Strong British Ale - Old Ale - Beer Recipes | Brewer's Friend
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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 6069
Ye Olde Ale
5.5 gal 8.48% 38.16 1.090 1.026
Partial Mash 3910
Jule-ale (Andrimne Old Ale)
20 L 6.59% 47.08 1.071 1.021
BIAB 3759
Red Sky at Night
5 gal 7.06% 61.21 1.079 1.025
All Grain 3434
Welsh Strong Cask Ale 5 gallon
5 gal 6.08% 36.15 1.060 1.014
extract 3265
Old Fezziwig Clone
5 gal 6.37% 56 1.067 1.018
extract 3109
Old Mr. Brown's Squirrel Tale Ale
5.5 gal 8.57% 61.33 1.077 1.015
Partial Mash 3104
Jamil's Olde Treacle Mine Old Ale
6 gal 9.39% 72.31 1.094 1.022
All Grain 3051
castle red
25 L 6.63% 38.96 1.065 1.015
All Grain 3021
Ye Olde Schindee Ale
2.35 gal 8.51% 70.63 1.091 1.027
BIAB 2286

Newest Old Ale Recipes

Title Size ABV IBU OG FG Color Method Views
Felis Nigripes 2025 - Session barlywine
38 gal 7.7% 59.07 1.083 1.029
All Grain 34
Yorkshire Stingo clone
5.5 gal 7.55% 60.98 1.080 1.022
All Grain 48
Old Ale
5.5 gal 13.26% 63.94 1.127 1.026
All Grain 45
Old Ale
10 L 8.85% 60.83 1.087 1.020
All Grain 86
Ramshackle
25 L 7.02% 44.94 1.072 1.018
All Grain 55
Old Man Winter Spiced Ale
5.5 gal 6.93% 49.76 1.073 1.020
All Grain 61
Hibernation Fuel
5.5 gal 8.18% 70.35 1.083 1.021
BIAB 69
Old English Ale
5 L 6.89% 0 1.072 1.020
BIAB 70
Old Ale
2.5 gal 7.19% 63.19 1.079 1.025
BIAB 71
My Oak Tree Runneth Over
3 gal 7.66% 60.53 1.081 1.022
Partial Mash 115

Fermentables Used In Old Ale Recipes (View More)

Name Recipes Country Category Type Color PPG Avg. Usage Usage Range
United Kingdom - Maris Otter Pale 127 United Kingdom Grain base malt 3.75°L
38 74% 17% - 100%
Molasses 95 Sugar sugar 80°L
36 4% 0% - 17%
United Kingdom - Black Patent 41 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 96 5 36% 3% - 100%
Fuggles 91 4.5 36% 3% - 100%
Magnum 32 15 54% 8% - 100%
Nugget 32 14 64% 9% - 100%
Target 28 11.5 44% 7% - 100%
Northern Brewer 28 7.8 39% 11% - 100%
Challenger 27 8.5 39% 7% - 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 55 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 18 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
White Labs - London Ale Yeast WLP013 9 White Labs Ale Medium Medium 71% 66°F 71°F
White Labs - Dry English Ale Yeast WLP007 9 White Labs Ale Med-High Med-High 75% 65°F 70°F
Wyeast - London ESB Ale 1968 9 Wyeast Ale 0.1 Very High 69% 64°F 72°F

Other Ingredients Used In Old Ale Recipes (View More)

Name Recipes Type Use Avg. Usage Usage Range
Gypsum 54 Water Agt Mash 14% 0% - 99%
Whirlfloc 30 Water Agt Mash 65% 9% - 100%
Irish Moss 26 Fining Boil 69% 0% - 100%
Epsom Salt 23 Water Agt Mash 6% 0% - 37%
Calcium Chloride (dihydrate) 22 Water Agt Mash 14% 0% - 70%
Lactic acid 21 Water Agt Mash 76% 2% - 100%
Chalk 18 Water Agt Mash 11% 0% - 39%
Baking Soda 16 Water Agt Mash 12% 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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