like American Blonde Ale, but tends to be more bitter. It might be called a Golden Ale, although I prefer to call it a kind of bitter since it has that characteristic balance. This recipe is based on an example my friend Thomas Eibner shared with me. He kind of shrugged and said it was not a traditional recipe, but that it tasted delicious. I chose to call it a golden ale since it is paler in color and doesn’t have the stronger caramel and fruity flavors that many US judges expect in English bitters.

Style:
British Golden Ale (New BJCP Style, Experimental)

Description:
A beautifully clear, pale golden beer with a clean, prominent bitterness, toasty malt, with a light caramel note in the background. The finish is dry, and there is a moderate fruity component.

Ingredients:

Water treatment:

RO water treated with ¼ tsp 10% phosphoric acid per 5 gallons

1 tsp CaSO
₄
2 in mash

Mash technique:

Infusion

Mash rests:

155°F (68°C) 60 minutes

Kettle volume:

8 gallons (30 L)

Boil length:

75 minutes

Final volume:

6.5 gallons (25 L)

Fermentation temp:

66–68°F (19–20°C)

Sensory description:
Sterling hops have a floral-spicy note that works well with the bready-rich malt base. The beer finishes dry but with a moderate mouthfeel, and medium bitterness.

Formulation notes:
Sterling is an unusual hop for an English style since it is a US-grown Saaz substitute, but it works in this beer. I use it because it is often fresher than any Czech hops I can buy. It’s not traditional to use these type of hops in this style, but a pleasant fresh hop nose is always welcome. The base malt is fairly complex but the caramel is very restrained. The corn helps give it a rounded finish. Most English golden ales don’t use crystal malts, and the Munich is certainly non-traditional, but I tried to play up a pale maltiness without getting too caramelly. Serving the beer at cellar temperatures (55–58°F/12–14°C) allows the malt to come through, but the hops will be apparent regardless. Be sure to use kettle finings since clarity is quite important in this beer.

Variations:
Thomas pushes his version closer to 40 IBUs, but uses different yeast and a slightly different hop schedule. If you want to crank up the hops, feel free, but try to keep that malt prominent. For something closer to commercial English golden ales, drop the crystal-type malts and swap an English base malt for the Munich (I’d avoid the more biscuity malts like Maris Otter).

AUSTRALIAN SPARKLING ALE

I was a guest speaker at the Australian National Homebrew Conference in 2010. After telling me all about their great new Galaxy hops, the next thing people wanted to do was bend my ear over this style of beer, and demand that it be added to the BJCP style guidelines. It is finally in the 2015 edition, and I’m glad I had firsthand experience tasting the style fresh. It is certainly a different beer by the time it gets shipped to the other side of the world; it loses much of the yeast character and bright flavors, and often develops caramel oxidation flavors.

Style:
Australian Sparkling Ale (New BJCP Style)

Description:
A dry, highly carbonated, pale Australian beer loosely patterned after imported pale ales. When fresh, it has a light fruity dimension (often with a hint of banana). The Pride of Ringwood hops are traditional, but herbal and coarse. Many Australians drink it with the yeast roused, but I prefer it clear.

Ingredients:

Water treatment:

Untreated RO water for the mash with 1 tsp CaSO
₄
and 0.5 tsp CaCl
₂

Sparge water is RO water treated with ¼ tsp 10% phosphoric acid per 5 gallons

Mash technique:

Step mash, mashout, dark and crystal malts added at
vorlauf

Mash rests:

144°F (62°C) 60 minutes

158°F (70°C) 10 minutes

168°F (76°C) 15 minutes

Kettle volume:

8.5 gallons (32 L)