Strong Bitter Redcoat's ESB

This is my first time posting a recipe, so bear with me. This is my second favorite recipe so far.

Grain/Mash

4 lbs UK Pale Ale
4 lbs Maris Otter
0.75lbs (12oz) UK 65L Crystal
0.5 lbs (8oz) CaraPils
0.25 lbs (4oz) US 20L Crystal
0.375 lbs (6oz) Honey Malt

Hops/Boil Additions
(9 AAU) Willamette 60'
0.25 tsp Irish Moss 15'
0.5 oz East Kent Goldings 10'
0.5 oz East Kent Goldings 1'

Yeast
Safale S-04 or WL013 London Ale


Single infusion mash:
Mash grains at 152F 60' (using 4 US gallons)
Sparge at 170F 10' (using 3.65 US gallons)
Boil 60' (Pre boil volume 6.5 gal)

Comments:
Simply a balanced ESB that is easy to drink while having a balanced complexity within the malt and hops. EKG is mild, but prominent in the beer. The bitterness is solid, but balanced as stated before. Great thick and foamy head. Moderate lacing with every sip.


My brew:
OG 1.058
FG 1.014
Probably would recommend using some gelatin to clear during a secondary or kegging.


Cheers

Still an amateur clarity picture taker thing, but I know you peeps love these.




edit: I guess my recipe le sucks.

I am going to sub to this. I want to do an ESB and this one looks really good. Can I assume that I could substitute the UK pale for Canadian 2-row?

bowserm said:

I am going to sub to this. I want to do an ESB and this one looks really good. Can I assume that I could substitute the UK pale for Canadian 2-row?

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Sorry I missed this. I took a hiatus this summer and didn't really check HBT.
The UK pale is a lighter and cleaner malt than the Maris Otter. I would assume you should get a very similar beer by using the Canadian 2 row if you still use Maris Otter in the recipe.

Cheers.

Considering remaking this one with this modification to go straight MO instead of splitting the base grain.

4 lbs UK Pale Ale
4 lbs Maris Otter
8 lbs Maris Otter
0.75lbs (12oz) UK 65L Crystal
0.5 lbs (8oz) CaraPils
0.25 lbs (4oz) US 20L Crystal
0.375 lbs (6oz) Honey Malt

jdubdvdt said:

Considering remaking this one with this modification to go straight MO instead of splitting the base grain.

4 lbs UK Pale Ale
4 lbs Maris Otter
8 lbs Maris Otter
0.75lbs (12oz) UK 65L Crystal
0.5 lbs (8oz) CaraPils
0.25 lbs (4oz) US 20L Crystal
0.375 lbs (6oz) Honey Malt

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Imo, you can never go wrong with MO. Also tossing out Golden Promise as an option, if you're looking for some of the "ESB" cleaner sweetness v. the somewhat richer, nuttier quality of MO (that's my experience of both, YMMV).

Gadjobrinus said:

Imo, you can never go wrong with MO. Also tossing out Golden Promise as an option, if you're looking for some of the "ESB" cleaner sweetness v. the somewhat richer, nuttier quality of MO (that's my experience of both, YMMV).

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Maybe I need to do two smaller batches and see which one I like more! Thanks for the suggestion.

jdubdvdt said:

Maybe I need to do two smaller batches and see which one I like more! Thanks for the suggestion.

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If you can swing it, I agree there's no better way. Currently doing a set of yeast trials with a very basic malt bill, all English yeasts.

Gadjobrinus said:

If you can swing it, I agree there's no better way. Currently doing a set of yeast trials with a very basic malt bill, all English yeasts.

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You post about it yet? Got a link?

jdubdvdt said:

You post about it yet? Got a link?

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No, nothing special really. It's just based on the Coniston's Brewery Bluebird bitter, so 95% MO, 5% crystal, and 100% Challenger hopping. I've got slants of Cullercoats, Somerset, Wards, and Yorkshire yeasts - all from England. I've worked with them all before but it has been years, just coming back in myself over the last several months. Here's the recipe (Cullercoats - all identical except the yeast used).

Gadjobrinus said:

No, nothing special really. It's just based on the Coniston's Brewery Bluebird bitter, so 95% MO, 5% crystal, and 100% Challenger hopping. I've got slants of Cullercoats, Somerset, Wards, and Yorkshire yeasts - all from England. I've worked with them all before but it has been years, just coming back in myself over the last several months. Here's the recipe (Cullercoats - all identical except the yeast used).

View attachment 847184

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No need for 90 min Boil with M.O. - 60 mins max or even 30 mins is all that is necessary

UdonPete said:

No need for 90 min Boil with M.O. - 60 mins max or even 30 mins is all that is necessary

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Lol. OK.

Gadjobrinus said:

No, nothing special really. It's just based on the Coniston's Brewery Bluebird bitter, so 95% MO, 5% crystal, and 100% Challenger hopping. I've got slants of Cullercoats, Somerset, Wards, and Yorkshire yeasts - all from England. I've worked with them all before but it has been years, just coming back in myself over the last several months. Here's the recipe (Cullercoats - all identical except the yeast used).

View attachment 847184

Click to expand...

I'd second that for a basic recipe for a nice bitter. 95% MO, 5% C65, Challenger hops for about .8 ibu ratio, some EKG at flameout, and Wyeast 1469 West Yorkshire.