Looking for Pointers - English Mild

[OppR2nist]

So I had an idea to make a good tasting extract beer for as low a price as I can manage. Here's what I came up with. The price on Northern Brewer came out to $21.85, not including the 1lb. of Brown Sugar. How does it look? Are there suggestions to make it better?

Cheap Mild Ale

Type: Extract
OG: 1.038
FG: 1.008
Color: 17 SRM
IBU: 17
ABV: 3.9%

Fermentables
Briess Traditional Dark LME 4 lbs.
Brown Sugar 1 lbs. 4 oz.

Hops
Williamette (Usa) .75 oz. 60 min.
Williamette (Usa) .25 oz. 10 min.

Yeast
Safale S-04

Priming Sugar 2.55 oz.

 

[Braufessor]

Hmmm..... I guess it depends if you are more concerned about it being as cheap as possible, or it being as authentic a mild as you can get with extract.

I think what you have looks like a fine, simple, inexpensive beer - and I would certainly give it a try to see what you think of it. Some things that might make it more of a "mild" would be to use Maris Otter extract:
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/maillard-malts-maris-otter-malt-extract-syrup.html
I would then use a combination of crystal 120, Brown Malt, Pale Chocolate, maybe a bit of victory malt and steep those grains for color and some flavor.
I would use EKG - boil only addition at 60 minutes for about 18-20 IBU's.

I don't know if you will get a real english/mild flavor from the dark malt extract...

*I don't brew extract - been doing all grain for a long time, so take my advice accordingly. Someone may have a better strategy for extract version.

 

[CUrchin]

My first advice would be to get a kit- Austin Homebrew has a budget brown kit for about $25, and the results will be tried and true. They also have flat rate shipping, and when you do factor in the sugar the cost will be darn close.

If you really want to formulate your own recipe, my advice would be to use light ME and then steep Crystal 60 or 80 and some chocolate malt to get your color and flavor. The more fresh grains you can get in there the better. The dark ME probably has crystal (and who knows what else) in it, but it will lose flavor in the processing and the chocolate will make it closer to style. Also, use a brewing calculator (there are several free online), and look through the recipe section on this forum to get a sense of proportions. I do like Williamette in a brown/mild. Good luck.

 

[OppR2nist]

The Briess Traditional Dark is a blend of malts that I think covers what you're taking about. My goal here is to produce the cheapest good tasting beer I can that still fits the style. I'm not going for a cheap buzzy-brew. I wouldn't consider myself a homebrewer if that was my only goal.

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[Qhrumphf]

I'm also in the "this isn't a Mild" camp.

I'd say this'd probably be closer to a lower gravity Dry Stout, and probably a tasty one at that. A little bit of roasty character is good in a Mild, but it's easy to go overboard, and that extract's going to have too much roasty character. I'm with Braufessor. I don't think you can do a Mild without steeping grains.

Willamette is a decent substitute for Fuggles and works in an English beer. However, it's not a perfect fit, and I would go for an English hop if I could (Fuggles or EKG would be my recommendation).

 

[OppR2nist]

Ok. I am clearly mistaken then. My original goal was to male a good tasting budget brew, and once I had a decent recipe, shoehorn it into a style. So where do I go with this one?

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[CUrchin]

I'd check out the recipes section of HBT- there are several listed under the English Brown Ale subheading. Good luck and let us know how you make out!

 

[dzlater]

Unless you're entering in a contest, you can call it anything you want.
I'd just call it brown ale.

 

[brew_ny]

just kegged this a really nice tasting Mild

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f67/mild-mannered-ale-ag-e-uk-us-52776/

I did the all grain but it has an extract recipe also

S_M

 

[tagz]

Whatever you decide, I wouldn't use brown sugar in a small beer. It will thin it out of much.