Old Speckled Hen Clone

[KingBrianI]

I've always liked Old Speckled Hen - at least when it's fresh and bottled (I don't much care for the nitro widget can stuff). So I figured why not just make a batch so I can have it on tap anytime I want. There's a recipe in Brew Your Own British Real Ale, but like most of the recipes in there, Graham seems to have simplified it for the benefit of novice brewers. Namely, he substituted white sugar and black malt for what I believe is probably invert sugar used in the real thing. So I made up a batch of invert No. 2, cultured up some Morland yeast from a couple of bottles of Hen's Tooth, and got to work.

Old Speckled Hen

OG 1.050
IBU 32
SRM 11

80% Maris Otter
12% Invert No. 2
8% British Medium Crystal
(I also added 1 oz. of acidulated malt to get my mash pH to 5.3)

45g First Gold @ 60 min
14g EKG @ 10 min

And, as I mentioned, Morland's own yeast

Brewday went well. The yeast smelled a little harsh in the starters I stepped up from the bottle dregs of the Hen's Tooth, but I'm crossing my fingers it produces a good beer, hopefully with those beautiful esters in the real thing. I'm a little worried about their condition after the trip across the ocean, though, since it took a while for that first 100 mL starter of the dregs to get going. I've also read that Morland (at least used to) use a dual-strain culture. Whether or not this is still the case, and if both have managed to make it in my starter I don't know. In about 3 weeks hopefully everything comes together, though!

Now for some pics!

Putting that Grainfather to work


Homemade Invert


Crazy cooling setup to deal with my hot groundwater


Pumping into the FV


Giving this stuff a try since I love how bright OSH is and I want mine to be pretty too!


Nailed OG


Almost nailed color. Maybe after fermentation and clearing it'll be closer


Don't let me down Morland yeast!!


Comfy Cosy in the Fermentation Fridge

 

[brewbama]

I am drinking Orfy's version now. It's good but a bit lighter than the bottled version. I used Lyle's Golden Syrup. View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1465671290.734393.jpg

 

[tiredofbuyingbeer]

I bought the stuff to brew this today. Or, rather, to brew a cross between this and Orfy's recipe.

How did it turn out?

Also, there's a discrepancy between this recipe and the other regarding bitterness. Is the real OSH closer to 30, 40, or 47 IBUs? I was thinking of shooting for 40-ish, but with first gold as the main bittering hop.

 

[tiredofbuyingbeer]

Well, I made this last night. Here's my mash bill:

6.75# Maris Otter
2/3# Medium Crystal
1# Invert no. 2

BIAB: Mashed high, ~158F, for 60 minutes. Sparged at 170. OG was around 1.053.

Hop additions: 1 oz. each First Gold (7.2% AA) and EKG (5.1%) at 60 min; 0.5 oz. EKG at 15 min; 0.5 EKG at 5 min.

I used Nottingham, as per Orfy's recipe.

 

[SanPancho]

Any updates on this one? Been looking for good recipe.

Have seen other well-regarded recipes that are supposed to be very close, but they use extract. They recommend challenger, ekg, and “goldings”. And thames valley yeast.

This grain bill seem on point?