English Bitter/ESB

[MrSpaz]

Need your help. For what it's worth, this will be my 5th batch, and will be my 2nd Partial Mash (BIAB). Still a beginning and have a lot to learn. Feel free to give any comments or ask questions. Thanks for the help!

3.5 # Marris Otter
0.5 # Crystal 75 Hoping to mash at 153 for 60 mins
2.5 # Golden Light DME
2 #Pilsen DME (trying to keep this light, hard with extract brewing)

I have 2 oz of Challenger and 1 oz East Kent Goldings (only had 1 oz left) I was thinking 2 oz of Challenger at 60 mins and EKG at 15min. Irish Moss at 15 min

I was hoping to use White Labs WLP002 but after I bought it, found out Best By date was early May. Not sure I should really work on getting a starter, or go back and get WYEAST. Thoughts?

Brewtoad says this is OG 1.053 (based on 5.5 gal) and 44 IBUs. Color is 8.

There you have it. Thanks again for any help.

 

[bacchusmj]

I would add some biscuit or victory in there for some bready notes. maybe a .5#. MO will give you a good a nice nutty flavor but bitters need that good bread note.

On the yeast, I love 002. If you are worried about viability make a starter. You will know if its working within 12-16 hours.

 

[MrSpaz]

Awesome. Thanks for the advice. I'll go back and pick up some biscuit. I guess I can try it out and it it's not fermenting, go back and buy a WYEAST or something.

 

[alane1]

I'm confident that the white labs is ok, especially if the yeast is still white. Don't use 2 oz. challenger at 60 use 1 oz. at 60 and maybe .5 oz. kent goldings at 10 and use the remaining .5 oz EKG for a dry hop. Cheers

 

[bierhaus15]

I understand this is a partial mash, but realize that virtually all bitters brewed in the UK do not use biscuit or other character malts. They are just not needed if you are using good quality UK base malts. That said, a small amount (max 5%) wont hurt anything, but it is not necessary.

Also, make a starter regardless of your yeast situation. Challenger is a very nice aroma hop too.

 

[MrSpaz]

So I bottled this today: overall, definitely tasted the English grains, which I was very pleased about. It fermented well (1.060-1.014). It came out light, which I was hoping for. The one issue is it didn't have a great deal of bitterness to it. I know that English Bitters aren't nearly as bitter than American ones, but was slightly disappointed. Do you guys think these hop flavors will come out more with carbing/conditioning? Or do you think I'm stuck with what I got?

 

[alane1]

Did the bitterness taste salty and dirty? you're tasting green beer, give it awhile, it'll taste nice. Cheers.

 

[MrSpaz]

That's the plan. Two weeks to carb/condition and one week in fridge before party. Just curious to see if the hops come out more with age??