6 replies to this topic

[Pseudolus]

I generally formulate my own recipes (or at least steal them from folks on internet messageboards). But last time I placed an order with Northern Brewer I grabbed their Mild Ale recipe (AG) as something quick to brew and drink as well as a way to get a good mess of yeast ready to repitch into a stout I'm planning. The recipe is available on their website but... I didn't really bother to look at it before ordering. I don't know much of anything about mild, but it really surprised me when my order arrived and the mild recipe didn't include crystal malt of any kind. I could brew it as-is or I could grab some crystal malt from a local hardware store that carries a few meager homebrewing supplies. They don't have a huge range of grains but I'm sure they have some kind of medium, 60-Love-ish, crystal, at least. I think I also have some Special B hanging around. My hunch is that I should just assume the good folks at NB have brewed this recipe and like this recipe, and that if I wanted to brew something other then what they think is a good mild I shouldn't have been a lazy a$$ and written up my own dang recipe. But if the board consensus is that mild pretty much requires crystal I'll go ahead and get some.5 Gallon recipe, before I futz with it: * 6 lbs. Maris Otter * 0.125 lbs. Simpson's Chocolate * 0.25 lbs. Crisp Amber Malt * 0.25 lbs. Crisp Brown Malt * 1 oz. UK Kent Goldings (60 min)

[cavman]

I voted no as Im not a big fan of crystal malt, I use it but not as much as most. If you're concerned of the beer being too dry just mash higher than normal adding a nice malt flavor rather than crystal sweetness. In an English Mild I would normally expect some crystal but try it without and learn from the experience.

[zymot]

I voted No. They have brewed this recipe more times than you. Trust in The NB.You are right, it does look pretty mild, hence the name.Plus how are you going to make a recipe better by adding something you bought at a hardware store? zymot

[Jimmy James]

I thought the amber and brown malts were more or less the same thing as crystal malts? Ewanzel has a good process for making your own brown malt in the oven - maybe he can chime in and describe the flavor differences between the two as I haven't had much experience playing around with those malts yet.

[zymot]

I thought the amber and brown malts were more or less the same thing as crystal malts? Ewanzel has a good process for making your own brown malt in the oven - maybe he can chime in and describe the flavor differences between the two as I haven't had much experience playing around with those malts yet.

Amber & brown are more toasted and I think of them more in the family of Vienna & Munich malts. Amber & brown have some power to self convert. The brown (70°L) was a kind of dry, toasted chalky when I chewed on a sample. Some sources say to use up 50% brown in your grain bill. I used 2 lbs brown + 1 lb amber in a 12 lb grain bill. I just brewed a brown ale this weekend, so I did some research. zymot

[MtnBrewer]

I voted yes. Crystal malt was just made for beers like this. This is a low gravity beer that will be thin and bodiless without some crystal, imo. I'd recommend maybe 1/4 lb. Special B/CaraAroma/C120 and 1/2 lb. medium (50-ish L) crystal.

[EWW]

I thought the amber and brown malts were more or less the same thing as crystal malts? Ewanzel has a good process for making your own brown malt in the oven - maybe he can chime in and describe the flavor differences between the two as I haven't had much experience playing around with those malts yet.

crystal is a different creature then amber and brown since crystal is green malt stewed in a wet kiln vs amber/brown is roasted to in a dry kiln. The stewing gives you a sweet flavor because a crystalline sugar is formed inside the grain's hull that is not as easily fermented due to the sugars complexity. I would follow the directions as is on this one. The Amber and Brown will add some non-fermentables, and this coupled with a higher mash temp should do you. I don't know what NB states to mash at, but I would guess it's somewhere around 156.