Befuggled (ESB)

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AnOldUR

fer-men-TAY-shuhn
HBT Supporter
Joined
Mar 12, 2007
Messages
6,841
Reaction score
857
Recipe Type
All Grain
Yeast
Wyeast 1335 Briitish Ale II
Yeast Starter
no
Additional Yeast or Yeast Starter
none
Batch Size (Gallons)
3 1/2
Original Gravity
1.055
Final Gravity
1.011
Boiling Time (Minutes)
60
IBU
37
Color
13 SRM
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
20 day @ 68-72 dgrs
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
21 day @ 68-72 dgrs
Additional Fermentation
24 hours cold crash
Tasting Notes
3rd Place English Bitters Lehigh Valley Homebrewers Malt Madness (20 entries)
Befuggled

5.10 lbs Belgian Pale Malt - Dingeman’s
.40 lbs Belgian Biscuit Malt - Dingeman’s
.40 lbs Crystal 20L – Briess
.10 lbs Chocolate Wheat – Weyermann
.9 oz Fuggles Hops – Alpha 4.50% - FWH
.5 oz Fuggles Hops – Alpha 4.50% - 15 min
.5 oz Fuggles Hops – Alpha 4.50% - 5 min
.5 oz Fuggles Hops – Alpha 4.50% - Dry Hop
Wyeast 1335 Briitish Ale II

3 gallon Igloo MLT
Infusion Mash-in to 108 degrees - .75 qts/lb for 30 minutes
Infusion Step to 150 degrees - 1.5 qts/lb for 60 minutes
Decoction Mash-out w/ 5 qts thin mash to 168 degrees
Batch Sparge 2 X 7 qts
60 minute boil
75% Efficiency
Ferment in 5 gallon glass carboy

Note:
Had a problem with a bad modification I made to my MLT. Ran very slow!

Edit:
This small batch was a trial run for the recipe and some techniques new to me. I followed it with a 5 gallon batch with changes to both the recipe and method. The original recipe is what is posted here, because this is what was submitted to the competition.



056-Befuggled.jpg
 
Decocting for the fun of it, eh? Bring me some this weekend :D. I'll have some IPA and my Rye ale for you.
 
I might try this soon. What were the changes you made to the original recipe & why?
The recipe was scaled evenly to 5 gallons. The only exception was reducing the percentage of pale malt in order to add a half pound of Light Munich. I was hoping to add some additional malt character (per comp score sheet) and may be a little toastiness. As for technique, this time I went with a double decoction.

The addition of the Light Munich worked out well. Exactly as expected, but next time I'll go back to only a mash-out decoction. I don't think the double had any significant effect on the final product and it was a whole lot of work.

Good luck if you try this! Let me know how it turns out. It’s my wife’s favorite beer, so I have to make sure I always have some on tap.
 
Oooh!! Be sure to let us know how this turns out! Fuggles is my No. 1 favourite hop. It makes a nice change to see so much of it in one recipe! :D This could be one for me to try later if it works well, methinks.
 
Herm, not sure if I ever commented on this ESB when you gave to me ages ago- but I absolutely love an all-Fuggles bitter!
 
AnOldUR - that looks yummy. I might suggest that recipe for my friends' English challenge. Could you provide an updated 5 gal recipe?
Jason. Sorry for the late response. I’m brewing a MO/Fuggles SmaSH today and noticed your post in the https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/all-fuggle-mild-93557/ thread.

Although I still have some nostalgic memories from the original recipe, the five gallon batch was excellent. Good enough so that it is gone and there is another batch in the basement secondary right now. I’ve pretty much stuck to the methods used for the original batch with the step mash and decoction mash-out. If your friend tries this, let me know how it turns out. The new ingredient list is here:

10.00 lbs Belgian Pale – Dingeman
1.00 lbs 20L Crystal – Briess
.75 lbs Belgian Biscuit – Dingeman
.50 lbs Light Munich – Weyermann
.13 lbs Chocolate Wheat - Weyermann
1.00 oz Fuggles Hop Pellets – Alpha 4.0% - FWH
1.00 oz Fuggles Hop Pellets – Alpha 4.0% - 60 min
1.00 oz Fuggles Hop Pellets – Alpha 4.0% - 15 min
1.00 oz Fuggles Hop Pellets – Alpha 4.0% - 5 min
1.00 oz Fuggles Hop Pellets – Alpha 4.0% - Dry Hop
1.00 tsp Irish Moss
1.00 tbs pH Stabilizer
Wyeast 1335 British Ale II (2nd Generation)
 
I'm looking into this recipe for one of my next brews. I'm wondering if you still "vouch" for this recipe? :D

I've sometimes found fuggles to be a bit too ..... earthy?? maybe. Is this one of those situations where using an abundance balances the earthiness or just it just exacerbate it?

Edit:
Also, why Belgian pale instead of Maris Otter? I'd generally think MO but if there's good reason I'll go belgian pale.
 
I've sometimes found fuggles to be a bit too ..... earthy?? maybe. Is this one of those situations where using an abundance balances the earthiness or just it just exacerbate it?

Well, if you are not fond of the earthiness, then I just wouldn't do it? ;)

It was a pint of IPA I had in a pub about 30 years ago that really turned me on to fuggles. It was really very dominant, and certainly not balanced. However, that earthiness to me, at least epitomized the rugged style of the brew. I'm also a great fan of EKG, but for me, fuggles gives that cottagey rugged feel of the countryside. It makes me feel like I am having a pint in a pub 30 yards from a barn full of cow crap, while 30 yards in the other direction a tractor driven by a drunken farmer is running over an unfortunate duck.........Maybe it's less about the taste and more about the feelings the aroma invokes? :p

For the record, I was standing at the door of The Lord Nelson, Hythe, England.......Nowhere near a barn, but in very close proximity to my father, and a very drunk ferry captain. :)
 
It's hard to say EXACTLY that I'm not fond of the earthiness.... just that in the few brews I've made with fuggles (esb variants) that I've noticed an unfamiliar characteristic that stood out. This same thing happened to me when I first tried saison; after a couple examples I was a fan!! Plus, I have about 12-14 oz of fuggles I'm needing to work through. What better way to determine if you're a fan of a particular hop, and use up a supply, than make a beer that specifically showcases the hop (bitter, flavor, and aroma)? Plus, I've often found in life that it just takes repeated experience with some things unfamiliar/unusual to begin appreciating it :)
 
It's hard to say EXACTLY that I'm not fond of the earthiness.... just that in the few brews I've made with fuggles (esb variants) that I've noticed an unfamiliar characteristic that stood out. This same thing happened to me when I first tried saison; after a couple examples I was a fan!! Plus, I have about 12-14 oz of fuggles I'm needing to work through. What better way to determine if you're a fan of a particular hop, and use up a supply, than make a beer that specifically showcases the hop (bitter, flavor, and aroma)? Plus, I've often found in life that it just takes repeated experience with some things unfamiliar/unusual to begin appreciating it :)

Bingo! :D
 
Took longer than expected but it's in a fermenter and the yeast is patiently waiting to destroy those malt sugars. I basically went with your new grainbill percentages, and then made some minor tweaks. I went with crisp 77 for my crystal, and dropped the pale chocolate because it's going to go on tap next to an amber and I didn't want them both to be basically the same color :D (I know; picky, picky). I'm trying out Mangrove Jack's Burton Union for this one so who knows how it'll come out. I'll post back with some tasting notes in a few weeks.

Thanks for the inspiration to go big or go home (with Fuggles, that is) :D
 
I'll post back with some tasting notes in a few weeks . . . Thanks for the inspiration to go big or go home (with Fuggles, that is) :D
Look forward to hearing your results. Been brewing with a lot of American hops lately, but will be serving a crowd at Thanksgiving and need something to contrast that. You may have inspired me to revisit this recipe. Thanks!
 
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