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English Bitter


SteveL

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christopher,

i think the phrase "she'll be right, mate!" applies.[biggrin] i wouldn't think that after 4 days in the FV your beer would taste like you would expect the finished product to. give it a couple of months. i think the vinegar taste and smell will dissipate by then.[unsure]

 

chad

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Just an update. I bottled last night. Gravity sat at 1012 for 24hrs per the recipe. I have to say it tastes and smells fantastic. Much better then the weekend.

 

I still think there is a very slight vinegar smell to it, but I think that's the style of beer then anything else. Cheers for the advice! Now the waiting game.. damn [joyful]

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Vinegar is a result of acetobacter organisms converting the alcohol to vinegar. Vinegar is conosiderwed to be a fault in beer. [rightful]

 

Does a sample smell like vinegar or is the smell from having a sniff of the brew inside the FV. If it's from the brew in the FV, maybe it's CO2 bite that you are detecting??

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Vinegar is a result of acetobacter organisms converting the alcohol to vinegar. Vinegar is conosiderwed to be a fault in beer. [rightful]

 

Does a sample smell like vinegar or is the smell from having a sniff of the brew inside the FV. If it's from the brew in the FV, maybe it's CO2 bite that you are detecting??

 

The sample initially did on the weekend, but the sample last night before bottling smelt and tasted a lot better. I think it might have just been my nose that picked that smell out originally. It certainly tasted like English Bitter before I bottled. My wife smelt it too and said it was a lot better. I suppose time will tell, but considering it improved after a few days I'm assuming its ok?

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi guys, just to let you know the ESB turned out well. It still has a bit of a molasses taste to it after 3 weeks, but overall I like it a lot. I'm thinking about doing some of the other recipes around that don't use the molasses and use malt and hops instead! I think this one will become a staple for me, considering this sort of beer costs a fortune to purchase in the shops.

 

Cheers!!

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BSA Bitter is a real winner at 1 month in the bottle.[cool]

 

1.7Kg E. bitter

1.2 Amber LME (organic)

300g dex

250g molasses

17g Fuggles dry hopped @ 5 days fermention

7g cooper's kit yeast (next time i will use 14g or a starter just in case).[wink]

169g dex for priming

OG 1.052 FG 1.012

is a real winner at 1 month in the bottle.[cool] even at cold lagering temps.[roll]

 

chad

 

 

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  • 11 months later...

Hi all, this is my first post on this terrific forum. I'm on to my third brew in total (previous were Coopers Mexican and Canadian honey blonde) and as I've spent a heap of time in "The Motherland", I though I'd give the English Bitter a crack. Recipe used is as follows:

 

English Bitter Can

1Kg LDM

250gms Dextrose

Yeast provided

23 Litres of Peats Ridge's finest water

 

My OG on first testing is at 1023. This seems low to me considering the amount of LDM and dextrose. Has anyone got any thoughts as to what I may have done wrong (if anything) or am I just worrying over nothing? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated

 

Rick

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My OG on first testing is at 1023. This seems low to me considering the amount of LDM and dextrose. Has anyone got any thoughts as to what I may have done wrong (if anything) or am I just worrying over nothing? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated

 

Rick

 

Don't worry, with those ingredients the OG was definitely higher than that. I reckon the two most probable explanations are that either there's something wrong with your hydrometer, or the malt extract hadn't been properly dissolved and mixed in the water. Where did you take the sample, from the top or the bottom? In any case, you have nothing to worry about.

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.....Recipe used is as follows:

 

English Bitter Can

1Kg LDM

250gms Dextrose

Yeast provided

23 Litres of Peats Ridge's finest water

...

My OG on first testing is at 1023.... Rick

 

Hey Rick

Definitely not the correct SG, it should be in the order of 1.040 - 1.045. If all of those ingredients went in then it probably wasn't mixed correctly.

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My OG on first testing is at 1023. This seems low to me considering the amount of LDM and dextrose. Has anyone got any thoughts as to what I may have done wrong (if anything) or am I just worrying over nothing? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated

 

Rick

 

Don't worry, with those ingredients the OG was definitely higher than that. I reckon the two most probable explanations are that either there's something wrong with your hydrometer, or the malt extract hadn't been properly dissolved and mixed in the water. Where did you take the sample, from the top or the bottom? In any case, you have nothing to worry about.

I took the sample from the bottom Jimmy. I was certain I had mixed everything really well but hey, it appears not! Theres plenty of action in the fermentor already so I guess I'll just wait and see what happens. Thanks both to you and Nelson Amarillo for your fast responses. Cheers

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  • 2 weeks later...

I just mixed up my latest English Bitter and I'm excited as hell[lol]. The whole house smells like grains and hops[biggrin]!! Can anyone give me some feedback for this batch?

 

EB Kit

1kg LDM

125g Dex

250g Caramalt grains cracked & steeped @ 70c going down to 65c over 1/2 hr

Removed grain bag

Did a boil for 20min

Added 25g Fuggles for last 5min

Added 25g Fuggles at flame out then let it steep 30min

Strained into FV and topped up to 23L

OG = 1042

 

Like I said it smells great, looking forward to hearing what others think?

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  • 2 months later...

Rather than a new thread I thought I'd add to this what I'm planning.

 

English Bitter can

1kg Liquid Amber Malt (brewers choice)

200g Crystal

25g Fuggles @ 10min

Water to 21L

Kit yeast

Dry hop: 15g Fuggles/15g EKG

 

Thoughts? Wanting a fairly high strength, hoppy and malty brew.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Rather than a new thread I thought I'd add to this what I'm planning.

 

English Bitter can

1kg Liquid Amber Malt (brewers choice)

200g Crystal

25g Fuggles @ 10min

Water to 21L

Kit yeast

Dry hop: 15g Fuggles/15g EKG

 

Thoughts? Wanting a fairly high strength, hoppy and malty brew.

 

I put this one down last night. My pregnant-hyper-sensitive-nose wife was not impressed that I did so while she was around...

 

1.7kg Coopers English Bitter

1kg Liquid Amber Malt Extract (LHBS brand)

0.5kg LDME

250g Lactose (just to use it up)

220g Crystal + 30g chocolate malt (came in a pre-cracked pack)

30g Fuggles @ 10min

15g Fuggles @ 0min

 

Steeped grains 30mins @ 65-70deg.

Boiled 10 mins.

Filled to 22L

Pitched 500ml starter of harvested/rinsed S-04 yeast @ 22deg, now fermenting @ 20deg, aiming to lower it to 18deg or thereabouts.

 

Looking forward to this one :-)

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I put this one down last night. My pregnant-hyper-sensitive-nose wife was not impressed that I did so while she was around...

 

1.7kg Coopers English Bitter

1kg Liquid Amber Malt Extract (LHBS brand)

0.5kg LDME

250g Lactose (just to use it up)

220g Crystal + 30g chocolate malt (came in a pre-cracked pack)

30g Fuggles @ 10min

15g Fuggles @ 0min

 

Steeped grains 30mins @ 65-70deg.

Boiled 10 mins.

Filled to 22L

Pitched 500ml starter of harvested/rinsed S-04 yeast @ 22deg, now fermenting @ 20deg, aiming to lower it to 18deg or thereabouts.

 

Looking forward to this one :-)

 

Just dry hopped with 15g EK Goldings and 15g Fuggles.

It's looking and smelling good (day 4 of fermentation). Nice scum ring fairly high above the line, so it had a good krausen on it. Short lived krausen, only about 24 hours, but that's pretty normal for my brews I've seen.

 

Preparing to bottle the Pils tomorrow. [happy]

 

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  • 1 month later...

Hi all, just about to brew this ESB, apart from the 1kg LDME and i got some goldings which i will dry hop - in a hop tea bag so assume i can just throw in or do i need to rip bag open, do i need to use 250g dextrose or just there for extra ABV? Dont mind a 4 - 4.5% english ale[biggrin]

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  • 3 weeks later...

A little bump [biggrin]

I haven't shared this one before, it is pretty basic but after 12 weeks in the keg it has risen to the Top of my favorite list.

 

English Bitter 4.0

Coopers English Bitter

880g Light Dry Malt

300g Medium Crystal Grain 120

10g S04 pitched at 23'C

OG = 1.040

Dry Hopped 25g East Kent Goldings at day 5

Fermented out at 17'C - 16 days in FV

FG = 1.009

ABV 4%

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