Since it is Mild Month I’ve decided to brew a proper English dark mild. The interesting thing is I have never had the pleasure of drinking a mild. Maybe I have in my long and storied drinking career and haven’t realised it but to the best of my knowledge one has not crossed my lips. Anyhow, J.W. Lee’s Best Mild, according to all dubious internet sources, is the Mild that needs to be brewed if you’re going to do a dark mild. As usual this is an interpretation of a Pattinson archival recipe. A bit higher in alcohol and a tad more hop heft in my version but still in the “session beer” spectrum I guess.

Brewer’s Caramel recipe:
3 tablespoons brown sugar to 1 tablespoon water = 1.5 oz. Go low and slow in saucier pan until black.

Yes the beer was black this time.

6 gallons

Estimated OG: 1.036
Estimated FG: 1.005
Estimated Color: 30.8 SRM
Estimated IBU: 30.9 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 65.00 %
ABV: 4.1%

Grain
6 lbs Marris Otter (3.0 SRM) 74.9%
1 lbs Table Sugar (1 SRM) 12.5%
5.3 oz Crystal 80 (80 SRM) 4.1%
5.3 oz Chocolate  (350 SRM) 4.1%
3.2 oz Brewers Caramel (1500 SRM) 2.5%
2.4 oz Black Patent (500 SRM) 1.9%

Schedule
60 minute Boil
28.00 g East Kent Goldings [5.5%] – Boil 60 min 18.9 IBUs
14.00 g East Kent Goldings [5.5%] – Boil 30 min 7.3 IBUs
14.00 g East Kent Goldings [5.5%] – Boil 15 min 4.7 IBUs

Whirfloc or Irish Moss 20 min
1tsp yeast nutrient 15 min

Mash and Sparge
1/2 Ventura water(high bicarbonates and sulfates)
1/2 RO Water
6gm calcium chloride  sparge water
Mash in 3 gallons water 161F and let stabilize to 152F for 60 min
Batch Sparge 6 gallons (2 gallons add to mash and then sparge with remaining 4) 170F

Yeast
WLP 005 British Ale 2L starter