The homebrew recipe for SMATS Mild Ale was inspired by an English Session Ale brewed by Bad Weather Brewing Company that featured a combination of dark brown sugar and blackstrap molasses in place of the invert sugar that would have been used in more traditional brews of British-style mild ales. While this homebrew version only has one malt, a base of Simpsons Best Pale Ale, Bad Weather’s original version included flaked barley as well; so if you’d like work in 10-15% flaked barley to increase the body of the beer a bit. We put the two sugars into the kettle before the boil started. Join Chip and Bad Weather head brewer Andy Ruhland for brew day and discussion of the recipe and British session ales in this episode of Chop & Brew.
SMATS Mild Ale Homebrew Recipe
OG: 1.039
FG: 1.008
ABV: 4.1%
IBU: 15
Malt
- 6 lbs Simpsons Best Pale Ale (86% of fermentables)
Other Fermentables
- 0.5 lb Blackstrap molasses (7% of fermentables)
- 0.5 lb Dark brown sugar (7% of fermentables)
Hops
- 1 oz UK Northdown
- 0.15 oz at 60 min
- 0.75 oz at whirlpool (steep 25 min at 200F)
Yeast
Process
My brew was Brew in a Bag for final five gallon into the fermenter, which I do in a method of partial volume boil on my stovetop (boil 3.5-4 gallons depending on the brew) and then dilute with R.O. water to Target OG before pitching yeast.
Mash grains at 153F for 60 minutes. Drain brew bag or run-off/sparge to collect pre-boil volume. Boil 60 minutes. Add 0.15 oz UK Northdown hops at 60 minutes. After the boil, add .75 oz UK Northdown to whirlpool to steep 20 minutes at about 200F.
Cool wort and pitch yeast. It is suggested that with Imperial Yeast A09 Pub English ale strain that you allow the beer time to ferment completely and do a diacetyl rest at a raised temperature to prevent production of diacetyl, which at low levels is appropriate in the style, but might be unenjoyable if you’re overly sensitive to it.