Med Bag of Chips

Ham, cheddar cheese, fresh tomatoes, and arugula.

Ham and Cheese Sandwich

Sliced turkey, lettuce, tomato, and mustard in a whole wheat wrap.

Fit Turkey Wrap

English Dark Mild: Brewed with intent focus upon the style. Rich malt character, dark fruit, light chocolate, balanced and extremely drinkable.

Mill grains if not pre-crushed. Heat strike water to reach a target mash temperature of 153°F (67°C) when mixed with grain. Allow for vessel heat loss; typical strike temp ~162–165°F (72–74°C) depending on system.

Mill and heat water

Add crushed grains and flaked oats to the strike water, stirring to eliminate dry pockets and achieve an even mash. Hold mash at 153°F (67°C) for 60 minutes. This temperature balances fermentability and body for a smooth, drinkable mild with malt complexity.

Mash

Raise mash temperature to 168–170°F (76–77°C) and hold for 10 minutes to improve wort runoff (optional).

Mash out

Sparge with ~3 gallons of water at 170°F (77°C) until you collect approximately 6.5–7.0 gallons of pre-boil wort (target depends on system losses; aim for ~5.5 gallons fermenter volume after boil).

Sparge

Dissolve gypsum and calcium chloride in a small portion of strike water and add to mash tun prior to dough-in, or add to mash kettle before stirring grains in. These small additions round malt character and add a touch of fullness without making the beer harsh. Adjust if you have existing water profile knowledge.

Bring wort to a vigorous boil and boil for 60 minutes. Add 1.0 oz East Kent Goldings at 60 minutes (bittering). Add Irish moss or Whirlfloc with 10 minutes left in the boil if using. Add 0.25 oz East Kent Goldings at 5 minutes (late flavor/aroma).

Boil schedule

Chill wort quickly after the boil to yeast-pitching temperature (around 66–68°F / 19–20°C) using an immersion chiller, counterflow chiller, or ice bath.

Aerate or shake the cooled wort well and transfer to a sanitized fermenter. Pitch the yeast (rehydrated or a prepared starter if using liquid yeast) into wort at 66–68°F (19–20°C). Target original gravity ~1.038–1.042 (for an English Dark Mild).

Pitching yeast

Ferment at 66–68°F (19–20°C) for 5–7 days until vigorous activity subsides. Then allow an additional 3–5 days of conditioning in primary to let yeast clean up fermentation byproducts and accentuate malt character.

Primary fermentation

Rack to a secondary for 7–14 days at 60–65°F (15–18°C) if you prefer clearer beer. This is optional; many producers simply extend time in primary.

Secondary/conditioning (optional)

Boil priming sugar (3.25 oz / 92 g corn sugar) in 1.5 cups (approximately 350 ml) of water for 5 minutes, cool, and add gently to bottling bucket to evenly mix with beer.

Prepare priming sugar

Siphon beer into bottling bucket, gently mix with priming solution, and fill sanitized bottles. Cap and allow to carbonate at 68–72°F (20–22°C) for 10–14 days, then condition cooler for an additional week for clarity and improved flavor.

Bottle

If kegging, carbonate to 1.8–2.2 volumes CO2 (typical for Mild) and condition for several days before serving.

Kegging alternative

Maris Otter pale ale malt

British light crystal (Crystal 40L)

British medium crystal (Crystal 80L)

British chocolate malt

CaraMunich/CaraAmber (or British amber)

British brown malt (optional, for extra nutty/dark fruit)

Flaked oats (for body and smoothness)

Strike water

Sparge water (approximately)

Gypsum (calcium sulfate)

Calcium chloride

East Kent Goldings (EKG) whole or pellet hops

East Kent Goldings (EKG) for late aroma

Irish moss or Whirlfloc (optional, for clarity)

English ale yeast (e.g., Wyeast 1968, White Labs WLP002, or Safale S-04)

Priming sugar (corn sugar/dextrose) for bottling

Good Word Brewing. Analog Life

Make Good Word Brewing. Analog Life Recipe in just 14h . English Dark Mild: Brewed with intent focus upon the style. Rich malt character, dark fruit, light chocolate, balanced and extremely drinkable.

Good Word Brewing. Analog Life

Descriptors

Tasting Notes

Food Pairings

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