Old But Gold

By James Cross

Recipe is part of Recipe Index

BJCP 2021 Style 17B Old Ale

This was intended as a ‘drinkable’ Imperial Stout, but judges at the Scottish Nationals suggested it would make an excellent Old Ale, so I entered it as that at the UK Nationals where it won silver.

Awards

UK National Homebrew Competition 2025 (Bristol)

2nd - Pale & Brown Strong

Statistics

• IBU 57
• ABV 8.6%
• OG 1.081
• FG 1.020
• EBC 65
• 24 litres pre-boil
• 18 litres in fermenter.

Ingredients

Water

• 50/50 London tap and RO with salt additions
• Target: Ca 60, Mg 5, Na 30, Cl 50, SO4 100, HCO3 125

Malt

• Maris Otter, 5 EBC, 5 kg, 82.6%
• Munich, 20 EBC, 400g, 6.6%
• Crystal, 160 EBC, 400g, 6.6%
• Black, 1600 EBC, 250g, 4.1%

Hops

• 50g Challenger (8.5 AA) at 60 minutes
• 20g Bramling Cross (6.5 AA) at 10 minutes
• 20g Bramling Cross (6.5 AA) Hop Stand

Yeast

• WLP013 – London Ale (slurry from previous brew)

Process

Mash

• Mash pH 5.4
• 15l infusion mash for 60 minutes at 67°C, adding black malt for last 10 minutes.
• 10 mins mash out at 76°C
• Sparged at 76°C until runnings hit 20% of target OG, then boiled down sparged wort to hit target pre-boil gravity (Did this as a BIAB in a 20l pot, recirculating the wort through the bag for greater clarity before sparging).

Boil

• 60 mins, add yeast nutrient and Protafloc at 10 minutes

Ferment

• Pitch at 20°C, rising to 24°C toward end of fermentation.

Serving

• Prime for 2.5 vols, bottle condition at least 3 months.