WTF is an OLD ALE?? And How do you BREW ONE?

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  • Опубліковано 27 лис 2024

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  • @ElementaryBrewingCo
    @ElementaryBrewingCo Рік тому +16

    This old ale
    Steve drank 1
    He drank 1 and it was fun
    With a nick knack patty whack
    Give the man a beer…
    Well…it was worth a shot 😂😂

  • @georgerobartes2008
    @georgerobartes2008 Рік тому +3

    Im here by mistake and found this really amusing. I never thought I'd here an American talk with authority on English beer after travelling the US in the late 70s and 80s . The biggest beer dessert in the world. I thought the Norfolk beer dessert in England was big !Old Ales ? They died out during the 70s here . The ones I came across during that time at the local offey were normally bottled and varied enormously but generally low hop or none at all , high malts quite dry like a traditional ale . For cask conditioned old , Ridley in Essex produced a few barrels in the winter before Christmas . Many Publicans wouldn't keep it . The Prince of Wales at Mountnessing, kept it on the bar and wouldn't serve it until it sat for a couple of weeks . In May the same spot would be used for their Mild . Ridley Old was tasty and made good gravy for steak pies . If there's an Essex yeast , that will probably do the job .
    I started drinking decent beer when I was about 12 . I worked at a working men's club that had Shepherd Neame and Tolly Cobbold in cask and bottle and inherited the cellar boys job when my brother left when I was 14 . I tried brewing the stuff using White Shield yeast with some success in an odd size 6 1/2 oak cask made by a cooper in Cradley Heath Warwickshire but gave it up as the good stuff was free . I was one of the first 5000 to join Camra my local meeting house was the Mawney Arms in Romford near the Ind Coope brewery ( Romford Bitter and Burton Ale ), at the first Beer Festival in Covent Garden in 1975 having been a seasoned beer drinker not yet 17 years old . At the first GBBF later in 1977 and had travelled much of the country with mates to sup a pint at the nearest outlet to the brewery . As a student I used my earlier contacts to get barrels of beer and licences to run a bar at the college gigs we organised , and was instrumental in getting cask conditioned ales in the new Students Union building bar .
    Nottingham yeast ...amazing . I guess it's Hardy and Hansons as I think Home and Shipstones are gone . H&H is normally a guest beer at one of my locals . For an old I would try St Austells in Cornwall, they brewed a Mild that wasn't that mild at all , and HSD ( Hicks Special Draught or High Speed Diesel by locals ) a punchy dark bitter . The water is dead soft down there and the beer great . That region list a favourite brewer and beer Devenish Brewery " Dry Hop ".
    My wife's family worked at Tate & Lyle Thames Refinery near Plaistow ( pronounced Plar stow ) for generations , and I went to their closing down function after the sale to the US some years ago . The treacle was not a molasses . Molasses is very bitter and generally used for molasses water used in the casting sand of foundries in East London. More like a dark Golden Syrup , sweet but with more flavour , not tarry and bitter as it was used to make Treacle Tarts ( Treacle thickened with breadcrumbs or crushed cereal like cornflakes , a little mixed spice , lemon juice baked in a short crust paste ). One teaspoon of your Abram Lyle Treacle to 1 Tablespoon of Golden Syrup should be about right . Keep up the good work .

    • @TheApartmentBrewer
      @TheApartmentBrewer  Рік тому +1

      I really appreciate and enjoyed reading this comment. It's folks like you that let us know a little more about these rather obscure and historical styles of beer that the rest of the world isn't very up to date on and I am glad you gave us a window into the world of English beer back in the day. Thank you and cheers!

  • @mutantryeff
    @mutantryeff Рік тому +9

    An 'Old Ale' is what I just received a silver for at the State Fair along with a gold for 'Eisbock'.

  • @photog2903
    @photog2903 9 місяців тому

    I would LOVE it if you could do a video or two revisiting some of your beers that have aged for 6-12 months to see how the flavors change over time and comparing them to when they were still relatively young. That would be especially relevant to a beer like this, but it would be interesting to do the same thing with some beers that aren't usually aged. I'm fascinated by how time can change flavor in weird and unpredictable ways, sometimes producing magic (and sometimes...not). Maybe just start filling a few bottles each time you brew and stick them in the cellar? Then you can do a very low-effort video when you are crunched for time and need to get some content out by just pulling a few beers and tasting them. Anyway, just a thought. Love your channel and your content -- easily my favorite homebrew channel and you inspired me to try brewing for myself. Cheers!

  • @locke64
    @locke64 Рік тому

    Thanks for this video!!! What a nice style to taste!!! Didn't brew that one yet but this is inviting for sure!

  • @Homebrew58
    @Homebrew58 5 місяців тому

    For a more authentic English flavor use Invert Sugar #3 instead of treacle or molasses...or any of the other sugars mentioned. Also when adding thick, syrupy sugars like this start by pulling some hot wort in a sauce pan and mix the syrup in that... then add it back to the BK.

  • @shanetaylor7533
    @shanetaylor7533 Рік тому

    We’ve got an beer Tooheys Old which is an old ale in Australia. Great easy drinking winter beer!

  • @ausar_j2365
    @ausar_j2365 Рік тому +1

    I've made something not unlike an old ale that turned out great, but I used bocheted honey. It's nice, because you can control the amount of character that the honey will give during the bocheting process, without changing the amount of honey that you add.

  • @PatrickBuckles
    @PatrickBuckles Рік тому

    Great vid! putting an old ale on my list

  • @321Smyth
    @321Smyth Рік тому +6

    The only Old Ale I am familiar with is Theakstons' Old Peculiar, which is only about 5.6% it is not very bitter, has a sherry note and does not really have a roasted taste. It's great on cask and is really unique. Might be more suited to your palate but it is perhaps an acquired taste.

    • @AnalogueInTheUK
      @AnalogueInTheUK Рік тому

      I've just discovered O.P. It's gorgeous!

    • @MiggyManMike
      @MiggyManMike Рік тому

      Tis a nice drop.

    • @TheApartmentBrewer
      @TheApartmentBrewer  Рік тому

      Thats also the only one I know of that is commercially available. I'd love to try it some day!

    • @TheTraktorarne
      @TheTraktorarne Рік тому

      Thomas Hardy's Ale and Gale's Prize are both ales that could be classified as old ales in the traditional sense.
      Fuller's Vintage and Samuel Smith Yorkshire Stingo also fit the bill. All are aged and worked by brett C in oak casks.

  • @TheBruSho
    @TheBruSho Рік тому

    The best part of our challenge is trying a completely new to us styles of beer, albeit not styles we love but it expanded my horizons a bit at least.

  • @mutantryeff
    @mutantryeff Рік тому +2

    I agree that 'Old Ale' is not a drinking beer. I always tell those that drink my homebrew that there are drinking beers and competition beers.

  • @jaredjarsocrak3494
    @jaredjarsocrak3494 Рік тому

    Duclaw used to make an old ale called Olde Flame, it was one of their best beers back in the day.
    I brewed a small test batch late last year and plan on brewing a full 5 gallon batch this late fall so it'll be ready to drink at Christmas. Excellent beer, the black treacle and some extra special malt really brought it together. Great video as always, keep it up!

    • @TheApartmentBrewer
      @TheApartmentBrewer  Рік тому

      It adds a lot of flavor, its quite different as it develops some age too.

  • @wd6358
    @wd6358 Рік тому

    I really enjoyed the 4 ounces of Old Ale i've had in my lifetime. Ironically, it was just this past saturday. You really know how to time these videos!

  • @garyelderman1229
    @garyelderman1229 9 місяців тому

    Good video yet again. Could you please touch on how you maintain things such as your ph tester? Maybe some of the other less common things that a lot of homebrew people use?

  • @1985jamesward
    @1985jamesward Рік тому +1

    I always used to get that apple thing with Nottingham till I pressure fermented it. Now clean as a bone. Also if you ever do try again, Simpson drc and a lot more late earthy hops help encourage a better product for me, also using amber/brown to dry works and avoids that chocolate confusion you had. One of my favourite styles, but definitely on an island amongst friends

  • @ericv00
    @ericv00 Рік тому

    What I like about your detail in the description and process is that, even though the style isn't really for you, I can tell that it is a style I will probably enjoy. I do believe I've had one, but it has been so long that I do not remember it at all. Anyway, gonna check out sources for treacle now.

    • @TheApartmentBrewer
      @TheApartmentBrewer  Рік тому +1

      Glad I've inspired you to check it out more! I got my treacle on Amazon

  • @jaggersbrewingco
    @jaggersbrewingco Рік тому

    Nice video! Gonna have to try to brew one now myself!

    • @TheApartmentBrewer
      @TheApartmentBrewer  Рік тому +1

      I'm glad I did, because I don't think I would have gone out of my to do so otherwise. It was definitely worth the effort to discover it regardless!

    • @jaggersbrewingco
      @jaggersbrewingco Рік тому +1

      @@TheApartmentBrewer Good deal! Sometimes those surprise styles are fun and you just didn't know that you have a new favorite! Cheers Sir!

  • @vruychev
    @vruychev Рік тому +1

    The beauty of home brewing - experiments and the ability to brew (and drink) styles of beer not easily available. Not always up to our taste, but hey, this is what makes it interesting. Cheers and pls do a follow up in a few months. It would be interesting to see how it matures.

  • @Jango1989
    @Jango1989 Рік тому

    Looks great! I may have to try this one soon!

  • @stenlee556
    @stenlee556 Рік тому

    It's not the first time you've encouraged me to brew and discover a new style of beer. Thanks, buddy!

  • @mutantryeff
    @mutantryeff Рік тому +1

    I believe there are two subcategories within 'Old Ale'. One is a 'stock ale' that is lighter in color vs. a 'winter warmer' that is darker.

  • @TheTraktorarne
    @TheTraktorarne Рік тому

    I see you wear a Sinn 104 st, I have the same watch😂
    I brewe something not too different January this year: simpsons GP and Vienna as base (vienna as a mild malt sub) 15% invert 2 and a few % each of med crystal and amber malt. 1.080 and 70 IBU.
    But I secondaried mine on some boiled french oak cubes, a good sized dry hop and brett c, gonna bottle sometime early autumn.

  • @HOMEBREW4LIFE
    @HOMEBREW4LIFE Рік тому

    Thanks! CONTENT SPREE!!!!!!

  • @roderickroderick7216
    @roderickroderick7216 Рік тому +1

    Another great video.
    Can you do a segment on Volumes of CO2?
    I'm not quite getting how you can add a specific amount of CO2?
    Is it a set pressure and then leave it? or perhaps a set pressure and then turn the gas off?
    I'm lost with this volumes thing. I only have ever just set a PSI and walked away.

    • @CascadesHomebrew
      @CascadesHomebrew Рік тому +1

      It might be a good video topic for Steve, but if you search for "carbonation chart" you should find plenty of charts. They will have temperature and PSI on each axis and you can cross them to get Volumes. For example, of your beer is at 40F and you want 2.4 Volumes, you would set your pressure at 11 PSI. If you leave the regulator set at 11 PSI, the beer will eventually stabilize at 2.4 Volumes, but it may take a week or so.

    • @TheApartmentBrewer
      @TheApartmentBrewer  Рік тому +1

      Thanks Cascades, thats exactly what I was going to recommend. There are ways to approximate it and there are ways to perfectly dial it in, mostly I take the first approach.

    • @roderickroderick7216
      @roderickroderick7216 Рік тому

      Ah, it's proportional to temperature. Makes sense.

  • @davidhall158
    @davidhall158 Рік тому

    I made the recipe from Brewing Classic Styles “Old Treacle Mine”.
    In a hurry, so made the Extract version.
    OG 1.095. FG 1.023
    Nottingham, 3 packs. Fermented at 18° (64.4°F)
    Matured 4 weeks in oak, 23 litre cask previously used for Cabernet, Whiskey, Barley Wine. Only a small cask so lots of surface area.
    Bottle conditioned.
    Bottled 521 days ago.
    Would make again but probably as a 50% mash/extract, and without the oak

    • @TheApartmentBrewer
      @TheApartmentBrewer  Рік тому +1

      That sounds pretty amazing, especially on the oak! Although that flavor can get pretty overpowering.

  • @MiggyManMike
    @MiggyManMike Рік тому

    Another thing black treacle is good for, well aside from amazing Jamaican ginger cakes, is in stouts, I've used it in stouts with chocolate and peanut butter and it always adds a very enjoyable extra layer of complexity to what are my usual lazy Christmas kit beers :D

  • @seansevey6072
    @seansevey6072 Рік тому

    I really enjoy your videos and how detailed you are with your process. One thing that I have never seen you do, though, is sparging after mashing. Is there a reason for this?

    • @TheApartmentBrewer
      @TheApartmentBrewer  Рік тому

      Laziness! My brewing software and system is dialed in so that I don't need to sparge to hit my targets

  • @jackhandy7237
    @jackhandy7237 Рік тому

    Great video, AB!

  • @Erik_Swiger
    @Erik_Swiger Рік тому +1

    I'm way out of touch with home brewing, it's been a long time, but my memory says that simple sugars - glucose, molasses, maple syrup - tend to ferment completely, adding a thin, alcohol component to the beer. Now, I understand it's more complex than that, but I still have a tendency to think of them as "thinning" the beer.

    • @TheApartmentBrewer
      @TheApartmentBrewer  Рік тому

      Not all sugars are made equal or are equally simple. Most of them like table sugar, corn sugar, brown sugar, golden syrup, belgian candi syrups and maple syprup will ferment out completely and leave little residual character. But molasses, treacle and honey are NOT simple sugars at all and tend to add a lot of complexity to the beer and also don't always ferment out 100%.

  • @brewandbuild
    @brewandbuild Рік тому

    A really interesting brew Steve. Definitely will be watching to hear how that ages. The bitterness should smooth out over time, and the caramels should start to show with age. (not sure you'll lose the apple tho 😀) I hope we get some feedback in the future. 🍺🍺

    • @TheApartmentBrewer
      @TheApartmentBrewer  Рік тому

      It's been about a month since I put this video together actually (I'm way ahead of schedule) and indeed this is starting to take place. Its a late bloomer!

    • @brewandbuild
      @brewandbuild Рік тому

      @@TheApartmentBrewer Look out, you're in danger of becoming an Old Ale convert there...
      I'm impressed with your organisation, I only dream of getting that far ahead of schedule on videos.

  • @mrb1664
    @mrb1664 Рік тому

    Interesting you get the apple, I stopped using Notty years ago as I always got apple from it. An improvement? well I think black treacle would be quite a strong flavour in a beer so I'd swap that out, unfortunately brewers invert sugar is hard to obtain in the UK so I'd imagine that in the US it's impossible. An alternative is supposedly a blend of Lyles Golden Syrup and molasses, alternatively try whatever unrefined sugars are available to you.

    • @TheApartmentBrewer
      @TheApartmentBrewer  Рік тому

      Yeah it tends to come through a lot with that yeast for some reason. I really think that the treacle has started to come out with some cool nuances now that its got more age on it. I would personally keep the treacle in there.

  • @trinimendooo4577
    @trinimendooo4577 Рік тому

    Keep making the good cerveza amigo 🍻👍

  • @charlesnemec4280
    @charlesnemec4280 Рік тому

    Because it is molasses.
    Different language for similar product.
    Have you ever tasted compared them using in an identical brew only changing those products out?

  • @andromedagalaxy94
    @andromedagalaxy94 Рік тому

    Awesome recipe ❤ 🍻

  • @gregl3580
    @gregl3580 Рік тому

    Can you please explain your set up for adding oxygen to your conical? Like the set up in the Belgian triple. Thanks

    • @TheApartmentBrewer
      @TheApartmentBrewer  Рік тому

      Usually I either hook up a oxygen tank and carb stone to it and use that to oxygenate, or I immerse a carb stone in the wort before closing it up

    • @gregl3580
      @gregl3580 Рік тому

      @@TheApartmentBrewer thanks for getting back. You do very good work with informative brewing videos. I guess I was talking about your Belgian triple episode at the 12:56 mark. It looks like you were injecting oxygen into your conical. I have not seen that way before. Thanks and cheers!

  • @xander1052
    @xander1052 Рік тому

    As usual a great video, my british nature is being hurt everytime I hear you say nottingham though lol. Anyway I do love a good old ale, which tbh does blend in with Barleywines in their history (to the point where their origin is the same Stale Ale style from the 18th century)

  • @ljkildsgardsbryggeri
    @ljkildsgardsbryggeri Місяць тому

    Just to clarify about kveik: Luttra and Oslo is not real kveik. They are greate yests, but have kveik in their names not in the strains.

  • @filmscorefreak
    @filmscorefreak Рік тому

    I'd like to try this without the treacle, would probably be more favorable with white or brown sugar instead and maybe a flavoring hop..but maybe that takes it out of style. Btw, maybe i'm lacking focus today but the background music was a bit loud/distracting. See you on the next episode.

    • @TheApartmentBrewer
      @TheApartmentBrewer  Рік тому

      Good to know, I edited this on a different computer than usual so the audio playback may have been different than usual

  • @jonthebeau4653
    @jonthebeau4653 Рік тому +2

    I have brewed several Old Ales and I went in a little bit of a different direction. I created the recipe to finish sweeter than yours and then the first version went into an oak barrel. That beer was fantastic, I have rebrewed it a couple of times since using oak spirals and those beers were good but not quite as good as the barrel. Great video as always 🍻

    • @rickyjayalexander
      @rickyjayalexander Рік тому +1

      I think this is an excellent style to barrel age!

    • @TheApartmentBrewer
      @TheApartmentBrewer  Рік тому +1

      I competely agree on the idea of barrel aging this. I bet that would be pretty awesome! I also agree, I think a bit of extra sweetness would do this some good, I was just too worried about it being way too sweet

  • @AndrosRG
    @AndrosRG Рік тому

    I think this calls for a little brett bottle conditioning magic

  • @sergeyp6071
    @sergeyp6071 Рік тому

    looks like you brewed a British strong ale or hopped dubbel (cause British ales don't contains plain sugars as addition). try "Red X" Best malt next time (around 20-30%). it will gives distinctive "wine/cherry" notes into beer. also consider more 70-72c step. so you will not get 1.011 thin body(cause 1.015 is minimum)

    • @TheApartmentBrewer
      @TheApartmentBrewer  Рік тому

      So in the 2021 BJCP guidelines they removed the characteristic treacle addition, but it was in the previous guidelines for a while, so I would disagree with removing the sugar addition, and treacle is NOT a plain sugar at all. Red ZX wouldn't be a bad addition though and I definitely agree on getting it to finish higher next time.

  • @tommanning7337
    @tommanning7337 Рік тому

    Never had one 🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️
    I’m curious now.
    😎👍🏻👍🏻🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺

  • @torfinnsrnes6232
    @torfinnsrnes6232 5 місяців тому

    I think it would benefit froma lower carbonation.

  • @aidan1943
    @aidan1943 Рік тому

    Big fan of Zero Gravity’s Madonna and cone head

  • @ericenos1097
    @ericenos1097 Рік тому

    that would be good served in a cask

  • @scotttippetts3794
    @scotttippetts3794 Рік тому

    Your info above says 60 minute mash at 152; your video says 90 minutes. I'm guessing your print recipe has a misprint on mash time.

  • @barrycranston5122
    @barrycranston5122 Рік тому

    Old ales need age to develop, months into a year or two in my experience.

  • @julienparra9425
    @julienparra9425 Рік тому

    wee heavy aint british is it

    • @stevelongdon2148
      @stevelongdon2148 Рік тому

      It originates from Scotland which is part of Britain.

    • @TheApartmentBrewer
      @TheApartmentBrewer  Рік тому +2

      No, but it falls into the same category. Gotta keep my balance of pissing off all Scots Irish Brits and even the Welsh equally

    • @julienparra9425
      @julienparra9425 Рік тому

      @@stevelongdon2148 is it though?

    • @julienparra9425
      @julienparra9425 Рік тому

      @@TheApartmentBrewer wise 🤣

    • @stevelongdon2148
      @stevelongdon2148 Рік тому

      Yes, as Britain is made up of England, Wales and Scotland at this point in history.

  • @PetraKann
    @PetraKann Рік тому

    Gallons?

    • @TheApartmentBrewer
      @TheApartmentBrewer  Рік тому

      8

    • @PetraKann
      @PetraKann Рік тому

      @@TheApartmentBrewer I get the number 8.
      Just not clear on what this "gallon" means

    • @TheApartmentBrewer
      @TheApartmentBrewer  Рік тому

      It's the batch size. 8 gallons is equal to 30 Liters if your country uses the metric system

    • @PetraKann
      @PetraKann Рік тому

      @@TheApartmentBrewer There are British Gallons and US gallons.
      Liters much more convenient and easy to convert.
      Cheers