It most definitely makes a difference to the character of the beer, even at small amounts.
I used to regularly make a mini-mash with 1kg base grain, specialties on top of that and the remainder in extract and there was a definite improvement in the quality and flavour of my beers.
I did that amount because I could comfortably mash around 1.5-2kg in my stock pot system and my LHBS sold 1kg bags so it was just easy...
These are a couple of old recipes of mine.
I'd recommend dropping both the carapils and maltodextrin these days, but these are as I did them then...
Both are 23L batches.
Both of them use Medium and Dark Crystal.
Carared and caramunich malts are another two favourite caramel/crystal malts of mine for english beers, which are a style I make a lot of.
I used Windsor, So4 or Nottingham in all of these. Windsor is still my favourite dry english yeast. +1 for the previously mentioned 1275, or wlp023.
E=SB2
500.00 gm Light Dry Extract (15.8 EBC) Dry Extract 9.35 %
3000.00 gm Black Rock LME (5.9 EBC) Extract 56.07 %
1000.00 gm Pale Malt, Maris Otter (5.9 EBC) Grain 18.69 %
250.00 gm Cara-Pils/Dextrine (3.9 EBC) Grain 4.67 %
250.00 gm Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (118.2 EBC) Grain 4.67 %
100.00 gm Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (236.4 EBC) Grain 1.87 %
30.00 gm Challenger [7.50 %] (45 min) Hops 20.1 IBU
30.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (45 min) Hops 13.4 IBU
20.00 gm Challenger [7.50 %] (15 min) Hops 7.2 IBU
250.00 gm Malto-Dextrin (2.0 EBC) Sugar 4.67 %
E=SB3
3000.00 gm Black Rock LME (5.9 EBC) Extract 61.22 %
1000.00 gm Pale Malt, Maris Otter (5.9 EBC) Grain 20.41 %
250.00 gm Cara-Pils/Dextrine (3.9 EBC) Grain 5.10 %
250.00 gm Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (118.2 EBC) Grain 5.10 %
150.00 gm Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (236.4 EBC) Grain 3.06 %
70.00 gm Progress [6.30 %] (45 min) Hops 45.6 IBU
20.00 gm First Gold [7.50 %] (10 min) Hops 6.1 IBU
250.00 gm Malto-Dextrin (2.0 EBC) Sugar 5.10 %
THis is an extract+grains only one. But it was one of my best extract beers. I used the specialty grain amounts for an AG bitter recently,dropping only the roast barley, and it came out fantastic as well.
It is a little on the dark side for a bitter but very nice.
The saphir was using up hops so add in a little more something, or else drop it altogether.
Pale Chocolate malt, available from site sponsors, at least one of them, is an excellent chocolate malt for bitters.
3000.00 gm Pale Liquid Extract (15.8 EBC) Extract 86.96 %
100.00 gm Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (118.2 EBC) Grain 2.90 %
100.00 gm Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (236.4 EBC) Grain 2.90 %
100.00 gm Chocolate Malt (689.5 EBC) Grain 2.90 %
50.00 gm Roasted Barley (591.0 EBC) Grain 1.45 %
50.00 gm First Gold [7.50 %] (45 min) Hops 46.7 IBU
10.00 gm Progress [6.30 %] (45 min) Hops 7.8 IBU
10.00 gm Saphir [4.00 %] (45 min) Hops 5.0 IBU
20.00 gm First Gold [7.50 %] (5 min) Hops 4.1 IBU
100.00 gm Corn Sugar (Dextrose) (0.0 EBC) Sugar 2.90 %