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In the Fermentor: Old Man's Chest

Winter is just around the corner, which means it's time to get something strong going.  This time around, I'm brewing an English Old Ale. I've chosen the style for two reasons. First, I've never brewed one. Second, I intend to mix part of this with a Mead I'll be making to create a Braggot.

The BJCP guidelines recommend using a yeast with low attenuation. I'm hopeful that Wyeast's West Yorkshire cultured from my Taddy Porter clone will fit the bill. The addition of brown sugar and flaked corn follows the common practice of using adjuncts in this style. The sugar should add strength and a hint of extra sweetness. My favorite English aroma hop finishes things off. If the yeast doesn't go too crazy, the finished brew should have an ABV right around 8%.

Here's the 5-gallon recipe:

Grains:
8 lbs Crisp Pale Ale
2 lbs Flaked Corn
1 lb Special Roast
1 lb English Medium Crystal
8 oz English Extra Dark Crystal
4 oz Pale Chocolate

Hops:
1 oz Northern Brewer (9.0% a.a.): 60 min
1 oz Fuggles (6.7% a.a.): 5 min

Extras:
1 lb Dark Brown Sugar: 60 min

Total Boil Time:
60 min

Yeast:
Wyeast 1469 - West Yorkshire

Mash Schedule:
Saccharification Rest: 153F for 60 min
Mashout: 168F for 15 min

Original Gravity:
1.079
Estimated Final Gravity:
1.016

IBU: 38
SRM Color: 20

Fermentation Schedule:
2 Weeks Primary
2 Months Secondary
2 Weeks Bottle Conditioning

Cost: $18 per case
Commercial Equivalent: Avery Old Jubilation: $32
Savings: $14
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Comments

  1. AnonymousNovember 27, 2012 at 10:08 PM

    I just wanted to say that I love how you list ingredient prices, commercial equivalents, and savings in each recipe that you post. It's the first time I've seen this done so simply in a beer blog and it's a nice reading bonus!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Colorado Kitchen BrewNovember 28, 2012 at 2:35 PM

    Thanks for the kind words. I never realized just how much of a price premium breweries put on their "Big" beers until I started doing the math.

    ReplyDelete

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