Strong English ale (comments or sugestions)

[Brewmarc]

Just brewed an ale of basically my own recipe in the style of a strong english special bitter to the following recipe:-

MO pale malt 3.900kg
Crystal malt 150g :thumb: :rofl: (I love Crystal Malt)
Black malt 35g
Dark brown sygar 350g (never used this befor) any coments? :wha:

Hops (what I had in ther freezer)
Northern brewer 7.9AA 50g for 75 mins of the boil
Cascade 5.8AA post boil
Irisgh moss 10 minutes

Yeast:- recultured from a bottle of Brakspear Tripple :wha: (again first time iv done this) :wha:

I ended up with 23 litres in the fermenter with an OG of 1.052 :party: assuming it ferments out I intend to transfer to secondary after 7 days & leave for about 3 weeks to settle out befor bottling. :wha:
I was wandering if anyone had any coments or ways I could improve on this recipe as its my first attempt at a propper english ale.

 

[Wez]

I've not brewed with sugar much so can't really give you any pointers there, hopefully someone else will.

Using NB and Cascade with that grain bill I think you'll end up with a nice clean tasting deep brown-ish beer with some citrus notes.

 

[tubby_shaw]

You'll find with the dark brown sugar that it's flavour will be evident in the finished ale, which adds a little something extra
The main difference that I find when using sugar is that the "maltiness" is reduced giving a more commercial flavour to the finished beer.
Good thing or bad thing ? Depends on your point of view :wha:

 

[Aleman]

Cascade <-> English Ale :hmm: :hmm: :hmm: :hmm:

Modern English ale OK, but for a more traditional it has to be Fuggles and Goldings,

Should be clean tasting though, with a citrus zesty kick . . . if you can get past the grapefruit :sick:

 

[jamesb]

Am I the only one who doesn't find the idea of cascade hops in dark beers a real turn off?

 

[Brewmarc]

Yes I totaly agree with you aleman about the hops, :thumb: but I had some cascade left over from a previous brew, guess Il have to see what it will turn out like :pray:

 

[Wez]

JB I agree - Cascade for Pales :thumb:

 

[Vossy1]

Am I the only one who doesn't find the idea of cascade hops in dark beers a real turn off?

No idea, but I recently tried a cascade stout which was really good :drink:
I agree with Aleman on 'traditional' but I reckon the only way to find out is to try.
I've made a few bitters which were styrian only and they were great, my only thought was that I'd like to know what they'd have taseted like with the addition of cascade, just as good I bet :

 

[Toast]

You'll find with the dark brown sugar that it's flavour will be evident in the finished ale, which adds a little something extra

I found this too with an OP recipe which basically tastes like a bag of brown sugar right now. It did have a shed load of sugar in from the recipe...more than I thought sensible, but being a twit I just happily followed it. I've now decided to leave the corny for AT LEAST A MONTH (unheard of) before drinking it in an attempt to get it to let is soften and let the flavours blend in...wish me luck, already feeling thirsty!

 

[Aleman]

Yeah, Toast . . . but you also used some hops that were incredibly high alpha compared to what should have been used. . . . The sugar shouldn't be a problem . . . OP normally mellows really well though

 

[Toast]

yeah agreed Aleman, but I did cut down the amount...the sugar flavour is what dominates tbh. Just recently tried an Emerson's beer (NZ), which they release on 6th March - forget the name, something to do with a train the brewer's grandfather worked on. The beer had an overwhelming taste of treacle and soap. Another beer that probably could have done with being left alone...at least for a while

 

[MEB]

I find most of Emersons beers to be *****(at best) in all honesty.
Kiwi's have little or NO taste for beer. They drink speights and lion red ffs.
Nice to see you here Toast, you all settled in now?

 

[Brewmarc]

Very interesting comments about various types of hops :hmm: Im still learning "The hop knowlage" :geek: :geek: " as iv only been homebrewing about a year :wha: I recently brewed an AG pale ale of about 5.5% abv using Pearl flavour hops, & have to say it was delicious difficult to describe the flavour here,but definately something a bit different. the kids loved it (only joking):

 

[Toast]

I find most of Emersons beers to be *****(at best) in all honesty.
Kiwi's have little or NO taste for beer. They drink speights and lion red ffs.
Nice to see you here Toast, you all settled in now?

Yes settling in although the bloody recession is slightly putting a damper on things eh?
I'll pm you rather than divert this post.

 

[J_P]

Am I the only one who doesn't find the idea of cascade hops in dark beers a real turn off?

I had a 9% US stout with coffee and cacao at the last GBBF and it was incredibly highly hopped both bitterness and late hops. I found it to be a complete revalation it was amazing, it's on my "to brew" list for sure

 

[Brewmarc]

I'v allways been a little hesitant about dry hopping after primary firmentation, for feer of infection from bacteria in the hops :hmm: :hmm: , am I worrying about nothing :wha: ? or is there some justification in this? i have been told that the alcohol content in the finished beer will keep infection at bay, but im still not sure :wha: & weather it will improve the flavour significantly to warrent it.

 

[llannige]

I always dry hop in secondary using a muslin bag and marbles.

Just make sure you boil the bag and marbles for at least 10 mins first. :thumb:

 

[Aleman]

I dry hopped a batch for the first time in years last year . . . and it got infected . . .next time I try it It will be with pellets which I think are less likely to cause an infection.

 

[jamesb]

I dry hopped a batch for the first time in years last year . . . and it got infected . . .next time I try it It will be with pellets which I think are less likely to cause an infection.

How do you work that out then Tony?

Why would pellets have less of a risk of infection than whole hops?

 

[Aleman]

Processing . . . and then there is less SA exposed to nasty bugs . . .OTOH I might just not risk it again :hmm: