# Boags Wizard Smith English Ale



## nqtrancer (23/12/11)

Got a chance to try this lately. 
My god, i think i've fallen in love with a new style of beer. 

It reminded me a little bit of unfermented wort, but it was very smooth.

Anyone got any idea how to make a similar style beer?
The guy at the brewery said it was all crystal malt with no bittering using POR for aroma etc.

Excellent beer IMO.

This was the first beer that i have had that was a "english ale" ... is this an actual style? no bittering/gets sweeter as it gets warm?

edit: After doing some reading. It seems wizard smith is an original "English sweet ale" ... In the past, sweet ales were made with no hops, when hops were introduced and used for bittering they were called "beers" ..

Interesting.


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## mje1980 (23/12/11)

Very interesting. I'd imagine all crystal malt to be a bit sickly. I'll definately try it if I see it.


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## malt_shovel (23/12/11)

nqtrancer said:


> Got a chance to try this lately.
> My god, i think i've fallen in love with a new style of beer.
> 
> It reminded me a little bit of unfermented wort, but it was very smooth.
> ...



It is an english pale ale, plenty of recipe's in the database. Check the BJCP for their take on the style and further examples. I think the bittering is pretty low, rather than none at all.

English pale ales are probably the easiest to brew in my opinion. 95% UK base malt, 5% crystal. UK hops with about 2/3rds the bittering required at 60mins, the rest at 20mins and 5mins. English ale yeast and away you go..typically don't need long maturation, a quick cold crash after primary with some finings and into the keg.

Cheers 

Edit: Here's the website description / tasting notes. The image seems to say it is a 5.0% ABV, which puts it into BJCP's Extra Special Bitter (ESB) territory.

Boag's website

Here's the BJCP website link for English Pale Ales:

BJCP - English Pale Ales

I am a big fan of English Ales. Way underated in Australia in my opinion.


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## DU99 (23/12/11)

this post help anyone


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## nqtrancer (23/12/11)

DU99 said:


> this post help anyone



Yep.. Thanks..

Might have to dig through the recipes and start putting some things together to give it a go ... havn't dropped a brew in a long time... 


Any idea what i could pick up from the local bottle shop that might be similar in style?


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## mje1980 (23/12/11)

Hang on, the OP says it was all crystal malt, is that right??. I too love my UK ales, but I thought this was made with just crystal. I brew 95% UK ales, yum yum!!


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## mje1980 (23/12/11)

nqtrancer said:


> Yep.. Thanks..
> 
> Might have to dig through the recipes and start putting some things together to give it a go ... havn't dropped a brew in a long time...
> 
> ...




Go to Dan murphy's, or your local "good" bottlo and look around. Too many to mention, most of them are great. Wells bombadier, Theakstons Old Peculier, Timothy Taylors landlord, the list goes


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## super_simian (24/12/11)

There are so many factual errors here... Try boning up on topics which pique your interest *before* posting.


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## NickB (24/12/11)

I quite like this beer, but even down here where it's brewed it's damned expensive. Grabbed a sixer last week though. Gave my uncle a try and he said 'too hoppy'. There's no helping some people


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## mje1980 (24/12/11)

super_simian said:


> There are so many factual errors here... Try boning up on topics which pique your interest *before* posting.



Who are you replying to?


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## mjp (27/12/11)

I always got the impression of EKG hops in this not por. Correct me if Im wrong as Ive never looked into it- Just 1st impression. Great beer though.


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## dago001 (27/12/11)

Boags say that they use PoR for bittering and EKG for aroma. Pretty sure that use crystal malt in this and they would be using Joe White Malt ( the malting factory is about 45 minutes away). Just from memory as I did the tour about 18 months ago.
Cheers
LagerBomb


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## mugley (27/12/11)

Also got told on the brewery tour that this beer is made with 100% crystal malt. Given that it's nowhere near sweet or hoppy enough for crystal to be 100% of fermentables, maybe it's mostly based on cane sugar. The guide said they hop with EKG, and I'm pretty sure the bottle label says so too. Website mentions EKG, although possibly only for dry hopping: http://www.classicblonde.com.au/#/brands/w...lar/background/

It's a good option for Launceston footy trips as a lot of pubs and restaurants stock it, but I'd rather hole up in the Royal Oak and get stuck into the Hazards Ale.


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## super_simian (28/12/11)

Disclaimer: I've never had this beer. I've never done the Boags tour. BUT

I will eat my hat if Wizard Smith is 100% crystal malt. I will eat a hat made of roadkill. Covered in AIDS. The guide is either clueless or hitting the meth. Also, the comment about cane sugar is just laughable. FFS, stop spitballing and think before you post.


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## sim (28/12/11)

had said beer tonight, during flight delays out of TAS. was really nice, didn't really feel the dry hopped EKG that the label boasted, but hey it had hop presence. nice English malty character, not more than 10% crystal I'd imagine. very drinkable, smooth, 20 IBU maybe.

Quite enjoyed boags in general while I was there, very pleasant and drinkable. Was on the north west coast mind you. Lovely spot o' the world!


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