ESB v3

[Covrich]

Never had teh greatest luck with this style for some a few reasons mostly caused by me but like the style and giving it another g (lost my own brew thread)

anyway went with

4.8Kg MO
120 grams dark crystal
230 grams caramalt
200 grams golden syrup (thought I woudl try it)

38 grams EKG 6.5% 60 mins
38 grams EKG 5 mins
threw another 30 or so EKG in at 80ºc try to boost the aroma

Decided to go with Wyeast London ale III built a big starter split it and will use the other half in a porter

Burpring away pretty healthly under 12 hours.

 

[Dutto]

Looks good. :thumb:

 

[strange-steve]

I honestly think a good bitter is one of the most difficult beers to brew. I managed it once and scored 41 in a competition, but that was a complete fluke. My subsequent attempt, which was much more typical, scored 15

 

[Clint]

I shall watch with interest as I do love a good bitter...the best of late was just before Christmas in Ye Olde starre inne in york...their house bitter I believe...

 

[Dutto]

I brewed a similar Bitter this time last year: Instead of golden syrup I included toasted rolled oats in the Mash and more EKG as follows:

4.0kg of Maris Otter Malt
0.25kg of Caramel Malt.
0.25kg of Crystal Malt.
0.50kg of Toasted Rolled Oats
75g EKG (50g Bittering and 25g Aroma)
Wilco Ale Yeast

It kept very well and was finally finished sometime around August. I intend to brew it again in a few days, hopefully without the cock-up of leaving the Boiler Valve open when warming it up; like wot I dun last year! Doh!

 

[Clint]

Since when did 59 + 25=75? Or perhaps it's me having just had a ball busting 12 hour night shift....

 

[Covrich]

I honestly think a good bitter is one of the most difficult beers to brew. I managed it once and scored 41 in a competition, but that was a complete fluke. My subsequent attempt, which was much more typical, scored 15

I haven't had some bad efforts my last was a disaster for a number of reasons even though it was drinkable in the end.

However I generally agree it is a style which I have struggled to get completely right, I have done some English IPAs and other English styles okay but the bitters have just felt like something was "missing" to complete it..

I am wondering or thinking the yeast choice may be a big thing

Right now this has that lovely thick krausen which London Ale III (boddingtons) gives.. I am planning on using it also on a porter (never made a porter before as it is)

 

[MmmBeer]

I made a number of bitter styles based on Graham Wheeler's and Greg Hughes' recipes including an ESB. Some were good after 6 weeks, others less so. What I discovered is that those weren't so great, usually improved into a very drinkable pint, given an extra month or two in the bottle.

Have patience and faith.

 

[rats_eyes]

Your recipe looks good to me.

I've made a few attempts at a strong bitter, mostly in the ballpark of the Fullers ESB recipes that have appeared in the late Graham Wheeler's book and on line. I've generally gone for 90-95% pale (usually golden promise), 5-10% crystal. My last one had some invert sugar too, but that won't be ready for a while. You can't go wrong with EKG. My most recent has newer UK hops (admiral, endeavour and olicana), which i hope will bring something slightly different to the table. I've used wlp002 (fullers strain) and wlp007 (dry english, allegedly whitbread strain) with decent results, never tried the london iii myself though. Once they're in good shape, they're great. I hope this one does the trick, i'm sure it will!

 

[Covrich]

Thanks I will post back with how it goes

Like yourself you cannot go wrong with EKG.. It is my go to English hop.. I like challenger too

 

[Sheepish]

FWIW I’ve just picked up a Brewolution Fullers famous clone 23l all grain kit (heavily discounted due to split box) from my LHBS. The instruction list the grain as Pale malt, Cara Crystal, Amber malt, Special B, bittering hops as Target, flavouring hops as Challenger and Northern Brewer, and aroma hops, East Kent Golding.

http://home-brew-online.co.uk/instructions/fullers famous brewolution instructions .pdf

...I’ll be brewing it up in the not too distant future, if I remember I’ll weigh the hops.

 

[Covrich]

FWIW I’ve just picked up a Brewolution Fullers famous clone 23l all grain kit (heavily discounted due to split box) from my LHBS. The instruction list the grain as Pale malt, Cara Crystal, Amber malt, Special B, bittering hops as Target, flavouring hops as Challenger and Northern Brewer, and aroma hops, East Kent Golding.

http://home-brew-online.co.uk/instructions/fullers famous brewolution instructions .pdf

...I’ll be brewing it up in the not too distant future, if I remember I’ll weigh the hops.

I wonder what yeast that is.. I think a big part of ESB and English styles can be determined by the yeast choice

 

[Sheepish]

I wonder what yeast that is.. I think a big part of ESB and English styles can be determined by the yeast choice

The yeast with the kit is just labelled ‘British Ale Yeast 15g’, so no giveaway clues there...

 

[Sheepish]

Ok, I’ve weighed the hops still in the 15x20 cm plastic silver vacuum pack bag and the weights are...

bittering hops Target 38g (60 min)
flavouring hops Challenger 20g (20 min) and Northern Brewer 22g (10 min)
aroma hops East Kent Golding 33g (0 min)

So if you know how much a 15x20 cm bag weighs...

 

[Covrich]

Ok, I’ve weighed the hops still in the 15x20 cm plastic silver vacuum pack bag and the weights are...

bittering hops Target 38g (60 min)
flavouring hops Challenger 20g (20 min) and Northern Brewer 22g (10 min)
aroma hops East Kent Golding 33g (0 min)

So if you know how much a 15x20 cm bag weighs...

Weigh the bag when you're done :smile6:

In all seriousness given variances in AA and other things like efficiency which can affect minor things I think you could pretyt much settle for a ball park figure.. and you could pick any decent yeast

 

[Sheepish]

Weigh the bag when you're done :smile6:

...will do. I thought I’d best weigh ‘em now as I’ll no doubt forget when I’m brewing, and at least I can fish a bag out of the bin

 

[Covrich]

Gravity looks to be finishing around the 1014-1015 mark I think.. which is good, where I want it to be (not the 1010 mark) tasting a tiny bit its promising.. I am contemplating throwing a few EKG in for a few days before putting it cold to clear..

 

[Dutto]

Gravity looks to be finishing around the 1014-1015 mark I think.. which is good, where I want it to be (not the 1010 mark) tasting a tiny bit its promising.. I am contemplating throwing a few EKG in for a few days before putting it cold to clear..

I'd lay money on the brew restarting when you throw in the EKG to dry hop, 'cos I can't see why it would complete fermentation at "1014-1015", unless you mashed at a high temperature (70-75*C) to produce non-fermentable sugars.

 

[Covrich]

I'd lay money on the brew restarting when you throw in the EKG to dry hop, 'cos I can't see why it would complete fermentation at "1014-1015", unless you mashed at a high temperature (70-75*C) to produce non-fermentable sugars.

The yeast!!! The arguably least thought of ingredient

Its perhaps a point or so high but at 73% its bang middle for the yeast, but there is often a common misconception here I think about trying to get every gravity down to 1010.. not always desired. That's why I personally wouldn't use something like Wilko/ gervin on this as I want the yeast to leave some flavour body and characteristics and a high attentuator like Wilko would just obliterate it IMO.

I personally think a medium attentation is a better match for an ESB

 

[Dutto]

The yeast!!! The arguably least thought of ingredient

Its perhaps a point or so high but at 73% its bang middle for the yeast, but there is often a common misconception here I think about trying to get every gravity down to 1010.. not always desired. That's why I personally wouldn't use something like Wilko/ gervin on this as I want the yeast to leave some flavour body and characteristics and a high attentuator like Wilko would just obliterate it IMO.

I personally think a medium attentation is a better match for an ESB

According to the Wyeast site ...

http://www.wyeastlab.com/yeast-strain/london-ale

... 75% is "bang in the middle" but ironically using the formula ...

Attenuation = 100 % * (starting gravity − current gravity) / (starting gravity − 1)

... an OG of 1054 and a FG of 1014/5 gives an attenuation of 75% which is what's desired.:thumb:Personally, I like a dry Bitter which is why I use the Gervin Ale yeast. However, according to BrewersFriend this has an attenuation of 77% ...

https://www.brewersfriend.com/yeasts/-gervin-ale-by-muntons-gv-12/

... which is at the top of the attenuation range of the Wyeast!:thumb:God I love this bobby!:headbang:Even the "experts" can't seem to agree!