National Homebrew Club Ireland

Brewing Discussions => Best Recipes => Topic started by: DEMPSEY on May 25, 2016, 11:04:32 AM

Title: Cask Ale recipe advice
Post by: DEMPSEY on May 25, 2016, 11:04:32 AM
I am looking to brew a cask IPA style soon and was considering an observation of how many commercial brewery's seem to adjust their recipe's between cask and keg, Jaipur for example. Looking for advice and opinion on building a nice recipe from anyone who likes their cask. You can of course help me drink it when its brewed too. :)
Title: Re: Cask Ale recipe advice
Post by: imark on May 25, 2016, 12:59:52 PM
Cask AIPA is just plain wrong imo. Are you looking for an English style IPA?
Title: Re: Cask Ale recipe advice
Post by: DEMPSEY on May 25, 2016, 01:08:20 PM
Can't beat "Fullers Bengal Lancer" so yes would be an answer. :)
Title: Re: Cask Ale recipe advice
Post by: Tom on May 25, 2016, 01:29:10 PM
Cask beer is delicious. It's the only way I serve my beer now.

Cask IPA is just a strong bitter, really. You can't go wrong with 90% pale, 5% crystal and 5% adjunct, with English hop additions at 60, 15 and 0. Don't use S04,use an interesting liquid yeast, mash at 65 or 66, with water that's nice and crisp, and not alkaliney.

I've a nice stout on cask at the minute but prefer bitters. Have you a beer engine?
Title: Re: Cask Ale recipe advice
Post by: DEMPSEY on May 25, 2016, 02:20:09 PM
I have a beer engine ok. Was going to use SO4 because of its ability to drop clear. What other cask style yeast would you recommend.
Title: Re: Cask Ale recipe advice
Post by: Tom on May 25, 2016, 03:30:55 PM
I used WLP013 London recently for a delicous (but slightly sweet) golden bitter. Cleared no problem. Try any of 'em. I'm just funny about S04.
Title: Re: Cask Ale recipe advice
Post by: pob on May 25, 2016, 04:36:26 PM
Something based on: Worthington White Shield, Fullers ESB, Black Sheep Riggwelter or Ale or slightly lighter bitter-like Timothy Taylor Landlord

WLP007 for a drier finish

Fresh, delicate, balanced cask can be great.

Title: Re: Cask Ale recipe advice
Post by: CC on May 30, 2016, 05:28:34 PM
Cask is your only man in my opinion...i'm a huge fan of those simple, perfectly balanced light yorkshire style ales... anything from theakstons is a nice way to spend some time!
re recipe i've just done a light ale, red ale IPA and stout with WL 0023 (burton trent yeast) and i wasn't that impressed. it doesn't clear very well and leaves a late palate taste that i'm not that fond of. it also produced fusels at 19c for the IPA which i've had to dump.
it's the dominant flavour in worthington's white shield so unless you love that beer i'd steer clear of it.
Title: Re: Cask Ale recipe advice
Post by: DEMPSEY on May 30, 2016, 08:36:58 PM
Tried a bottle of Worthington White Shield recently and while its a nice beer it would not be one of me top go to English ale's.
Title: Re: Cask Ale recipe advice
Post by: Doddybrewer on January 19, 2017, 01:07:39 PM
Lots of good advice on here already. Some points worth making /repeating.
If S-04 is not to your liking in an IPA what about S-05 or alternatively a mixture of 1/3 Windsor and 2/3 Nottingham.
You want to treat any alkalinity and go for mostly SO4 rather than Cl2 on any water treatment.
The malt grist - keep it simple no more than three malts with 85 to 90% pa.
The hops - this really depends what you are after - but more these days than 40 years ago and plenty of late additions.
Title: Re: Cask Ale recipe advice
Post by: Fatcontro11er on January 21, 2017, 12:27:49 AM
I also use a cask and beer engine and have  regularly put a clone-ish of sierra navada gthat way, it really is the best way to serve nearly any beer imo!
One of the best beers i can remember drinking was Yakima grande(formally west coast, Sierra Nevada
p.a.) which got me hooked on real ales and brewing!
Title: Re: Cask Ale recipe advice
Post by: phynes1 on January 26, 2017, 03:34:47 PM
Just on the yeast for cask ales. I've used S04 for cask ales dispensed through my beer engine. I find due to the temperature the beer is served at combined with the residual sweetness from using S04; the beer becomes quite sickly and goes off quite quickly in the glass (within a few minutes). I moved to using Danstar Nottingham ale yeast for my cask ales and stouts, it dries the beer out more, as a result freshness has improved no-end.   
Title: Re: Cask Ale recipe advice
Post by: Leann ull on January 26, 2017, 04:23:43 PM
Is that to do with attenuation?, I know it flocs well but every time I used it (twice at correct temp, it stalled), where did yours finish?
I bloody hate the stuff 
Title: Re: Cask Ale recipe advice
Post by: phynes1 on January 26, 2017, 06:07:57 PM
From my experience S04 attenuates relatively low. I've never had it stall, but as expected it has finished with a pretty high SG.

I'll tell you one thing though, ive had it tear through 23l of 1.040 wort in 3 days flat. So its a handy yeast if you're looking to knock something out on the quick!
Title: Re: Cask Ale recipe advice
Post by: Leann ull on January 26, 2017, 06:18:00 PM
Irish Ale is the same if you can keep it all in the bucket
Title: Re: Cask Ale recipe advice
Post by: phynes1 on January 26, 2017, 06:37:34 PM
Is that the whitelabs? I used it once when I started out brewing, the beer was crap, probably down to my beginner knowledge.
Title: Re: Cask Ale recipe advice
Post by: Leann ull on January 26, 2017, 06:46:23 PM
It's a demon to go and can handle big beers no problem
Title: Re: Cask Ale recipe advice
Post by: phynes1 on February 01, 2017, 11:22:56 AM
Has everyone got a favorite cask ale recipe?

Mine is Guinness clone; turns out super smooth.

OG: 1.046
IBUs: 40
Est. ABV: 4.5%
Est. SRM: 40
Est. Efficiency: 75%
Carbonation: 1.8
Batch Size: 20L (5.28 US Gal)

Fermentables
3 kg (6.6 lbs – 63%) Maris Otter Pale Malt
1.13 kg (2.5 lbs – 24%) Flaked Barley
600 g (1.4 lbs – 13 %) Roasted Barley

Hop Additions
70 g (1.63 oz) East Kent Goldings @ 5 AAs – 60 mins for 40 IBUs

Yeast
Nottingham Ale Danstar

Instructions
Cold steep the roasted barley separately from the mash to avoid tannins from being extracted from the grain. Resulting liquid added to main mash.
Title: Re: Cask Ale recipe advice
Post by: DEMPSEY on February 01, 2017, 11:46:50 AM
I know that cold steeping is popular but Guinness do not cold steep instead they apparently boil it to within an inch of its life ;D
Title: Re: Cask Ale recipe advice
Post by: DEMPSEY on February 01, 2017, 12:03:23 PM
The beer I brewed on the day was lovely, Recipe was simple and no nonsense. 23L batch,
5 Kg Maris Otter,
30 Gr Warrior hops 15% boil 60 minutes,
50 Gr Styrian Cascade hops 5.6% boil 10 minutes,
50 Gr Styrian Cardinal hops 9.2% boil 5 minutes,
US 05 yeast.
Its a beer that can take any hops you want but 5 Kg's of Maris Otter and your OXO :D
Title: Re: Cask Ale recipe advice
Post by: phynes1 on February 06, 2017, 10:16:43 AM
No crystal? How was that in relation to an ale with crystal?

Interesting you used US05 as well. I presume the neutral yeast allows the hops to shine?
Title: Re: Cask Ale recipe advice
Post by: DEMPSEY on February 06, 2017, 12:26:41 PM
No crystal,in England it's the law that you must use crystal but  otherwise in Ireland  :D
Title: Re: Cask Ale recipe advice
Post by: TheSumOfAllBeers on February 06, 2017, 12:46:36 PM
Neutral ale yeasts are good. If you are stuck to using dried, notty and mauribrew can give good results.
Title: Re: Cask Ale recipe advice
Post by: phynes1 on February 20, 2017, 10:18:10 AM
I brewed a Cask Mild at the weekend with Danstar London ESB yeast. Anyone have experience with this yeast?