Earl Grey.... APA or Wit!?

[GasMD30]

I'm hankering to experiment and I love me the taste of Earl Grey tea. I've researched a few ways to make this and I think I have my plan.

What I need a hand with is whether to use an APA base style or a Belgian Wit style. Both for various reasons would accept/compliment the citrus Bergamot flavour.

Suggestions/advice welcome!

[jtmwhyte]

Funny, my wife just bought some loose teas from Steeped Tea. I had a cup of one called Vanilla Cupcake and immediately decided to try it in my American Stout. I steeped some into a highly concentrated shot glass sized amount and poured a pint of Stout over it and it was awesome. Great vanilla taste with no astringency or off taste. Is highly recommend this combo.

[jtmwhyte]

Plus Boxing Rock uses tea in their APA and it's good. Not sure what kind though.

[GasMD30]

Plus Boxing Rock uses tea in their APA and it's good. Not sure what kind though.

They use green tea.


I have a feeling if I use an APA I won't have to compete with the wheat flavours.

[GuingesRock]

What about an old fashioned English Mild, was a favorite of the English working man, just like tea was. Milds are supposed to have a flavour reminiscent of tea any way so wouldn't compete. Low alcohol also. The beer is even tea coloured. The tea might really have a chance to shine through with such a "minimalist" beer.

[GasMD30]

Hmmm I know the mad fermentationist did an Earl Grey Mild... I could modify his. Anyone know of a readily available English Mild Ale I could try?

[CartoonCod]

I made an earl grey pale ale and really liked it I called it Earl Gr'ale. To get an idea of what it will taste like try putting a tea bag in your next glass of beer. The one that I made was low on hops, not to say that a hoppy one wouldn't work out.

[Jimmy]

What about an old fashioned English Mild, was a favorite of the English working man, just like tea was. Milds are supposed to have a flavour reminiscent of tea any way so wouldn't compete. Low alcohol also. The beer is even tea coloured. The tea might really have a chance to shine through with such a "minimalist" beer.

I'm really enjoying the mild I brewed a couple weeks back. It's a quick, easy, cheap and delicious beer. I can see this becoming a regular to go along with the higher ABV beers I generally brew.

[GuingesRock]

What about an old fashioned English Mild, was a favorite of the English working man, just like tea was. Milds are supposed to have a flavour reminiscent of tea any way so wouldn't compete. Low alcohol also. The beer is even tea coloured. The tea might really have a chance to shine through with such a "minimalist" beer.

I'm really enjoying the mild I brewed a couple weeks back. It's a quick, easy, cheap and delicious beer. I can see this becoming a regular to go along with the higher ABV beers I generally brew.

I like the sound of it too. Might have a go at a mild.

I was at Boxing Rock last weekend, went on a brewery tour, we stayed at a cottage in Lockport for the weekend. I can't say I noticed the tea in the APA really, can't say I finished the sample either, but I did get a couple of growlers of the Vicars Cross for the beach that night. It's interesting that they filter their APA, they say they have to because they sell it through NSLC and NSLC don't keep the beer cold. That might be right. The beer would go off pretty quickly kept at room temperature.

[GasMD30]

So it's settled... I'll perfect a mild recipe, then make it a Governor-General

[GasMD30]

Mashed in an English Mild Ale last night

1.2 lbs Maris Otter, 0.15 lbs Carastan 30-37, and 0.6 oz Chocolate.
Mashed 1 hour at 154°F

90 minute boil
Hopped at 30 min with .1 oz each of Fuggles 4.2% and EKG 6.92%

Came out toasty! OG 1.040, just off the expected 1.039!

Pitched S-04 for that English Ale taste.

[GuingesRock]

I've been designing a mild this afternoon. Couldn't seem to locate "mild ale malt" (not pale ale malt). If I can't get any I think I'll use MO and Munich 50/50. Also adding a small amount of chocolate and crystal 60.

[GasMD30]

Ya couldn't find Mile Ale malt either, so I figured next best English taste was MO. Mine is darker than I wanted... I might drop the chocolate and increase the caramel/crystal.

[GuingesRock]

I don't like crystal too much, I kept my crystal at 6.5% and hoping the 6.5% chocolate will mask it. Using C30 now instead of C60. I'm naming it "Working Man"

[GasMD30]

I'm naming it "Working Man"

Homage to the 19th century English labourer?

[GuingesRock]

I'm naming it "Working Man"

Homage to the 19th century English labourer?

I was trying to think, were porters more the thing in the 19th century and milds more in the 20th, but any way yes! And also a secret aspiration to actually be a “working man” rather than a office pen pusher with more responsibility than is healthy, especially on a day like this. I’d like to be out there doing something, then have a pint or two of "working man" in the evening.

[GasMD30]

My recipe was:


Grain Bill
Maris Otter Pale (UK) 1.2 lb 86 %
Carastan 30L (UK) 0.15 lb 10 %
Chocolate (US) 0.6 oz 2 %

Hops
East Kent Golding (UK) 0.1 oz 30 min 6.9%
Fuggle (US) 0.1 oz 30 min 4.2%

Yeasts
Safale S-04

Whirlfloc 0.25 tablet at 15 min

Tastes good except that stupid cidery taste undermining the chocolatey-ness