The English Bitter Thread!

[BlackSands]

Next bitter brew going down in the next day or so, though I'm a little undecided whether to brew another bitter or something else entirely, but if I do brew a bitter... it will be this fairly simple recipe:

Rudstickle Bitter

| ABV=4.2% | IBU=35 | EBC=30 |   (20 litres)

• 3.2kg GF Ale Malt
• 100g Biscuit Malt
• 250g Medium Crystal 
• 100g Dark Crystal
•  50g Roasted Barley
• 10g Dr Rudi @40min
• 10g Sticklebract @40min
• 15g Sticklebract @10min 
• 15g Dr Rudi @5min
• 5g Gypsum
• M36 Yeast

 

[Marty_G]

Currently drinking the best EB i think i have made. Simple Kit and bits but very very flavoursome.   

Can Coopers EB 

23 litres

1kg of light dry malt. Dissoleved in 2 litres of water on the flame at around 50^o then the can added and dissolved with flame off. 

30g Centennial 20 min hop tean

30g Centennial Dry hop day 5

Nottingham @ 19^O    OG 1044 FG 1011 

Cold crashed at 2⁰  for 4 days

the bulk of the 23 litres kegged in a 25 litre keg and 90g of table sugar added for secondary.  

Then keg conditioned at ambient ~ 20- 25 degree for 3 months with keg pressure checked every month and maintained at 10 PSI. 

This EB has developed a great flavour profile and surprisingly the hop characteristics are still very much present. The beer is very fragrant,  has a rich velvety off white head when poured and great mouth feel.  The only thing that I would do differently: I would fine with gelatin on day 2 or 3 of the CC.   Good simple beer to make and it really has hit the mark.  Also really warming to Nottingham as a yeast.  It seems reasonably neutral with some great light ester and fruit undertones.  

Edited December 13, 2019 by MartyG1525230263

[Lab Cat]

2 hours ago, MartyG1525230263 said:

The only thing that I would do differently: I would fine with gelatin on day 2 or 3 of the CC.   Good simple beer to make and it really has hit the mark.  Also really warming to Nottingham as a yeast.  It seems reasonably neutral with some great light ester and fruit undertones.  

I've never felt a need to use clarifiers. My darker beers have always seemed to come up really clear, compared to my pales, which always have some haze.

I've use Nottingham a lot, and find it really predictable fermenter. It's neutral for these styles of beers, where we want the flavours from the malt and hops. When you brew saison or Belgians, you want something from the yeast, that's part of why those styles taste like they do.

[Marty_G]

23 minutes ago, Lab Rat said:

I've never felt a need to use clarifiers.

The thing with clarifiers is their use is 100% a personal preference.  The only benefit derived is clearer beer and those that use them like clearer beer.  This beer is great but I would like it  clearer just for the aesthetics no other reason and I think that those in the HB world that use them are the same.  

[Otto Von Blotto]

Yeah that's why I use them too. It's a little bit psychological as well I guess, can't speak for anyone else but for me a clear beer just looks more refreshing and appealing. 

There's a reason darker beers have naturally better clarity, I also noticed this before I used finings etc. I just can't remember what the reason is but it's something to do with the darker grains used I think. I always used to notice my red ale was clearer than my pales back then. 

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

On 12/14/2019 at 8:29 AM, BlackSands said:

Table sugar is inverted in boiling wort. All that is required is a low pH and heat.  

Really? Always thought inversion was between soft crack and hardball. About 130c. My wort has never got that high.

[Otto Von Blotto]

114. Wort won't get that high either, however apparently sugar can be partly inverted by simmering for 5-7 minutes in water, so I suppose a wort boil would work to a degree. The pH is about right for it.

[BlackSands]

8 hours ago, Greeny1525229549 said:

Really? Always thought inversion was between soft crack and hardball. About 130c. My wort has never got that high.

I think it's one of those things where there is an optimal temperature where inversion is maximal but as you deviate away the process slows.  A bit like enzyme activity in a mash I guess where they're most active within the usual mash temperatures but still exhibit some activity much cooler.  

And of course, if you add the sugar in for the full duration of the boil, even though it's a sub-optimal temperature, for that duration, typically 60 minutes it's probably enough to do the job.  And that might explain reports I've read where  some brewers say they  couldn't taste any difference between candi sugar and table sugar in their Belgians.  I also read an unsubstantiated claim that even Belgian breweries don't usually bother with it anymore and it's more a tradition that has actually been kept alive by American Breweries and homebrewers.    

Either way I suspect whatever form of sugar is used, and given it's usually only  5 - 15% of the fermentables, I suspect the differences at best will be very subtle.

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

1 hour ago, BlackSands said:

I think it's one of those things where there is an optimal temperature where inversion is maximal but as you deviate away the process slows.  A bit like enzyme activity in a mash I guess where they're most active within the usual mash temperatures but still exhibit some activity much cooler.  

And of course, if you add the sugar in for the full duration of the boil, even though it's a sub-optimal temperature, for that duration, typically 60 minutes it's probably enough to do the job.  And that might explain reports I've read where  some brewers say they  couldn't taste any difference between candi sugar and table sugar in their Belgians.  I also read an unsubstantiated claim that even Belgian breweries don't usually bother with it anymore and it's more a tradition that has actually been kept alive by American Breweries and homebrewers.    

Either way I suspect whatever form of sugar is used, and given it's usually only  5 - 15% of the fermentables, I suspect the differences at best will be very subtle.

Will have to try it out in my next tripel batch. If there is any difference then that style will be the one to show it. I can tell you to my tastes there is no difference whatsoever between belgian candi sugar and inverted cane sugar. Nothing except the price tag. 

[BlackSands]

37 minutes ago, Greeny1525229549 said:

.... there is no difference whatsoever between belgian candi sugar and inverted cane sugar. Nothing except the price tag. 

I used to sell Candi syrups at the LHBS for $9/kg though I see the store in question now sells a mere 350g for $14.95 !  

When I brewed a couple of Belgians myself a few years back I took the far more affordable route and used table sugar at around $1.50/kg!  Molasses is another option for around $3.50/500g.  I'll actually be using that in an English beer as some stage - a strong bitter/old ale modeled on Theakston's "Old Peculier" which contains around 12% molasses.

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

3 hours ago, BlackSands said:

I used to sell Candi syrups at the LHBS for $9/kg though I see the store in question now sells a mere 350g for $14.95 !  

When I brewed a couple of Belgians myself a few years back I took the far more affordable route and used table sugar at around $1.50/kg!  Molasses is another option for around $3.50/500g.  I'll actually be using that in an English beer as some stage - a strong bitter/old ale modeled on Theakston's "Old Peculier" which contains around 12% molasses.

14.95 for 350g. Thats grand larceny.

It aint much better here. I like the contents on the front. Sugar and water

http://www.brewmart.com.au/brewmart-shop/catalogue/?detail&ItemID=2795&SZIDX=0&CCODE=11020&QOH=5&CATID=684&CLN=1

[MitchBastard]

Hey guys n gals. Can anyone point me in the direction of a half decent English Bitter?

im not really sold on anything google has sent my way. 
 

TIA

[Hairy]

1 hour ago, MitchBastard said:

Hey guys n gals. Can anyone point me in the direction of a half decent English Bitter?

im not really sold on anything google has sent my way. 
 

TIA

Timothy Taylor’s Landlord would be my favourite.

It used to be available in Dan Murphy’s but I haven’t seen it there for a while.

[MitchBastard]

Cheers @Hairy I was meaning an actual recipe, which is my fault for not wording my post correctly. 
 

I probably should Actually grab a six pack of something commercial to see if it’s something I want 23ltrs of. I’ve definitely had them in the past and can’t remember if I actually like them enough to brew

[Otto Von Blotto]

Check out Dan's, they have a few different ones in there. A couple I remember I enjoyed were adnams broadside and bombardier. Not sure if they're still there. Old peculier was nice too and I don't mind Spitfire ale although perhaps not quite the same style. Old speckled hen is good too. 

[BlackSands]

9 hours ago, MitchBastard said:

Hey guys n gals. Can anyone point me in the direction of a half decent English Bitter?

"Half decent" is very subjective!   As mentioned above I've just cobbled together a recipe for a beer that resembles Theakston's "Old Peculier" -  this is a VERY popular strong bitter/strong ale/old ale/brown ale in the UK.  I listed four styles there because it actually sits somewhere among them all.  https://www.danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_906138/theakstons-old-peculier-500ml

I have yet to brew it myself but it's on the to-do list.   I've also done a clone-ish recipe for another English favourite:  Ruddles County Ale: https://beerstore.com.au/shop/beers/international/ruddles-county-ale/

Otherwise, the bitters I usually brew will almost certainly be similar the sort of thing you've already found via Google.  

Edited December 20, 2019 by BlackSands

[Hairy]

Most English hitters tend to have similar recipes, just a few different tweaks to them.

I like to throw some Caraaroma and Special B in mine.

[Maurice79]

Earlier this year I brewed the Battleship Bitter recipe with the EB can.  After a few months this has turned in to a really good beer. The only difference with my version was I used an additional 150g of cascade hop flowers steeped for 10 mins. The issue I have with the beer is I have slightly over carbed for this style of beer.  I still need to  try another AG EB at some stage.

[Lab Cat]

On 12/20/2019 at 6:13 PM, MitchBastard said:

Hey guys n gals. Can anyone point me in the direction of a half decent English Bitter?

I liked he Cooper EB, amber malt and 250g brown sugar. I'll do it again, but bitter with some fuggle or EKG to get more bitterness. Some recipes will swap out the brown sugar for molasses.

[SteveL]

On 12/20/2019 at 8:43 PM, MitchBastard said:

Hey guys n gals. Can anyone point me in the direction of a half decent English Bitter?

im not really sold on anything google has sent my way. 
 

TIA

I do heaps of EB's, simple as possible recipes, and love the results.
I tweak them a bit, but build on Coopers EB tin and 1kg light dry malt; 200-250g medium crystal grain; then usually 45g hops (mostly either Bramling cross, fuggles, East Kent golding, styrian golding, Motueka or combinations at various boil times); made to 21 litres usually; sometimes add dark brown sugar as well

[ChristinaS1]

Put this down today:

 

Sour Cherry ESB

 

1.7kg Lager kit

1.43gm Maris Otter 

250gm C60L 

70gm C120L 

463mL Terra Beata Sour Cherry juice

25gm Fuggles @ 30 min

35gm EKG @ 2 min

10mL Clarity Ferm

23L RO water 

WLP095 Burlington Ale BBE 14-03-202 (ie 7 days before expiry, estimated viability 28%) in 2.5L SNS starter fortified with 12.25gm boiled bread yeast.

 

OG 1.048 FG 1.010; ABV 4.9% keg; EBC 22; IBU 33; BU:GU 0.70.

 

First time using this yeast, which is supposedly the Conan strain from Heady Topper, and before that from Greg Noonan's brew pub in Vermont, and before that from some brewery in England that Greg had visited in the 1980s. Spotted a nearly expired tube of this in the drawer of the fridge at my LHBS. It is not a yeast my LHBS lists on their website; it was a special order that someone never picked up. In spite of its age it seems to have revived well in the Shaken Not Stirred starter.

 

A couple of months ago we went on a mini-vacation to another town and visited the local pub. Met some locals there who are also home brewers and lovers of English Bitters. She highly recommended adding cherry juice to the wort so I thought I would give it a try. 

 

I might have accidentally reversed the order of my hops and put the EKG in first and the Fuggles in last. If so the beer will end up more bitter than intended as the AA level of the EKG was more than double that of the Fuggles....Had originally intended to only boil the Fuggles for 20 minutes but increased the time to 30 minutes because of their wimpy AA level. 

 

Cheers,

 

Christina. 

 

PS Cross posted in the What's in your Fermenter thread.

[ChristinaS1]

As mentioned in the What's in your Fermenter thread, my Sour Cherry ESB fermented very fast and stopped at 1.012/13. Ended up racking it to a carboy and dry hopping commando with 30gm of Willamette a couple of days ago, after which the airlock started to bubble again, very slowly. 

Tried to take another gravity reading today but I couldn't get the same reading twice. It kept fluctuating between 1.012 and 1.020. The gravity can't have gone up, so I am guessing it is actually 1.012, which is the same as it was. The gravity sample tastes a lot better since the dry hop and is very promising.

I was going to CC this brew, to settle out the (commando) hops, which were still floating on top of the beer, but when I returned to the carboy after taking the sample the hops had settled by themselves. Disturbing them with the wine thief appears to have triggered it. So rather than CC I have decided to fine with Chitosan at room temperature, something I have been meaning to try for a while. I will keg tomorrow, and bottle what doesn't fit. 

Cheers,

Christina. 

Edited March 16, 2020 by ChristinaS1

[ChristinaS1]

Update on the Sour Cherry EBS. Having my first taste from the keg just now. The beer is 10 days old (kegged two days ago). Not fully carbonated yet but first impressions are good: thick, creamy head, nice lacing. Caramel, English hops, and dark, fruity aroma; not sure if this is from the sour cherry juice or the C120L. Think that there is enough Maris Otter to give it an authentic English taste. Nice mouthfeel. Very happy with what this yeast did for the recipe. This is my best ESB by far. I don't feel a need to change the recipe.

Cheers,

Christina.

Edited March 20, 2020 by ChristinaS1

[Journeyman]

I'm not sure if this qualifies as English Bitter even though that's the base. Smells wonderful with the Amber and crystal additions. Partial mash for 90 mins, boil for an hours, cascade was at 10 mins instead of 20. Looking forward to this one...

[ChristinaS1]

On 3/8/2020 at 3:35 PM, ChristinaS1 said:

Sour Cherry ESB

 

1.7kg Lager kit

1.43gm Maris Otter 

250gm C60L 

70gm C120L 

463mL Terra Beata Sour Cherry juice

25gm Fuggles @ 30 min

35gm EKG @ 2 min

10mL Clarity Ferm

23L RO water 

WLP095 Burlington Ale BBE 14-03-202 (ie 7 days before expiry, estimated viability 28%) in 2.5L SNS starter fortified with 12.25gm boiled bread yeast.

 

OG 1.048 FG 1.010; ABV 4.9% keg; EBC 22; IBU 33; BU:GU 0.70.

Just gotta say again that this beer turned out really well, despite the apparent over-pitch. Not sure if it is due to using a large percentage of Maris Otter in the partial mash, the yeast used, or bio-transformation of the Sour Cherry juice and EKG hops, but it is really good.  Next time I make the recipe I will pitch less yeast and ferment it cooler.

Cheers,

Christina.

 

Edited March 30, 2020 by ChristinaS1