By Richard Sheppard

Mr. President Will Shiel asked me to do the Lucci Cup again this year. I’m guessing since I am now undefeated in my Lucci Cup challenges he wants another crack at me. For those of you unfamiliar with the Lucci Cup, it is a competition within the greater British Beerfest competition. A club member throws out a style and a recipe and a separate prize is given to the winner of that category. The Lucci Cup is normally categorized by a high number of entries for style, bragging rights and copious amounts of trash talk. You do not have to use the recipe given below, it is just a suggestion.

Funny story I was entering beer score results into the computer for last year’s BBF when my English Strong Ale scoresheet came back with a respectable score, but obviously one they didn’t think would go on to mini best of show. About a half hour later the steward comes back and needs my scoresheet back. I’m like, “They have to be fucking with me!” Sure enough, the scoresheet comes back a second time with 1st place written on it. Anyway, since you struggled so much with last year’s Strong Ale, this year I’m throwing out a softball with British Golden Ale (12A).

The British Golden (12A) style is new to the BJCP 2015 guidelines, but first became popular in England in the 1980’s. It is a light, hoppy and refreshing style. Traditionally, it uses English ingredients, but can use citrusy American hops. I like to think of it as an English interpretation of an American bastardization of an English Pale Ale. Ryan Torres of Brew Brothers did a talk about a year ago on the style, you might want to hit him up for suggestions. Also, a little birdy told me that Lineage Brewing, just freshly tapped their version of a British Golden.

Below is the recipe I am using, it is loosely based on the recipe in Zymurgy March/April 2016 issue. So why only half Maris Otter? I want to keep an interesting malt backbone however, all Maris Otter is going to be too strong for this style. So why German Pilsner malt in a British ale??? Because, that is what I have laying around my house, smart ass! Feel free to use 50% 2 row instead of Pilsner or 100% English/American Pale Ale malt. I’m using the traditional English EKG along with UK Challenger. Challenger is one of those hops that judges always mistake for American hops on my scoresheet, so it should fit nice in this beer. This style should be drier than the standard bitter. I’m going with my favorite yeast WLP007 Dry English Yeast. Feel free to experiment but the standard WLP002 English Ale won’t attenuate far enough out. You can try using extract on this beer, just use the lightest extract you can find. No need looking for an English Pale Ale extract it will be too dark.

Golden Daytime Emmy

British Golden Ale (12 A)

Type: All Grain

Batch Size: 5.50 gal

Boil Time: 90 min

Brewer: Richard Sheppard

Equipment: Stainless Kegs (10 Gal/37.8 L) – All Grain

Efficiency: 78.00 %

Gravity, Alcohol Content and Color

Est Original Gravity: 1.053 SG

Est Final Gravity: 1.010 SG

Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.6 %

Bitterness: 46.4 IBUs

Est Color: 3.8 SRM

Mash Profile