Big Brew Day Recipe (5/4/2013)

Homebrew Emporium is part of the Big Brew Day, and is giving away free ingredients for an English Dark Mild. I'm not a big fan of the style, so instantly I started thinking of a way to change it.

The AG recipe is below:

Malts
6.0 lb (2.72 kg) Maris Otter malt
8.0 oz (227 g) Golden Promise malt
9.0 oz (255 g) English crystal malt 65° L
7.0 oz (198 g) English dark crystal malt 121° L
4.0 oz (113 g) dextrin malt
4.0 oz (113 g) pale chocolate malt 200° L
1.0 oz (28 g) English black patent malt 550° L (used during sparge)

Hops
1.0 oz (28 g) Fuggles hops, 4.2% a.a. (60 min)
0.2 oz (5.6 g) Challenger hops, 7% a.a. (50 min)

YeastThe original recipe calls for Wyeast 1768 English Special Bitter ale yeast, which is unfortunately unavailable currently. The AHA recommends using Wyeast 1968 London ESB Ale, a similar strain that is slightly less flocculent.

Does anyone have some suggested changes? I've got bulk US2row, Munich, and Vienna on hand, plus I can buy anything as we will be brewing at the store.

My thought was to add some 2row to up the OG, as well as throw a lb of Special B in there, and pitch a Trappist style yeast. What do you guys think?

No love?


How does this look for a Dark Belgian:

Malts
6.0 lb Maris Otter malt
1.0 lb Special B
8.0 oz Golden Promise malt
9.0 oz English crystal malt 65° L
7.0 oz English dark crystal malt 121° L
4.0 oz dextrin malt
4.0 oz pale chocolate malt 200° L
1.0 oz English black patent malt 550° L (used during sparge)

2lb Light Belgian Candi Syrup

Hops
1.0 oz (28 g) Fuggles hops, 4.2% a.a. (60 min)
0.2 oz (5.6 g) Challenger hops, 7% a.a. (50 min)

Yeast - Wyeast 1388 - Belgian Strong
Ferment at Cellar Temp (67*F)

1.061 OG
17 IBU
17.1 SRM