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.