The English Bitter Thread!

[Pezzza]

11 hours ago, Breaktrainjack said:

its the younger gens bagging out the crystal malt

Haha thanks BTJ mate - nice.

I have a small silver foil zip lock bag that needs to be used and after all this Theakston Old Pec talk and your encouragement re X malts I will I reckon give it a shot!

Needs to be used up!  

So @Breaktrainjack @Hairy @Aussiekraut and @Green Blob

when doing the Mash maybe throw the X in late with halfer to go maybe more of a steep that way and less time on the element?

Am thinking I should have a crack at something Peculiar and Oldish...  with the background from @stquinto the Saint's suggestion....

Maybe an Old Peculiar Graubart? Sorta fits the bill...

Generally something like the below:

Pale Malt

Maris

Wheat

Choc

X (crystal malt)

And some Fuggly thing or other that the Poms are into...

The big question is what sort of % of the total grain bill for the Crystal and what time to put the X into the mash?

Danke danke im voraus 

 

Edited June 23, 2021 by Graubart

[Aussiekraut]

15 minutes ago, Graubart said:

Haha thanks BTJ mate - nice.

I have a small silver foil zip lock bag that needs to be used and after all this Theakston Old Pec talk and your encouragement re X malts I will I reckon give it a shot!

Needs to be used up!  

So @Breaktrainjack @Hairy @Aussiekraut and @Green Blob

when doing the Mash maybe throw the X in late with halfer to go maybe more of a steep that way and less time on the element?

Am thinking I should have a crack at something Peculiar and Oldish...  with the background from @stquinto the Saint's suggestion....

Maybe an Old Peculiar Graubart? Sorta fits the bill...

Generally something like the below:

Pale Malt

Maris

Wheat

Choc

X (crystal malt)

And some Fuggly thing or other that the Poms are into...

The big question is what sort of % of the total grain bill for the Crystal and what time to put the X into the mash?

Danke danke im voraus 

 

You mean Red X? I usually put this into the mash right at the beginning but I only use Red X for one beer. I like crystal malts and won't stop using them.

[ben 10]

43 minutes ago, Graubart said:

when doing the Mash maybe throw the X in late with halfer to go maybe more of a steep that way and less time on the element?

I have not had an issue with Crystal and the element, the only grain that phucks mine is Rye

[Breaktrainjack]

Wasnt reffering to anyone on the thread ..its just observation/trend ive observed in the online home brewing internet of things ..styles and tastes vary ..rightfully so 

[ChristinaS1]

Hi folks,

It is autumn here again, which makes me want darker ales. Back to trying to perfect my English Bitter recipe. Put this down today:

1.7kg Coopers Blonde

1.5kg light LME

650gm Vienna 17%

275gm C60L 7.2%

100gm C120L 2.6%

115gm Carapils 3%

115gm Aromatic 3%

15gm Fuggles @ 20 minutes

15gm EKG @ 10 minutes

15gm EKG @ 5 minutes

30gm EKG DH on day 4 x 2 days

10mL Clarity Ferm

23L water

WLP095 Gen 2 slurry

About the Carapils, I know English Bitters are not supposed to have head, but I like it.

Cheers,

Christina.

[Journeyman]

9 minutes ago, ChristinaS1 said:

It is autumn here again, which makes me want darker ales. Back to trying to perfect my English Bitter recipe. Put this down today:

You have EKG at 10 mins and again at 5 mins; does it make much difference when you do them so close together and close to end of boil? As in can you perceive a change when you add the 5 mins one.

Or have you not tried them seperately?

[Tone boy]

31 minutes ago, ChristinaS1 said:

Hi folks,

It is autumn here again, which makes me want darker ales. Back to trying to perfect my English Bitter recipe. Put this down today:

1.7kg Coopers Blonde

1.5kg light LME

650gm Vienna 17%

275gm C60L 7.2%

100gm C120L 2.6%

115gm Carapils 3%

115gm Aromatic 3%

15gm Fuggles @ 20 minutes

15gm EKG @ 10 minutes

15gm EKG @ 5 minutes

30gm EKG DH on day 4 x 2 days

10mL Clarity Ferm

23L water

WLP095 Gen 2 slurry

About the Carapils, I know English Bitters are not supposed to have head, but I like it.

Cheers,

Christina.

I agree Christina, a beer has to have a head on it. The beauty of being the head brewer at Christina’s House of Ales is that you get to decide!

I didn’t have any carapils in my ESB attempt but I still had a persistent head. I think all the crystal and other grains helped, and my priming sugar was the same as my other beers so it was well carbonated. 
I picked up a can of Maris Otter liquid extract (first time I’d ever seen it) the other week and I’ve been thinking about making an ESB ever since!

Hope your brew turns out well, I’m sure it will. Cheers  

[ChristinaS1]

2 minutes ago, Journeyman said:

You have EKG at 10 mins and again at 5 mins; does it make much difference when you do them so close together and close to end of boil? As in can you perceive a change when you add the 5 mins one.

Or have you not tried them seperately?

Hi @Journeyman This is actually my first time using EKG; I have been using Willamette in my English Bitters....

There is a difference between a 10 and 5 minute addition in terms of how much linalool gets boiled off, although whether the difference can be tasted is another matter. The R-isomer makes up most of the linalool found in hops. It smells woody, and of lavender and bay leaves. I have read it gets boiled off with 20 minutes of boiling. With 5 minutes left in the boil 80% is gone already. This is why I added a 5 minute addition to the "traditional" 10 minute one; I want a little more linalool to survive into the fermenter (since FO additions are likewise non-traditional, I did not do one). ...Yeast can bio-transform R-linalool into A-terpineol, which smells of lilac & peach. Sounds good to me. 

 Cheers,

Christina.

[Journeyman]

1 minute ago, ChristinaS1 said:

Hi @Journeyman This is actually my first time using EKG; I have been using Willamette in my English Bitters....

There is a difference between a 10 and 5 minute addition in terms of how much linalool gets boiled off, although whether the difference can be tasted is another matter.

Thanks, explanation appreciated.

[Geoff S]

Just put an English Bitter down, 1 can EB, 1can Amber Malt Extract & 500g LDM, used 2 pkt of EB yeast, pretty simple, OG was 1044 & taste was great. The EB can & yeasts were a bit old so put the two in, we'll see how it turns out. 

[Classic Brewing Co]

7 minutes ago, Geoff S said:

Just put an English Bitter down, 1 can EB, 1can Amber Malt Extract & 500g LDM, used 2 pkt of EB yeast, pretty simple, OG was 1044 & taste was great. The EB can & yeasts were a bit old so put the two in, we'll see how it turns out. 

Sounds OK @Geoff S  it may turn out a bit dark but I don't mind a Bitter either.

[Tone boy]

Just read this interesting article on English bitters so thought I’d post up the link here for those interested. 
https://byo.com/article/british-bitter-style-of-the-month/

It’s got me keen to have another crack at an ESB. Cheers all

[iBooz2]

3 hours ago, Tone boy said:

Just read this interesting article on English bitters so thought I’d post up the link here for those interested. 

Thanks for that link @Tone boy , I have never done an English Bitter but ready to give one a go when the current brew day schedule allows it.  Might have to buy a commercial version first and try it to see if its worth a crack.  I know a true ESB is sort of draught pub beer in the UK.  Everyone seems to like it and talk about it so maybe worth a brew day experiment.  Will keep my eye out for other AG recipes in the meantime too, cheers.

Edited January 4, 2022 by iBooz2

[Tone boy]

14 minutes ago, iBooz2 said:

Thanks for that link @Tone boy , I have never done an English Bitter but ready to give one a go when the current brew day schedule allows it.  Might have to buy a commercial version first and try it to see if its worth a crack.  I know a true ESB is sort of draught pub beer in the UK.  Everyone seems to like it and talk about it so maybe worth a brew day experiment.  Will keep my eye out for other AG recipes in the meantime too, cheers.

If you read back through this thread there are some good recipes to get you started. I enjoyed mine over the cooler months and I will try to recreate it. It matured well too. 
 

[stquinto]

1 hour ago, iBooz2 said:

Thanks for that link @Tone boy , I have never done an English Bitter but ready to give one a go when the current brew day schedule allows it.  Might have to buy a commercial version first and try it to see if its worth a crack.  I know a true ESB is sort of draught pub beer in the UK.  Everyone seems to like it and talk about it so maybe worth a brew day experiment.  Will keep my eye out for other AG recipes in the meantime too, cheers.

Hey Boozer, are you looking for AG or Kit and Kilo ?

If AG (or even extract) I've a couple that aren't bad. I tended to up the hop count, they end up with some hop fade, and are a bit too malty to be considered a bitter. Or dry hop them

[Tone boy]

8 hours ago, stquinto said:

Hey Boozer, are you looking for AG or Kit and Kilo ?

If AG (or even extract) I've a couple that aren't bad. I tended to up the hop count, they end up with some hop fade, and are a bit too malty to be considered a bitter. Or dry hop them

That’s awesome thanks @stquintoSainter.  Does the book suggest a yeast? What yeast do you use?

I’ve  only done one ESB and used lallemand London, which I thought was very good. It finishes high, so plenty of body and malt flavour in the beer. 

[stquinto]

Unfortunately not mate, it doesn’t give any specifics for either the yeast of the grain type. Maybe some legal stuff. 
If you look on the brewery’s website they all say that it was their granny’s special yeast for 100 generations etc… I would go for Notto, Windsor or the Wyeast Yorkshire one  (which is twice the price for me and I can’t see the point). 

In other recipes Notto is mostly suggested. For the grains it’s either Golden Promise (Tim Taylor) or Marris Otter. 
If I could get the proper hop profile for Landlord I’d probably call it a day… or not

[ben 10]

7 hours ago, stquinto said:

granny’s special yeast

interesting

[ben 10]

18 hours ago, iBooz2 said:

I have never done an English Bitter

Pretty good beers. ENglish IPAs are good to make too,

[stquinto]

20 hours ago, iBooz2 said:

Thanks for that link @Tone boy , I have never done an English Bitter but ready to give one a go when the current brew day schedule allows it.  Might have to buy a commercial version first and try it to see if its worth a crack.  I know a true ESB is sort of draught pub beer in the UK.  Everyone seems to like it and talk about it so maybe worth a brew day experiment.  Will keep my eye out for other AG recipes in the meantime too, cheers.

Here’s Fuller’s ESB if you’re interested @iBooz2 and @Tone boy
 

[Tone boy]

English Bitter attempt #2. Up to my old tricks - changing a recipe that was perfectly fine. 
Thought I’d try this out:

Coopers APA kit 1.7 kg

Muntons Maris Otter liquid extract 1.5 kg

1kg Simpsons golden promise

300g Munich light

200g light crystal 

75g dark crystal 

repitched Nottingham 2nd generation 

Mashing at 65 degrees C and will boil for 30 mins with EKG - 25g at 20 mins and 25g at 5 mins. 
Will brew at around 18 degrees I think 

 

[Tone boy]

After my previous ESB (above) turned out a winner, it is nearly all gone.
Another new recipe put down today…

Prickly Whiskers English Bitter

Partial mash with the amber ale as a base:

1.7kg Family secret amber ale

1 kg golden promise malt

300g victory malt

200g best ale malt

500g golden syrup

25g Fuggles at 15 min

25g Fuggles at 1 min

Nottingham yeast

10ml clarity ferm 

Will ferment this one at 20 degrees

 

[Tone boy]

 

Extra special beer 

At least I’m hoping anyway…wasn’t a fan of my previous effort with the golden syrup  This one is closer to my #2 attempt at an ESB which has been my favorite so far…

• coopers pale ale kit 1.7 kg
• briess pale ale unhopped liquid 1.5 kg
• Best ale malt 1kg
• light Munich 300g
• light crystal 200g
• dark crystal 75g
• 10g super pride @ 20 mins 
• 25g Fuggles @ 5 mins 
• Nottingham yeast

Sparge underway now…

 

[Efendi]

Hi I am new to home brewing and have made 2 brews with limited success. I just bottled an English Bitter which seems to have fermented out in just 4 days. My Coopers hydrometer showed -.005 and another showed 1.000. Average temperature ovr 4 days was 20 to 21 overnight and 21 to 23 during the day. Is something wrong?

[Malter White]

5 minutes ago, Efendi said:

Hi I am new to home brewing and have made 2 brews with limited success. I just bottled an English Bitter which seems to have fermented out in just 4 days. My Coopers hydrometer showed -.005 and another showed 1.000. Average temperature ovr 4 days was 20 to 21 overnight and 21 to 23 during the day. Is something wrong?

Hi Effendi.
Probably nothing to worry about. Your hydrometers are probably just calibrated differently. Try putting them both in a jug of water and see if they both read the same or are still different. Either way it doesn't matter too much as long as you use the same hydrometer for your original gravity and final gravity readings.