Mild is better than bitter at high temperatures

[guypettigrew]

With the excessive temperatures recently it's been impossible to get the shed where I store my kegged beer down to a low enough temperature. It varies between about 15C and 20C. Hopeless!

However, I've discovered the milds I've made recently have fared better in terms of drinkability than the bitters. They are still OK even at the warmer temperatures. The bitters are drinkable (of course!) but nowhere near as enjoyable as the milds.

Anyone have any theories about this?

Guy

[analogsynthman]

I'm half way through a mild and it's in a keg at room temperature, still very drinkable too.
I've not got any bitter at the moment, so can't comment on that.
I'm waiting for some cooler weather to try out some liquid yeast on my next bitter/pale, 24c is a tad too warm i think.

[Ben711200]

I thought this was about mild and bitter. You are on the wrong forum for luncheon meat.

[micmacmoc]

That johnmick is talking bobbins, he cannot take his cider.

The mild DOES taste better in this heat, I have mine at about 16C, its much nicer than the bitter, both in kegs. Its the only time of year I keep beer in the fridge. I then take it out to warm up a bit. By the time I'm half way through a pint its just right. You also get the flavour change with temp change then. All in scientific research obviously.

Annoyingly one of our local pubs is serving st Austell tribute at lager temps. Once it warms up you notice whether its off or not, you cannot tell when its chilled.

[micmacmoc]

looks like they erased the blagger or whatever thems called.

[micmacmoc]

looks like they erased the blagger or whatever thems called.

[Eric]

Thanks Guy for this. Started at 4:00 this afternoon to make a mild.

[guypettigrew]

What an odd series of responses!

This evening the kegged beer is up to nearly 20C. Bonkers!

The mild is definitely OK at this temperature, although colder would be better.

It's fascinating to try to work out what's happening at these extreme temperatures.

It seems to be about the IBUs and the malt content. Not surprising really, there's nothing else in the beer! I have two bitters and one mild in my serving shed. The bitters both had about the same OGs, 1.055 and 1.054. The former has IBUs of 28, the latter 32. The mild had an OG of 1.045 and an IBU of 18.

The lower IBU bitter tastes far better at this silly temperature than the other one. The mild, with a really low IBU, tastes best of all. Plus, at this temperature, the taste of the black malt really comes through. Interestingly, the bitter with the lower IBUs, which tastes better, had 10% crystal malt. The other one, which is drinkable but not something you'd want to offer to friends, had 4% caramalt. Both had 5kg of Maris Otter pale malt and no other grains or adjuncts.

Not at all sure what this means. Can anyone who understands brewing have a go at explaining what's going on, please?

As an interesting aside, all the beers have cleared really well using auxiliary finings and isinglass, even at these temperatures.

Good luck with the mild, Eric. What recipe are you using?

Guy

[Eric]

HI guy, Just read your thread and thought that's just what I need, so without preparation I just used up odds and sods on hand.
2500 g pale
575 g Munich
380 g Vienna
350 g dark crystal
75 g chocolate
30 g oats
90 min mash 66C pH 5.5
Dregs of black treacle tin added to boil
All old hops so IBU will be lower than any calculation might give.
10 g Target 90 mins
10 g Magnum 60 mins
25 g EKG 45 mins

23 litres almost 1040 OG.

Tidied up the cupboard nicely. Should be on in a fortnight.

[guypettigrew]

It's wonderful using up old bits and pieces. You get a good brew and have a great excuse to buy some new stuff!

Not familiar with most of the malts you're using, so can't comment. You certainly know what you're doing, though, so it will doubtless turn out well!

If you like milds you may want to try mild ale malt. It smells like mild and it produces a wonderful ale. Definitely not like the Maris Otter intended for bitters.

Now I've tried it I wouldn't want to make a mild with anything else.

All the best with your brew.

Guy

[Eric]

No, just make a stab at what I have and think might do the job. Put this mash on and wondered why the pH was a bit high, then realised it didn't have enough dark malt. Had some uncrushed chocolate malt so set to with a rolling pin and mixed in 75 grams about a half hour in. The Lord knows what that might influence.
Not used mild ale malt but you're right, I should. There were no mild beers in these parts when I was young but was quickly won over a long time since in Kirkby Lonsdale after a night on Vaux Mild. Vaux also brewed in Sunderland but no mild, that was brewed in Kendal and never reached here.
Thanks for getting me motivated.