brēowanthorpe

The Homestead of Beer

Dark Mild

By thomas #30 minute boil, #Ale, #Barley, #Beer, #bergamot, #BIAB, #British, #Dark Mild, #Earl Grey, #Earl Grey Tea, #Homebrew, #Hops, #Mild, #Mountain Portage, #No-sparge, #one-gallon, #Session Ale, #Unaged Ale, #Water, #Yeast

Codename : Mountain Portage Dork Fog

This is a bit of an experimental batch, wanting to emulate a London Fog Tea, but in beer form. Choosing a low gravity dark mild, steeping in Earl Grey tea bags, finally adding in lactose sugar for the sweetness.

Recipe inspiration : https://www.themadfermentationist.com/2014/06/earl-grey-mild-ale-recipe-and-tasting.html

Ingredients

  • 1 lb 5 oz Golden Promise malt (2.4L)
  • 1 oz Flaked Barley (1.4L)
  • 1 oz Caraaroma malt (132L)
  • 1 oz Crystal medium (67L)
  • 1 oz Pale Chocolate (224L)
  • 0.5 oz Chocolate malt (300L)
  • 6 bags Earl Grey Tea (last 10 minutes of mash)
  • 0.2 oz Sasquatch hops at 30 minutes
  • 0.5 oz lactose sugar at 20 minutes
  • 1/4 tsp Irish Moss (optional) at 15 minutes
  • 0.2 oz Sasquatch hops at 0 minutes
  • 2 ml London dry ale yeast.

Vital Stats

BJCP Style : Dark Mild
Anticipated ABV : 3.4%
Anticipated IBU : 17
Anticipated SRM : 20
Pre-boil SG : 1.028
Original SG : 1.037
Target SG : 1.011
Brewhouse (in)efficiency : 65%

Brew Day

  • Prepare 6.4L strike water, 148F.
  • Add the milled grains to the bag. 
  • Place the bag in the hot water, set the timer for 75 minutes, and maintain the temperature at 148F.
  • Stir occasionally.
  • Calibrate the sonic screwdriver.
  • Lift the bag out of the water, and allow it to drip into the pot. Every bit of sugar that can be extracted will benefit the end ABV.
  • Bring up to a boil, 212F, set the timer for 30 minutes. Add hops, lactose sugar, and Irish moss, as prescribed above.
  • Sanitise everything required for fermentation.
  • Cool to room temp, an ice-bath or a snowbank work effectively.
  • Prepare the yeast mixture.
  • Pitch the yeast to the carboy.
  • Transfer the wort to the carboy, splash the wort around to aerate the contents.
  • Store in a cool dark place for primary fermentation for 7-10 days.

Bottling Day

Brew Notes

  • Pre-boil gravity was 1.030 and final gravity was 1.037, anticipated ABV of 3.7%
  • I started with 4 tea bags at the last 10 minutes of the mash, I didn’t detect enough bergamot flavour for my liking, so I added 2 more bags to get the subtle flavour I was looking for.
Ferment the beer in the carboy for 7-10 days

Brew day : 17-Aug-2023