My first extract recipe kit

Pivot · 10-14-2009, 03:29 AM

I just picked up my first actual extract recipe kit. So far Ive been using other things like beer in a bag or pre hopped extract cans, and Im just wondering what everyone else thinks of the recipe before I start it. its supposed to be for a Fullers ESB clone

7 oz light crystal malt
9.5 oz amber malt
9.5 oz flaked corn
120 oz light liquid unhopped malt extract
1 oz Northern Brewer Hops (boiling) 30 minutes
0.7 oz Fuggles Hops (flavouring) 8 minutes
1.5 oz East Kent Goldings Hops (finishing) 1 minute

it also included a packet of Nottingham dry ale yeast, but due to what I read about the recall, Im open for suggestions about a different yeast I should pick up instead.

Thanks for the look over guys. Hopefully this will be my best beer yet.

**Pappers_** · 10-14-2009, 04:17 AM

Looks good, Pivot! Nothing like a good ESB, imho.

I'm curious that there are no 60 minute hops. Where did you get the kit from? Perhaps you could contact them and ask - do the directions only call for a 30 minute boil?

I don't really know if you should be worried about the Nottingham, but if you are, you could substitute Safale US-04 or Danstar Windsor (both are dry yeasts).

Pivot · 10-14-2009, 05:02 AM

I was curious about that myself. I got it from The canadian chain called Noble Grape. it says for those particular hops in the instructions to be added as soon as the boil begins and boiled with the wort for a full 30 minutes to extract the bitterness from them
and yes it does say the total boil time would be 30 minutes. this isnt long enough is it?
Im still new to how hops are used in the boiling, so if you can help me out with this I will be greatly appreciative

ZooBrew · 10-14-2009, 01:23 PM

If that's a 'kit' from a retailer, I'd make exactly as per instructions. After you get a couple of kits under your belt (no pun intended), then you can experiment. And besides, if your kit makes a 'knock-your-socks-off' ESB, you may not want to deviate from the recipe (something you may not know if you tweeked it from the outset).

**Yooper** · 10-14-2009, 01:28 PM

What are the AA% on the hops? Northern Brewer may have enough AAUs to boil a whole ounce for 30 minutes and give you enough IBUs. I can run the recipe through Beersmith to double check the numbers, if you want.

Pivot · 10-14-2009, 06:17 PM

Im not sure about all those statistics, I just know as much as the paper that it came with tells me haha. It is a recipe kit I got from my LHBS. the instructions for it though seem to be generic instructions that they include with every kit that they sell.

Also, I went to my HBS and told asked them about a different yeast I could use in place of the Nottingham, and they gave me a sachet of dry coopers yeast. is this a good substitute?

Bob · 10-15-2009, 05:34 PM

Not really, not for ESB. I'd get a packet of S-04 (English) or S-05 (American). S-04 will be more estery/fruity, and S-05 will throw less esters ("clean" tasting).

I'm not a big fan of Cooper's.

I'm also curious about the flaked maize. There's no reason to have it in there; the recipe as it stands won't make any use of it. All it'll add is haze.

Cheers!

Bob

Pivot · 10-15-2009, 06:35 PM

crap! I was waiting around all day for an answer before I brewed my ESB and nobody made a comment on the coopers so I just used it. oh well. hopefully it will be okay anyway

**tomheff** · 10-15-2009, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pivot676

crap! I was waiting around all day for an answer before I brewed my ESB and nobody made a comment on the coopers so I just used it. oh well. hopefully it will be okay anyway

You should be fine. I've used Coopers yeast to make ESB's before. It comes out very clean.