🍺 Top-down Brew: British Golden Ale

Recipe Variables

Enter the parameters

Variations

For steeped grains plus malt extract:

  • Delete the Maris Otter and the wheat malt lines.
  • For liquid malt extract, add sugar: Liquid light malt extract, 95, 5, 76
  • For dry malt extract, add sugar: Dry light malt extract, 95, 3.5, 96
  • Set the mash efficiency variable to 55% (eff: 55) for steeping.

The metric equivalent dry hopping rate of the default recipe would be 1.5 grams/liter.

Explore other malts, sugars, and hops

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Results

Notes

2021 BJCP 12A - British Golden Ale - characteristic ingredients: Low-color pale or lager malt acting as a blank canvas for the hop character. May use sugar adjuncts, corn, or wheat. English hops frequently used, although citrusy American varietals are becoming more common. Somewhat clean-fermenting British yeast.

Vital statistics: IBU = 20 to 45; SRM = 2 to 5; OG = 1.038 to 1.053; FG = 1.006 - 1.012; ABV = 3.8% - 5%

The malt characteristics should be light, clear, and "restrained" according to Gordon Strong. Aim for mostly base British malts (about 85%). Some of the reviewed recipes have split British base malts with other grains such as American two-row malt. Adjunct grains common in British beers are possibilities, like 5% to 15% flaked corn, wheat, or oats. The proteins from wheat and oats might be valuable contributions towards forming a creamy head.

The remaining malt bill can be light crystal malts (about 5%) such as carapils or Vienna malt. Sugars are possible given the traditional use of sugar in British ales. Avoid medium to dark crystal malts that are commonly used in British bitter styles. Use specialty malts lightly. This style's malt base emphasizes base grains and modesty to be second place to hop character.

Hops should be the primary focus, with medium degrees of hop flavor and aroma. English hops are commonly used, but the possibilities are wide. These include noble hops (Hallertaur, Tettnang, etc.) and American aroma-focused varieties (Cascade, Willamette, and Sterling). Strong cautions against hops that are "woody, piney, or dank." Be sure to include late kettle additions for flavor and aroma, and possibly even dry hopping. Strong also metions first wort hops, hop bursting, and whirlpool additions.

British yeast strains that are not too estery are recommended. Popular strains in the beer-analytics.com results are Fermentis S-04 and US-05, Lallemand Nottingham, and Mangrove Jack's Liberty Bell Ale.

Recommendations for this beer style are challenging because the examples show a wide range of possibilities. Just aim for going light on the malt and yeast character while bumping up delicate hop flavors.

The default values were inspired by Aaron Hyde's Blonde Bloke British golden ale and values from the beer-analytics.com results for this style.

References

Beer-analytics.com British golden ale

Hyde, A. Blonde Bloke British Golden Ale

Strong, G. (2016, November). British golden ale: A modern take on English pale ale. BYO p. 28-32.