As a semi-mass-market English ale, Old Speckled Hen is one of my favorites. I think it’s mainly due to the name and associated nostalgia of my early days of better beer exploration, but in any case it’s something I come back to from time to time. A decade ago, I attempted a clone, which turned out okay but not great. This beer has been kicking around in my head ever since, and I even buy a bottle (or can) from time to time. It’s a legitimately enjoyable beer! Given that continued fascination, it was time for another attempt.

My new version is based on two recipes posted online, somewhat different from the previous template I used. The current edition leans into a more complex malt bill, reducing the previous substantial addition of crystal 120 and adding a major addition of crystal 40. I also used this as a chance to try out a dry version of WLP066 (London Fog Ale Yeast), which seemed to target much of what I was looking for in yeast character. A constant is the use of Maris Otter as the base malt, along with Lyle’s Golden Syrup to provide another flavorful fermentable.

Old Speckled Hen Homage

• 9.5 lb. Maris Otter pale ale malt (Thomas Fawcett)
• 1 lb. crystal 40 malt (Great Western)
• 3 oz. caramel 120 malt (Briess)
• 11.4 oz. Lyle’s Golden Syrup (added to boil)
• 1 oz. Challenger hop pellets (5.6% alpha), 60 minute boil
• 1 oz. East Kent Goldings hop pellets (5.4% alpha), 20 minute boil
• 1 Whirlfloc tablet, 5 minute boil
• 1 oz. East Kent Goldings hop pellets (5.4% alpha), 5 minute boil
• 1 pkg. London Fog ale dry yeast (WLP066)

Target Parameters

• 1.054 s.g., 1.013 f.g., 35 IBU, 10 SRM, 5.3% abv
• Full volume mash with 60 minutes at 156° and 10 minutes at 168°; 60 minute boil
• Claremont tap water, with Campden tablet added

Procedure

• I heated 7.35 gallons of water to 162°, adding a Campden tablet to remove chloramines. I added the grains with 5.5 mL of 88% lactic acid, and let them mash at 156° for 60 minutes. Next, I raised the mash temperature to 168° for 10 minutes and then pulled the grains.
• In total, I collected 6.25 gallons of runnings with a gravity of 1.046, for 73% mash efficiency.
• I brought the mash to a boil, adding hops and finings per the recipe. After a 60 minute boil, I turned off the heat and chilled to 70° before transferring to the fermenter.
• I brewed this beer on 24 December 2025. Starting gravity was 1.052; I am fermenting at ambient, around 65°.
• I kegged the beer on 7 February 2025, adding 2.5 oz. of corn sugar to the keg dissolved in 0.5 cup of boiling water.
• I let the keg sit for around 2 weeks before chilling down to ~35° until a free space opened up on my keezer.
• Final gravity was fairly high, at 1.019, for 4.4% abv.

Tasting

• Appearance
  • A very clear, light amber beer, which pours with a thin ivory head that quickly subsides. It’s a bit lighter in color than the original inspiration.
• Aroma
  • Caramel notes are most prominent, with a little bit of candy, and a touch of light fruitiness behind that.
• Flavor
  • Caramel and malty notes are at a moderate level. Medium-high bitterness. The hops, especially in initial tastes, have a woody and moderately herbal quality, in addition to a touch of earthiness. I don’t particularly care for the herbal notes here. I’m guessing they are coming from the hops; it doesn’t match EKG, so perhaps the Challenger is the culprit?
• Mouthfeel
  • Moderate carbonation, medium body, smooth and slightly dry finish.
• Would I Brew This Again?
  • This is definitely closer to what I want for an Old Speckled Hen clone, but the hops need a rework. I would probably ditch the Challenger and lean in on EKG entirely, or find another hop to sub in. The herbal notes I get here are more than I care for, but not something that totally wrecks the beer; it’s just not to my personal taste. It might be something with this lot of EKG (if that’s the true culprit), because I didn’t have that concern previously. The malt and yeast all do well, although I might go 50/50 on the crystal 40 and crystal 120 in order to round out the malt profile and deepen the color. I love the gentle fruitiness on the yeast and also how it dropped so clear. This is a very pretty beer!
• Overall
  • 6/10