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“It would be a foolish choice to pour two ounces of this in a flight,” says Zebulon Artisan Ales co-founder and brewer Mike Karnowski, “This is a beer made to be consumed in large quantities. … The ingredients are simple: mild ale malt, dark invert sugar syrup for flavor, and just the right amount of hops for balance.”
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“Twenty years ago, this beer would have been twice as strong, but World War I devastated British beer,” says Mike Karnowski, co-founder and brewer of Zebulon Artisan Ales. “Government regulations, taxes and raw material shortages took their toll. Milds took a big hit and ended up basically becoming the ‘cheapest beer on tap.'”
He added: “It would be foolish to choose this for a two-ounce pour in a flight. This is a beer to consume in large quantities – five or six pints would typically be consumed in the evening whilst playing darts or cards with friends in the pub.”
“Nobody really thought much about mild ales. It was basically a cheap amber ale with a hint of caramel and a few hops. The ingredients were simple: mild ale malt, dark invert sugar syrup for flavor, and just the right amount of hops for balance.”
To learn more from Karnowski about making invert sugar syrup at home or in your brewery, Zebulon’s Mike Karnowski shares four ways to make invert sugar.
All Grain
Batch Size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewery efficiency: 72%
original: 1.033
FG: 1.005
IBU: twenty five
Alcohol degree: 3.7%
“Twenty years ago, this beer would have been twice as strong, but World War I devastated British beer,” says Mike Karnowski, co-founder and brewer of Zebulon Artisan Ales. “Government regulations, taxes and raw material shortages took their toll. Milds took a big hit and ended up basically becoming the ‘cheapest beer on tap.'”
He added: “It would be foolish to choose this for a two-ounce pour in a flight. This is a beer to consume in large quantities – five or six pints would typically be consumed in the evening whilst playing darts or cards with friends in the pub.”
“Nobody really thought much about mild ales. It was basically a cheap amber ale with a hint of caramel and a few hops. The ingredients were simple: mild ale malt, dark invert sugar syrup for flavor, and just the right amount of hops for balance.”
To learn more from Karnowski about making invert sugar syrup at home or in your brewery, Zebulon’s Mike Karnowski shares four ways to make invert sugar.
All Grain
Batch Size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewery efficiency: 72%
original: 1.033
FG: 1.005
IBU: twenty five
Alcohol degree: 3.7%
[PAYWALL]
Malt/Grain Building
4 lbs (1.8 kg) pale ale malt
12 ounces (340g) flaked corn
Hop & Add Schedule
Homemade Invert Syrup No. 3 1.1 lbs (500 g) in 60 minutes
1.4 oz (40 g) Fuggle in 60 minutes [25 IBUs]
yeast
Wyeast 1318 London Ale III, Wyeast 1469 West Yorkshire Ale, or other flavorful British ale yeast
direction
The malt is milled and mixed with flaked corn and mashed for 45 minutes at 150-152°F (66-67°C). Circulate until fluid is clear, then drain into kettle. Sparge and top up as needed, depending on evaporation rate, to obtain approximately 6 gallons (23 L) of wort. Bring to a boil, add syrup and hops, and boil for 60 minutes. Cool to approximately 64°F (18°C), aerate, and pitch yeast. Ferment at a high temperature of 74°F (23°C) until fermentation is complete and gravity is stable, then crush, package, and carbonate to approximately 1.8-2 volumes of CO.2(Want to serve your beer in kegs? Check out How to Brew and Condition Easy Kegged Ale at Home.)
Brewer’s notes
malt: Mild ale malt is usually the cheapest malt and is a bit darker than the finest pale ale malts. I would recommend using whatever English pale malt you can get your hands on, but don’t overthink it.
Supplementary materials: Invert sugar is essential to this style; it imparts an amber color and fruity caramel flavors. If you can’t be bothered to make your own, it’s not too irreverent to substitute Belgian D-90 syrup. Flaked corn is a hallmark of this style, but if you absolutely must, substitute pale malt.
hop: Use something less modern (Fuggles, Goldings, Willamette, etc.), but avoid anything tropical or citrus.
