Conditioning an English mild ale

The Homebrew Forum

Help Support The Homebrew Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

treebeard

Regular.
Joined
Feb 7, 2017
Messages
235
Reaction score
109
Location
Yorkshire
Hi folks! For my second AG brew I did and English Mild Ale based on a recipe by David heath and adapted for BIAB. I have bottled this now and it's in the warm for carbonation.

My question is; how long would you leave it to condition once it's done carbing? is a longer conditioning period more suited to this style of beer.

Your advice is as always appreciated :)
 
Why not open the first one a month after bottling? Then the next another two weeks on, and so on until you judge the difference to be minimal. At which point its deemed to be ready. Thats what I usually do although I try to keep at least one back for four to six months on.
 
No definitive answer. "Mild" is one of those styles that has been hi-jacked by folk who have a distorted view of what it should be. Unfortunately they can often be the same folk who write the "style" guides. India Pale Ale, Stout, and especially Porter are some other old British beers that have been hi-jacked. It could happen because many UK breweries trashed their examples of these beers last century.

"Mild" originally meant "not stale" (aged), like porter that could have been aged in giant casks for over a year. So it was cheap! More so because the lack of aging meant less hops, which were expensive too.

But "Mild" outlived "Porter" past the world wars, although it suffered big cut-backs becoming the low-alcohol, low hopped beer of recent times. And as its popularity waned it often got "abused" at the hands of some unscrupulous landlords.


So, after that brief history: If you've bottled it you can sample the bottles after the usual two-three weeks. But some recipes try to hark back to older times and have higher OGs - these might better be left six weeks. But if it requires longer to become palatable, it isn't really "Mild" you've made.

"Mild" shouldn't be expected to keep long.
 
No definitive answer. "Mild" is one of those styles that has been hi-jacked by folk who have a distorted view of what it should be. Unfortunately they can often be the same folk who write the "style" guides. India Pale Ale, Stout, and especially Porter are some other old British beers that have been hi-jacked. It could happen because many UK breweries trashed their examples of these beers last century.

"Mild" originally meant "not stale" (aged), like porter that could have been aged in giant casks for over a year. So it was cheap! More so because the lack of aging meant less hops, which were expensive too.

But "Mild" outlived "Porter" past the world wars, although it suffered big cut-backs becoming the low-alcohol, low hopped beer of recent times. And as its popularity waned it often got "abused" at the hands of some unscrupulous landlords.


So, after that brief history: If you've bottled it you can sample the bottles after the usual two-three weeks. But some recipes try to hark back to older times and have higher OGs - these might better be left six weeks. But if it requires longer to become palatable, it isn't really "Mild" you've made.

"Mild" shouldn't be expected to keep long.

Thanks peebee. This is quite a low ABV 3.8% only Fuggles used and no dry hop. The sample I tried at bottling was very nice. I intended it to be a session beer so by Christmas day it would have had 4 weeks. Could be perfect timing :thumb:
 
Why not open the first one a month after bottling? Then the next another two weeks on, and so on until you judge the difference to be minimal. At which point its deemed to be ready. Thats what I usually do although I try to keep at least one back for four to six months on.

Thanks terrym; Oddly enough Christmas day would be exactly 4 weeks, Couldn't have worked out better :)
 
Mild is a beer that is often recommended when you want something ready to drink quickly and at 3.8% it will probably be drinkable in less than the 4 weeks you need. I've got one in the fermenter at the moment and will probably be sampling it over Xmas.
 
I plan to brew this next.

IMG_0314.jpg
 
Yeah milds are usually ready pretty quickly. In fact, you could enter it into thsi months competition and get some feedback.
 
A Mild Ale is much maligned "old man's drink" but I reckon it's perfect for those cold winter nights!

I agree with the "there's no definitive answer" comment made previously as only last week I finished the last of a Mild I started back in February this year.

It was delicious from the first to the last drop! :thumb:
 
Looks good. this was my recipe. Tasted quite nice at bottling so I'm looking forward to tasting it.

I think I'll go with your hop editions, it's a bit of a waste messing about buying two different hops for this malt forward, low abv style of beer.
 
Thanks peebee. This is quite a low ABV 3.8% only Fuggles used and no dry hop. The sample I tried at bottling was very nice. I intended it to be a session beer so by Christmas day it would have had 4 weeks. Could be perfect timing :thumb:

So how is it? I'm drinking mine now which was still in fermenter when you bottled yours. Mine turned out much better than my previous attempt at a low abv mild, I think using a higher mash temperature and lower attenuating yeast made all the difference. Hope yours is ready and tastes good.
 
Well i have some mild to start drinking in earnest ,did try one small 25cl bottle a week or so ago,well pleased,alas i am off booze until into the new year:twisted: it's going to have to keep for some time yet!
 
So how is it? I'm drinking mine now which was still in fermenter when you bottled yours. Mine turned out much better than my previous attempt at a low abv mild, I think using a higher mash temperature and lower attenuating yeast made all the difference. Hope yours is ready and tastes good.

Hi Honk. It's turned out nice, even though it's not quite three weeks old. Well happy with this one. Nice subtle coffee notes from the black malts. Yes the higher mash temp has given it a touch of sweetness. Mrs treebeard loves it.

IMG_1671.jpg
 
Looks good, and if Mrs treebeard loves it that's the main thing. Here's a photo of mine but not such a nice photo as yours, beer tastes good though. Graham Wheelers hop back mild only I reduced the chocolate malt.

IMG_20171229_011039254.jpg
 
Back
Top