ESB REcipe Critique

[SAMPLER]

I just doughed in and was wondering if anyone would like to comment on my recipe. It's a pretty straight forward ESB but the hop schedule is a little on the weak side but it what I had to work with.

Please note this is a 10gal batch.

Thanks for taking the time.


New York St. ESB

A ProMash Recipe Report

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (Gal): 11.00 Wort Size (Gal): 11.00
Total Grain (Lbs): 20.00
Anticipated OG: 1.049 Plato: 12.12
Anticipated SRM: 6.4
Anticipated IBU: 29.5
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75 %
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
85.0 17.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) America 1.036 2
12.5 2.50 lbs. Crystal 20L America 1.035 20
2.5 0.50 lbs. Biscuit Malt Belgium 1.035 24

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.00 oz. Goldings - E.K. Pellet 4.75 10.6 60 min.
1.00 oz. Fuggle Pellet 4.75 10.6 60 min.
0.50 oz. Fuggle Pellet 4.75 2.7 30 min.
0.50 oz. Goldings - E.K. Pellet 4.75 2.7 30 min.
0.50 oz. Fuggle Pellet 4.75 1.4 15 min.
0.50 oz. Goldings - E.K. Pellet 4.75 1.4 15 min.

 

[SAMPLER]

****bump****

 

[motobrewer]

looks pretty tasty.

I see nothing wrong with the hop schedule. I did an ESB saturday that went like this:

9.25 Maris Otter
1.25 simpsons medium crystal

2oz goldings at 60
1oz goldings at 0

what yeast are you using? I used Thames Valley II.

 

[permo]

I like the biscuit addition..nice touch. I recently made a five gallon batch of ESB with pale malt, and a pound of aromatic. It is one of my most popular brews.

Your hop schedule looks fantastic, although I personally like mine a little more bitter.

 

[michael.berta]

I have a few suggestions. I've always thought an ESB would be amber in color. More like 16 or 17 SRM instead of 6. I'd take out some of the C20 and replace with some C120. Then an ounce or two of carafa or black patent just for color. That should also give some carmel type flavors that are in this style.

I've also thought that a traditional ESB should use British ingredients. So I'd take out the 2row and use Marris Otter as a base malt. I'd use a British yeast. I'd use S-04 if I wanted some residual sweetness or Nottingham if i wanted it to be drier.

 

[motobrewer]

amber? you sure you aren't thinking of a mild?

bjcp says anything from 6-18 is "in style". I don't think i've ever seen any "commercial" esb's that are close to amber.

i definitely would not use c120, at least not any more than 2-4oz. but I've seen a bunch of recipes use an ounce or two of black patent for color.

maris otter is nice, i used it. i think 2-row would make a nice bitter however.

 

[permo]

I have a few suggestions. I've always thought an ESB would be amber in color. More like 16 or 17 SRM instead of 6. I'd take out some of the C20 and replace with some C120. Then an ounce or two of carafa or black patent just for color. That should also give some carmel type flavors that are in this style.

I've also thought that a traditional ESB should use British ingredients. So I'd take out the 2row and use Marris Otter as a base malt. I'd use a British yeast. I'd use S-04 if I wanted some residual sweetness or Nottingham if i wanted it to be drier.

+1 on the marris otter. Your hop schedule is great. If you have access to the marris otter, it would certainly improve your beer by swapping out the standard two row for MO.

Also, I think one of the biggest qualities of a bitter is drinkability. So I would mash low at around 150-151 and use nottingham ale yeast fermented at 64-67 degrees. You want the yeast to show up a little and not ferement too cleanly. Also the notty will dry it out nice and drop like a stone when it's done. I also think carbonation should be medium on an ESB......it should just flow down your throat and leave you with a nice, dry, hoppy finish.

 

[SAMPLER]

I like the biscuit addition..nice touch. I recently made a five gallon batch of ESB with pale malt, and a pound of aromatic. It is one of my most popular brews.

Your hop schedule looks fantastic, although I personally like mine a little more bitter.

Yummie... I like the idea of Aromatic. I have a poiund or two I could have dipped into as well.

I have a few suggestions. I've always thought an ESB would be amber in color. More like 16 or 17 SRM instead of 6. I'd take out some of the C20 and replace with some C120. Then an ounce or two of carafa or black patent just for color. That should also give some carmel type flavors that are in this style.

I've also thought that a traditional ESB should use British ingredients. So I'd take out the 2row and use Marris Otter as a base malt. I'd use a British yeast. I'd use S-04 if I wanted some residual sweetness or Nottingham if i wanted it to be drier.

I perfer Maris Otter over plan 2-row but I was using up what I had in stock. Which is alos wh I ended up with C20. I would have liked to use C80 but I was out.

I'm going to be using SA-04 English Ale yeast. Again I would perfer WLP002 English but it was not an option.

I'll let you know how it turns out. I'mm finishing up the boil as we speak

 

[permo]

Yummie... I like the idea of Aromatic. I have a poiund or two I could have dipped into as well.



I perfer Maris Otter over plan 2-row but I was using up what I had in stock. Which is alos wh I ended up with C20. I would have liked to use C80 but I was out.

I'm going to be using SA-04 English Ale yeast. Again I would perfer WLP002 English but it was not an option.

I'll let you know how it turns out. I'mm finishing up the boil as we speak

A word about the S-04......if you want it to finish up properly don't let it dip down below about 62 degrees. If I were you I would let ferementation go for about 2-3 days...when you notice things starting to slow down..move the temp up and try to keep it at 66-68....I have had 3 beers brewed with S-04 finish in the low 1.020's because of too cold temp through fermentation. The beers were still good...but could have been great.

 

[SAMPLER]

A word about the S-04......if you want it to finish up properly don't let it dip down below about 62 degrees. If I were you I would let ferementation go for about 2-3 days...when you notice things starting to slow down..move the temp up and try to keep it at 66-68....I have had 3 beers brewed with S-04 finish in the low 1.020's because of too cold temp through fermentation. The beers were still good...but could have been great.

Thanks for the heads up!

 

[michael.berta]

bjcp says anything from 6-18 is "in style". I don't think i've ever seen any "commercial" esb's that are close to amber.

OK. So you like them on the light side of the style. I like them on the dark side of the style. No need to get angry....

 

[motobrewer]

lol, who was angry? i was simply stating that I've never seen any amber ESB's, and that 6 SRM isn't even outside range.

 

[SAMPLER]

Good day overall.... I missed the OG by 2 points.
Nothing to lose seep over. Not bad for my first batch in nearly 10 mouths.

 

[ChemE]

The ESB that defines the style (Fuller's ESB) is more of an amber than a pale. Consider adding a few ounces of Special B next time. I find special bitters and ESBs that utilize two different crystal malts rather than one are far more complex. I reject the notion that all ingredients must be British though and I also use Belgian biscuit in all my bitters.

http://www.fullers-ales.com/tasting_notes.php?beer=esb