Southern English Brown

Never had one since only a few breweries still make in UK only. Never made one, so makes sense to try. Supposed to be a small milk stout or a sweet dark mild. Hmmm, sounds good. Really want to make a few good low-gravity beers for those all-night poker sessions.

Brewer:	Christo		Email:	-
Beer:	Southern English Brown		Style:	English Dark Mild
Type:	Extract w/grain		Size:	5.5 gallons
Color:	68 HCU (~27 SRM)		Bitterness:	20 IBU
OG:	1.039		FG:	1.016
Alcohol:	3.0% v/v (2.3% w/w)
Water:	Gypsum or CaCl2 recommended (did not do this time). Moderate to high carbonate water is good for this style to cut any astringency from larger percentage of dark grain.
Grain:	8 oz. English crystal 80L 6 oz. Chocolate 4 oz. Carafa II 8 oz. American crystal 10L 8 oz. American crystal 120L 8 oz. Biscuit
Steep:	Mash in at 154ºF (temp got up as high as 165ºF after thermometer shifted out of mash and turned on heat to compensate by mistake)
Boil:	60 minutes	SG 1.033	6.5 gallons
	1 lb. 8 oz. Muntons Light dry malt extract 3 lb. John Bull Light malt extract
	Add 4 oz. of lactose to boil to add sweetness & body. Add Irish moss last 15 min of boil. In lieu of John Bull LME, used Munton & Fison w/ 6 oz. of malto dextrine. Key is to keep up amount of unfermentables in such a low gravity beer so it doesn't taste watery.
Hops:	1.25 oz. Fuggles (4.75% AA, 60 min.)
Yeast:	WL002 English Ale yeast
Log:	Did not make a starter this time so it had a long lag period of 42 hours. Primary for 9 days after fermentation began, secondary for 5 days, both at 68 degF.
Carbonation:	Bottle primed w/ 3/4 cup per 5.5 gallons. Med-low carbonation is norm.
Tasting:	Primary goal was to make a 3% abv beer and not taste watery, and I think I accomplished that fine. Not the best brew/ferment procedures on this batch. Did not add the chalk and ended up a little astringent - definitely would boost next time to counteract dark grains as well as really watch mash temp from getting too high. Maybe some phenols detected probably a slight amount of infection from long lag period - make sure active starter used next time. Will use 0.25 oz. less Fuggles next time as well as is slightly to hoppy side which might work for a Northern Brown but not a Southern Brown - have to be light on hops with such low gravity. Not as dark as calculated, more in the high teens. All in all a good start but will make adjustments next time as noted.

Recipe posted 12/11/06.