# Brewing Challenge - Mild Ale



## jonocarroll (2/1/10)

Yes, I said *CHALLENGE!*

The February Beer Competition for the Amateur Winemakers and Brewers Club of Adelaide (AWBCA) is Mild Ale (BJCP 11A), and with the introduction of this new subforum, we're explicitly extending the invitation to come along to at least one of our meetings. _Better yet, the in-house brewers of the AWBCA are issuing a challenge to the South Australian brewing community... "can you brew a better mild than us?"_

Most months, the AWBCA holds a beer (and wine, but that's beside the point for now) competition, where members (or suitably informed guests) bring along a bottle (usually a 750ml long-neck) of that month's style of homebrew. The beers are blind-judged by a guest or in-house judge according to the BJCP style-guidelines, and the winner is awarded a shiny medal (non-members simply need to join on the night if they win to qualify). Judging is followed by tastings of all the entries, along with a tasty supper, and the judge's tasting notes are given to the brewers.

I've been hearing a lot of chatter -- bragging if you will -- here on AHB about milds, so as the beer convenor for the AWBCA, I issue the above challenge to AHB members. Brew a mild ale, bring it to our next meeting (Feb 2nd), have a nice chat and a supper, and see how well you fare against our own mild ales.

In the interest of fairness, I will personally hold off brewing my mild ale until next weekend, so you can't complain that time is an issue.

Questions and comments welcome. Apart from that... "GO!"


----------



## peas_and_corn (4/1/10)

Sadly I won't be able to have a mild at the comp- however I'd love to see some of the milds I have seen other people on this forum have been talking about!


----------



## Bizier (4/1/10)

Great work. I would love to be able to attend that one.


----------



## np1962 (4/1/10)

This is tempting, may get along if I have any Mild left in the keg that I have on at the moment, or see how the last batch in bottles is holding up.
Won't have time to brew a fresh batch between now and then.

Cheers
Nige


----------



## jonocarroll (4/1/10)

NigeP62 said:


> This is tempting, may get along if I have any Mild left in the keg that I have on at the moment, or see how the last batch in bottles is holding up.


By all means, if you've got a mild done, please bring it along!



NigeP62 said:


> Won't have time to brew a fresh batch between now and then.


I aim to prove that wrong - I'll be brewing an entry this weekend. Might have to see if my previous mild is still any good too.

C'mon AHB - who's got the best mild?


----------



## zephon (4/1/10)

QuantumBrewer said:


> Yes, I said *CHALLENGE!*



Challenge accepted  .


----------



## Kieren (4/1/10)

Never brewed a mild and won't have time until the 14th to put one down. I like the idea of getting some feedback from other people than my non-brewing friends who just comment soomething like "I don't like dark beers".

Where do you guys hold your meetings? Maybe next month with a bit more notice I could attend.


----------



## bradsbrew (4/1/10)

So can a Qlder mail in an entry??


----------



## jonocarroll (4/1/10)

Kieren said:


> Where do you guys hold your meetings? Maybe next month with a bit more notice I could attend.


Details of meetings can be found here or on our website. Clarence Gardens essentially. You are most welcome to come along to the next meeting (Feb 2nd) and just see what all the fuss is about, even if you can't get an entry ready, then perhaps enter the March competition (American Pale Ale, BJCP 10A). There's a very good chance you'll have a great time.



bradsbrew said:


> So can a Qlder mail in an entry??


While you're most welcome to mail in a beer for general tastings and opinions, the competitions are designed for club members. While guest entries are most welcome, the idea is that if you enjoy your night with the club, you might return and join up, then enter more competitions. If you do happen to be in the neighbourhood during a meeting, please feel free to drop in, of course.


----------



## np1962 (4/1/10)

QuantumBrewer said:


> By all means, if you've got a mild done, please bring it along!
> 
> 
> I aim to prove that wrong - I'll be brewing an entry this weekend. Might have to see if my previous mild is still any good too.
> ...


Wasn't saying that it couldn't be done, 4 days primary, 4 days secondary, crash chill 2 days, keg and force carb then bottle, 10 days grain to brain (as Bribie would say).
I actually meant that I, personally, dont have any free days to brew for at least two weeks.  
Cheers
Nige


----------



## jonocarroll (4/1/10)

NigeP62 said:


> Wasn't saying that it couldn't be done, 4 days primary, 4 days secondary, crash chill 2 days, keg and force carb then bottle, 10 days grain to brain (as Bribie would say).
> I actually meant that I, personally, dont have any free days to brew for at least two weeks.


Well, there's slightly less than 3 weeks before your 10 day cut-off -- plenty of time  
If you happen to get another done, bring it along. If you have any of your old batch, bring it along. If you have no mild ales whatsoever, come along and try everyone elses! :beer:


----------



## raven19 (6/1/10)

I could be a chance to brew something mild, I like the format of a 'challenge' for most months.

(I have an APA for March ready to go for sure).


----------



## jonocarroll (6/1/10)

raven19 said:


> I could be a chance to brew something mild, I like the format of a 'challenge' for most months.
> 
> (I have an APA for March ready to go for sure).


Absolutely, give it a crack and bring it along.

I'll almost set to go for brewing my mild on the weekend. It's gonna be a scorcher of a day though. In preparing my recipe I've had a look around and the consensus seems to be that the style is fast to ferment (low alcohol), fast to carbonate (low also), and best consumed as soon as it's carbonated... I may even hold off pitching this one for a week until I get my other beers sorted and finished. Plenty of time people! Still room for plenty more competitors.


----------



## jonocarroll (11/1/10)

My mild ale is now no-chilled and awaiting an available fermenter... probably sometime later this week, or early next week. Still plenty of time for people to get one brewed up.

I know there are some more Adelaide brewers out there who can make a good mild.


----------



## jbirbeck (11/1/10)

QuantumBrewer said:


> My mild ale is now no-chilled and awaiting an available fermenter... probably sometime later this week, or early next week. Still plenty of time for people to get one brewed up.
> 
> I know there are some more Adelaide brewers out there who can make a good mild.



could probably make a good mild...but I'm down a fermenter after a bad brew day and getting anywhere during the week is always in the too hard basket...


----------



## jonocarroll (11/1/10)

Rooting Kings said:


> could probably make a good mild...


Easy enough to say. If you were to get one fermenting over this weekend (or even the next if force-carbing) you could still have one ready in time. B) 

Otherwise, please feel free to come along to the next meeting anyway, try the comp beers and see if you think you could have trumped them all!


----------



## RussTaylor (11/1/10)

Won't be at this meeting, I'll be visiting the Flying Horse brewery at Warrnambool :chug: 

Looking forward to the APA comp in March though.


----------



## RussTaylor (14/1/10)

Just a reminder that this is on the 2nd February at the Clarence Park Community Centre, corner of East Ave and Canterbury Tce, Black Forest, from 8pm. 

The date's a little hidden in the OP.


----------



## jonocarroll (27/1/10)

Just a bump to remind people that the competition will be taking place next Tuesday. Details are above.

I've got my mild pouring now and I'm pretty happy with it. It might not be perfect, but then I'm not the best judge of this style.

Once again, feel free to drop in with or without an entry whether you've responded in this thread or not.


----------



## raven19 (27/1/10)

Short on time these last few weeks... so I have a Mild in a cube... but no fermentation as yet!

Being in Perth again this week for work, I have no chance of getting this out in time.

Apologies, but I am all over the APA, already bottled and conditioned nicely from others reports.


----------



## jonocarroll (27/1/10)

raven19 said:


> Short on time these last few weeks... so I have a Mild in a cube... but no fermentation as yet!
> 
> Being in Perth again this week for work, I have no chance of getting this out in time.


No worries, bring along a bottle of the Mild to the March meeting for general tastings. You can then say "this would'a topped the lot of 'em".


----------



## jonocarroll (2/2/10)

Just a reminder that the Mild Ale Challenge will be judged *tonight*. Please feel free to come along, entry or not. Otherwise, there's always next month.

See you there!


----------

