Big Brew 2009

Dark Mild – Extract With Specialty Grains

5 gallons (19 L) yield with a 3.5-gallon (13.2 L) boil

O.G.: 1.037

F.G.: 1.012

IBU: 15 

Fermentables

4.5 lb (2 kg) Light Dry Malt Extract, or 3.25 lb (1.5 kg) Light Liquid Malt Extract

11 oz (312 g) English Crystal 55^o L

6 oz (170 g) Crystal 120^o L

3 oz (85 g) British Chocolate Malt

3 oz (85 g) Brown Malt (if unavailable, substitute Biscuit Malt or Amber Malt)

Hops

0.75 oz (21 g) East Kent Golding, 5.8% Alpha Acid, for 60 minutes (If E.K. Golding is unavailable, substitute Fuggle, or Willamette hops for 15 IBU.)

 ¾ tsp (3 gm) Irish moss, added at 15 minutes

 Yeast

1 package of either Wyeast 1968 London ESB Ale Yeast or White Labs WLP002 English Ale Yeast; or make a yeast starter.

 Directions for Extract Recipe

Steep grains in 2.5 gallons (9.5 L) of water at 150º F (66º C) for 30 minutes, raise temperature to 170º F (77º C) then strain and sparge with 2 quarts (1.9 L) of hot water.  Stir in extract for a total boil volume of 3.5 gallons (13.2 L), and bring to a boil.  At the beginning of the boil, add the bittering hops. Boil for 45 minutes then add the Irish moss.  Boil for 15 more minutes. After the 60-minute boil, cool the wort to 67º-70º F (19º-21º C).  Transfer wort to fermenter and top-up to 5 gallons with pre-boiled and cooled water. When the wort temperature is down to 67º F (19º C), pitch the yeast and aerate well.  Ferment at 67º F (19º C) for one week. Rack to secondary and age for one week.  Rack to keg, or add the bottling sugar and bottle.

 Carbonation

Force carbonate at approximately 1.75 to 2.0 volumes of CO₂. 

—OR—

Bottle condition using 2.5 to 3 oz by weight (70 to 85 g) corn sugar

After the beer is carbonated, store for 2 or 3 weeks at the ideal serving temperature of 50-54 ^o F (10-12 ^o C) before serving.