Strong British Ale - Old Ale - Beer Recipes | Brewer's Friend

Strong British Ale - Old Ale


An ale of moderate to fairly significant alcoholic strength, bigger than standard beers, though usually not as strong or rich as barleywine. Often tilted towards a maltier balance. "It should be a warming beer of the type that is best drunk in half pints

Flavor Profile: Medium to high malt character with a luscious malt complexity, often with nutty, caramelly and/or molasses-like flavors. Light chocolate or roasted malt flavors are optional, but should never be prominent. Balance is often malty-sweet, but may be well hop

Ingredients: Composition varies, although generally similar to British Strong Ales. The age character is the biggest driver of the final style profile, which is more handling than brewing. May be aged in wood, but should not have a strong wood character.

BJCP Style Guide

Top 10 Old Ale Recipes

Title Size ABV IBU OG FG Color Method Views
Shipwreck Strong Ale
5.5 gal 8.82% 43.94 1.085 1.018
BIAB 6010
Ye Olde Ale
5.5 gal 8.48% 38.16 1.090 1.026
Partial Mash 3850
Jule-ale (Andrimne Old Ale)
20 L 6.59% 47.08 1.071 1.021
BIAB 3722
Red Sky at Night
5 gal 7.06% 61.21 1.079 1.025
All Grain 3387
Welsh Strong Cask Ale 5 gallon
5 gal 6.08% 36.15 1.060 1.014
extract 3193
Old Fezziwig Clone
5 gal 6.37% 56 1.067 1.018
extract 3061
Old Mr. Brown's Squirrel Tale Ale
5.5 gal 8.57% 61.33 1.077 1.015
Partial Mash 3031
castle red
25 L 6.63% 38.96 1.065 1.015
All Grain 2980
Jamil's Olde Treacle Mine Old Ale
6 gal 9.39% 72.31 1.094 1.022
All Grain 2963
Ye Olde Schindee Ale
2.35 gal 8.51% 70.63 1.091 1.027
BIAB 2253

Newest Old Ale Recipes

Title Size ABV IBU OG FG Color Method Views
Hibernation Fuel
5.5 gal 8.18% 70.35 1.083 1.021
BIAB 35
Old English Ale
5 L 6.89% 0 1.072 1.020
BIAB 46
Old Ale
2.5 gal 7.19% 63.19 1.079 1.025
BIAB 41
My Oak Tree Runneth Over
3 gal 7.66% 60.53 1.081 1.022
Partial Mash 57
Long long time ago ver.2(final)
13 L 9.5% 42.38 1.093 1.021
All Grain 82
Long Long Time Ago batch 2
13 L 8.96% 40.13 1.088 1.019
All Grain 81
mistletoe
5 gal 8.35% 75.32 1.081 1.017
extract 72
Old Ale Sample
10 L 9.59% 34.39 1.096 1.023
All Grain 143
AGED WACKO
25 L 6.26% 34.75 1.060 1.012
All Grain 96
Old Ale
5 gal 6.81% 37.34 1.069 1.017
All Grain 145

Fermentables Used In Old Ale Recipes (View More)

Name Recipes Country Category Type Color PPG Avg. Usage Usage Range
United Kingdom - Maris Otter Pale 128 United Kingdom Grain base malt 3.75°L
38 74% 17% - 100%
Molasses 91 Sugar sugar 80°L
36 4% 0% - 17%
United Kingdom - Black Patent 42 United Kingdom Grain roasted malt 525°L
27 2% 0% - 10%
United Kingdom - Chocolate 40 United Kingdom Grain roasted malt 425°L
34 3% 1% - 9%
Caramel / Crystal 60L 38 Grain crystal malt 60°L
34 6% 1% - 15%
American - Chocolate 38 American Grain roasted malt 350°L
29 2% 1% - 6%
US - Pale 2-Row 38 US Grain base malt 1.8°L
37 67% 31% - 89%
Special B 36 Grain crystal malt 115°L
34 4% 1% - 11%
Brown Sugar 33 Sugar sugar 15°L
45 6% 1% - 29%
American - Caramel / Crystal 120L 32 American Grain crystal malt 120°L
33 4% 1% - 9%

Hops Used In Old Ale Recipes (View More)

Name Recipes Average AA Avg. Usage Usage Range
East Kent Goldings 92 5 35% 3% - 100%
Fuggles 89 4.5 36% 3% - 100%
Magnum 33 15 55% 8% - 100%
Nugget 33 14 65% 9% - 100%
Target 28 11.5 44% 7% - 100%
Challenger 27 8.5 39% 7% - 100%
Northern Brewer 27 7.8 40% 11% - 100%
Cascade 23 7 27% 7% - 60%
Willamette 22 4.5 44% 10% - 100%
Bramling Cross 13 6.5 37% 9% - 83%

Steeping Grains Used In Old Ale Recipes (View More)

Name Recipes Country Category Type Color PPG Avg. Usage Usage Range
American - Carapils (Dextrine Malt) 3 American Grain crystal malt 1.8°L
33 15% 5% - 31%
Caramel / Crystal 60L 2 Grain crystal malt 60°L
34 42% 4% - 80%
American - Caramel / Crystal 80L 2 American Grain crystal malt 80°L
33 27% 14% - 40%
American - Chocolate 2 American Grain roasted malt 350°L
29 31% 20% - 43%
German - CaraAmber 2 German Grain crystal malt 23°L
34 23% 20% - 26%
New Zealand - Dark Chocolate Malt 2 New Zealand Grain roasted malt 659.898°L
32.7 16% 11% - 20%

Yeasts Used In Old Ale Recipes (View More)

Name Recipes Laboratory Type Alcohol Tolerance Flocculation Attenuation Min. Temp Max. Temp
Fermentis - Safale - English Ale Yeast S-04 54 Fermentis / Safale Ale .0975 High 75% 54°F 77°F
Danstar - Nottingham Ale Yeast 22 Danstar Ale Med-High High 77% 57°F 70°F
Wyeast - London Ale 1028 19 Wyeast Ale 0.1 Med-Low 75% 60°F 72°F
Wyeast - London Ale III 1318 17 Wyeast Ale 0.1 High 73% 64°F 74°F
Lallemand - LALBREW® NOTTINGHAM HIGH PERFORMANCE ALE YEAST 13 Lallemand Ales Medium High 80% 50°F 72°F
Fermentis - Safale - American Ale Yeast US-05 13 Fermentis / Safale Ales Low Medium 81% 54°F 77°F
Wyeast - Scottish Ale 1728 12 Wyeast Ale 0.12 High 71% 55°F 75°F
Wyeast - London ESB Ale 1968 9 Wyeast Ale 0.1 Very High 69% 64°F 72°F
White Labs - English Ale Yeast WLP002 8 White Labs Ale Medium Very High 66.5% 65°F 68°F
Mangrove Jack - Empire Ale M15 8 Mangrove Jack Ale n/a Med-High 72.5% 70°F 75°F

Other Ingredients Used In Old Ale Recipes (View More)

Name Recipes Type Use Avg. Usage Usage Range
Gypsum 53 Water Agt Sparge 14% 0% - 99%
Whirlfloc 31 Water Agt Mash 64% 9% - 100%
Irish Moss 25 Fining Mash 68% 0% - 100%
Epsom Salt 22 Water Agt Mash 6% 0% - 37%
Calcium Chloride (dihydrate) 21 Water Agt Mash 15% 0% - 70%
Lactic acid 19 Water Agt Mash 73% 2% - 100%
Chalk 18 Water Agt Mash 11% 0% - 39%
Baking Soda 15 Water Agt Mash 13% 0% - 40%
Calcium Chloride (dihydrate) 10 Water Agt Mash 11% 0% - 67%
Calcium Chloride (anhydrous) 10 Water Agt Mash 11% 0% - 43%

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