3 potential new - Best, Strong Bitter, Imperial Stout

[Gadjobrinus]

Just getting back in and trying to get my sense of things again. 3 recipes, a northern best bitter & strong bitter, and an Imperial Stout. Since almost exclusively turning to German and French sourdough baking, I'm just used to metric anymore, but the %'s are listed.

One question up front - getting most of the hops from Northwest Hop Farms. The Flyer is 2018. Long forgotten but I don't think I've ever used pellets this old, irrespective of storageability. But I may have completely forgotten. Would a 2018 Flyer suit still?

Best Bitter
11-15-2023 Ironbridge Best

A ProMash Brewing Session Report
--------------------------------

Brewing Date: Wednesday November 15, 2023
Head Brewer: Paul Smith
Asst Brewer: Connor Smith
Recipe: Ironbridge Best

BJCP Style and Style Guidelines
-------------------------------

08-B English Pale Ale, Special/Best/Premium Bitter

Min OG: 1.040 Max OG: 1.048
Min IBU: 25 Max IBU: 40
Min Clr: 5 Max Clr: 16 Color in SRM, Lovibond

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

Batch Size (L): 49.21 Wort Size (L): 49.21
Total Grain (Kg): 7.87
Anticipated OG: 1.046 Plato: 11.32
Anticipated SRM: 7.3
Anticipated IBU: 39.7
Brewhouse Efficiency: 90 %
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Actual OG: 1.046 Plato: 11.32
Actual FG: 1.012 Plato: 3.07

Alc by Weight: 3.45 by Volume: 4.41 From Measured Gravities.
ADF: 72.9 RDF 60.7 Apparent & Real Degree of Fermentation.


Pre-Boil Amounts
----------------

Evaporation Rate: 7.57 L Per Hour

Raw Pre-Boil Amounts - only targeted volume/gravity and evaporation
rate taken into account:

Pre-Boil Wort Size: 60.56 L
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.037 SG 9.27 Plato

With sparge water, mash water, additional infusions, vessel losses, top-up
water and evaporation rate recorded in the Water Needed Calculator:

Water Needed Pre-Boil Wort Size: 34.36 L
Water Needed Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.065 SG 15.95 Plato


Formulas Used
-------------

Brewhouse Efficiency and Predicted Gravity based on Method #1, Potential Used.
Final Gravity Calculation Based on Points.
Hard Value of Sucrose applied. Value for recipe: 46.2100 ppppg
Yield Type used in Gravity Prediction: Fine Grind Dry Basis.

Color Formula Used: Morey
Hop IBU Formula Used: Rager

Additional Utilization Used For Plug Hops: 2 %
Additional Utilization Used For Pellet Hops: 10 %


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
83.2 6.55 kg. Golden Promise Great Britain 1.037 2
7.9 0.62 kg. Invert Sugar No.2 1.045 33
3.6 0.29 kg. Crystal 77 Great Britain 1.035 77
5.3 0.41 kg. Torrefied Wheat Great Britain 1.036 3

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
40.00 g. Goldings - E.K. Pellet 8.10 21.6 60 min.
84.00 g. Goldings - E.K. Pellet 8.10 12.1 15 min.
105.00 g. Bramling Cross Pellet 5.10 6.0 5 min.
28.00 g. Goldings - E.K. Pellet 8.10 0.0 Dry Hop
28.00 g. Bramling Cross Pellet 5.10 0.0 Dry Hop


Yeast
-----

Wyeast 1469 West Yorkshire Ale

Water Profile
-------------

Profile: Yorkshire
Profile known for: Malty Pale Ales

Calcium(Ca): 105.0 ppm
Magnesium(Mg): 17.0 ppm
Sodium(Na): 23.0 ppm
Sulfate(SO4): 350.0 ppm
Chloride(Cl): 200.0 ppm
biCarbonate(HCO3): 153.0 ppm

pH: 8.33



Mash Schedule
-------------

Mash Name: Special Bitter Mash

Total Grain Kg: 7.25
Total Water Qts: 16.10 - Before Additional Infusions
Total Water L: 15.24 - Before Additional Infusions

Tun Thermal Mass: 0.00
Grain Temp: 20 C


Step Rest Start Stop Heat Infuse Infuse Infuse
Step Name Time Time Temp Temp Type Temp Amount Ratio
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saccharification 5 20 63 63 Infuse 72 15.24 2.10
Ramp 1 1 64 64 Infuse 99 0.29 2.14
Ramp 1 1 64 64 Infuse 99 0.30 2.18
Ramp 1 1 65 65 Infuse 99 0.31 2.23
Ramp 1 1 66 66 Infuse 99 0.32 2.27
Ramp 1 1 66 66 Infuse 99 0.33 2.32
Ramp 1 1 67 67 Infuse 99 0.34 2.36
Conversion 1 70 67 67 Infuse 99 0.35 2.41
Mashout 5 15 77 77 Infuse 99 8.71 3.61


Total Water Qts: 27.68 - After Additional Infusions
Total Water L: 26.19 - After Additional Infusions
Total Mash Volume L: 31.03 - After Additional Infusions

All temperature measurements are degrees Celsius.
All infusion amounts are in Liters.
All infusion ratios are Liters/Kilograms.


Water Needed For Brewing Session
--------------------------------

Sparge Amount: 19.68 Sparge Deadspace: 2.13 Total Into Mash: 17.55

Total Grain Kg: 7.25 Ltr Per Kg: 3.61 Total From Mash: 18.93
Mash Liters: 26.19
Grain Absorption: 7.26

Amount Lost in Lauter Tun Deadspace,
Grant and Misc. to Kettle: 2.13

Top Up Water Added to Kettle: 0.00
Amount into Kettle: 34.36

Boil Time (min): 90.00 Evaporation Rate: 7.57
Amount after Boil: 23.00

Left in Kettle Deadspace: 0.00
Left in Hopback: 0.00
Left in Counterflow Chiller: 0.00
Left in Other Equipment / Other Absorption: 4.54

Amount to Chillers: 18.46
Amount After Cooling (4 perc.): 17.72



Grain absorption rate is: 1.01 (L Per kg)

Evaporation rate is Liters Per Hour

This formulation will yield 17.72 liters of fermentable wort.

You will need 45.88 liters of water for the complete brewing session.


Fermentation Specifics
----------------------

Pitched From: Starter
Amount Pitched: 0 mL
Lag Time: 0.00 hours

Primary Fermenter: Stainless Steel
Primary Type: Closed
Days In Primary: 0
Primary Temperature: 20 degrees C



Inventory Analysis
------------------

Grain/Malt/Extract/Sugar Origin Recipe Kg Kg In Stock Kg Needed
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Golden Promise Great Britain 6.55 0.00 6.55
Invert Sugar No.2 0.62 0.91 0.00
Crystal 77 Great Britain 0.29 3.46 0.00
Torrefied Wheat Great Britain 0.41 2.95 0.00


Hop Origin Recipe g g In Stock g Needed
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Goldings - E.K. - Pellet England 40.00 1939.14 0.00
Goldings - E.K. - Pellet England 84.00 1899.14 0.00
Bramling Cross - Pellet England 105.00 0.00 105.00
Goldings - E.K. - Pellet England 28.00 1815.14 0.00
Bramling Cross - Pellet England 28.00 0.00 28.00


Extras Recipe In Stock Needed
-------------------------------------------------------



Yeast Recipe In Stock Needed
-------------------------------------------------------
West Yorkshire Ale 1.00 0.00 1.00
(Wyeast 1469)


Notes

Strong Bitter
Strong Bitter

A ProMash Recipe Report

BJCP Style and Style Guidelines
-------------------------------

08-C English Pale Ale, Extra Special/Strong Bitter

Min OG: 1.048 Max OG: 1.072
Min IBU: 30 Max IBU: 60
Min Clr: 6 Max Clr: 18 Color in SRM, Lovibond

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

Batch Size (L): 49.21 Wort Size (L): 49.21
Total Grain (kg): 10.66
Anticipated OG: 1.061 Plato: 15.08
Anticipated SRM: 10.5
Anticipated IBU: 50.0
Brewhouse Efficiency: 90 %
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Pre-Boil Amounts
----------------

Evaporation Rate: 7.57 L Per Hour
Pre-Boil Wort Size: 60.56 L
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.050 SG 12.37 Plato

Formulas Used
-------------

Brewhouse Efficiency and Predicted Gravity based on Method #1, Potential Used.
Final Gravity Calculation Based on Points.
Hard Value of Sucrose applied. Value for recipe: 46.2100 ppppg
Yield Type used in Gravity Prediction: Fine Grind Dry Basis.

Color Formula Used: Morey
Hop IBU Formula Used: Rager

Additional Utilization Used For Plug Hops: 2 %
Additional Utilization Used For Pellet Hops: 10 %


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
81.9 8.73 kg. Warminster - Maris Otter England 1.037 3
7.4 0.79 kg. Invert Sugar No.2 1.045 33
1.1 0.11 kg. English DRC - Simpson's, 105- UK 1.032 112
4.3 0.45 kg. Crystal 77 Great Britain 1.035 77
5.3 0.57 kg. Torrefied Wheat Great Britain 1.036 3

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
21.26 g. Admiral Pellet 14.50 21.4 90 min.
35.44 g. Wye Challenger Pellet 7.60 17.0 60 min.
56.70 g. Northdown Pellet 5.00 6.0 20 min.
63.79 g. First Gold Pellet 6.80 5.5 10 min.
70.88 g. First Gold Pellet 6.80 0.0 0 min.
113.40 g. First Gold Pellet 6.80 0.0 Dry Hop


Yeast
-----

Wyeast 1469 West Yorkshire Ale


Water Profile
-------------

Profile: Murphy's Strong Bitter
Profile known for:

Calcium(Ca): 220.0 ppm
Magnesium(Mg): 36.0 ppm
Sodium(Na): 6.0 ppm
Sulfate(SO4): 325.0 ppm
Chloride(Cl): 209.0 ppm
biCarbonate(HCO3): 30.6 ppm

pH: 0.00


Mash Schedule
-------------

Mash Name: Extra Special Bitter Mash

Total Grain kg: 9.87
Total Water Qts: 25.00 - Before Additional Infusions
Total Water L: 23.66 - Before Additional Infusions

Tun Thermal Mass: 0.00
Grain Temp: 19.94 C


Step Rest Start Stop Heat Infuse Infuse Infuse
Step Name Time Time Temp Temp Type Temp Amount Ratio
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saccharification 5 60 67 67 Infuse 74 23.66 2.40
Mashout 5 15 77 77 Infuse 99 12.50 3.66


Total Water Qts: 38.21 - After Additional Infusions
Total Water L: 36.16 - After Additional Infusions
Total Mash Volume L: 42.74 - After Additional Infusions

All temperature measurements are degrees Celsius.
All infusion amounts are in Liters.
All infusion ratios are Liters/Kilograms.


Imperial Stout
Black Stag Baltic Imperial Stout - with flyer

A ProMash Recipe Report

BJCP Style and Style Guidelines
-------------------------------

13-F Stout, Russian Imperial Stout

Min OG: 1.075 Max OG: 1.114
Min IBU: 50 Max IBU: 100
Min Clr: 30 Max Clr: 48 Color in SRM, Lovibond

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

Batch Size (L): 37.85 Wort Size (L): 37.85
Total Grain (kg): 18.48
Anticipated OG: 1.101 Plato: 24.08
Anticipated SRM: 53.8
Anticipated IBU: 86.3
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70 %
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Pre-Boil Amounts
----------------

Evaporation Rate: 7.57 L Per Hour
Pre-Boil Wort Size: 49.21 L
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.078 SG 18.89 Plato

Formulas Used
-------------

Brewhouse Efficiency and Predicted Gravity based on Method #1, Potential Used.
Final Gravity Calculation Based on Points.
Hard Value of Sucrose applied. Value for recipe: 46.2100 ppppg
Yield Type used in Gravity Prediction: Fine Grind Dry Basis.

Color Formula Used: Morey
Hop IBU Formula Used: Rager

Additional Utilization Used For Plug Hops: 2 %
Additional Utilization Used For Pellet Hops: 10 %


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
79.1 14.63 kg. Fawcett - Maris Otter England 1.037 3
4.9 0.91 kg. Brown Malt Great Britain 1.032 70
4.9 0.91 kg. Crystal 77 Great Britain 1.035 77
4.9 0.91 kg. Simpson's - DRC Great Britain 1.032 110
2.5 0.45 kg. Simpson's - Chocolate Malt Great Britain 1.034 413
1.2 0.23 kg. Roasted Barley Great Britain 1.029 575
2.5 0.45 kg. De-Bittered Black Belgium 1.010 550

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
70.88 g. Challenger Pellet 7.60 40.9 90 min.
56.70 g. Northdown Pellet 5.00 19.6 60 min.
85.05 g. Northdown Pellet 5.00 15.0 30 min.
85.05 g. Flyer Pellet 11.00 10.8 5 min.
56.70 g. Bramling Cross Pellet 5.10 0.0 0 min.


Yeast
-----

WYeast 1762 Belgian Abbey II


Water Profile
-------------

Profile: Yorkshire - dark ales
Profile known for: dark Malty Pale Ales

Calcium(Ca): 105.0 ppm
Magnesium(Mg): 17.0 ppm
Sodium(Na): 15.0 ppm
Sulfate(SO4): 44.0 ppm
Chloride(Cl): 66.0 ppm
biCarbonate(HCO3): 300.0 ppm

pH: 8.33


Mash Schedule
-------------

Mash Name: Simple dry-balanced english bitter

Total Grain kg: 18.48
Total Water Qts: 56.25 - Before Additional Infusions
Total Water L: 53.23 - Before Additional Infusions

Tun Thermal Mass: 0.00
Grain Temp: 19.94 C


Step Rest Start Stop Heat Infuse Infuse Infuse
Step Name Time Time Temp Temp Type Temp Amount Ratio
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mash in Temp 5 90 65 65 Infuse 71 53.23 2.88
Mashout 5 30 77 77 Direct --- ------- ----


Total Water Qts: 56.25 - After Additional Infusions
Total Water L: 53.23 - After Additional Infusions
Total Mash Volume L: 65.57 - After Additional Infusions

All temperature measurements are degrees Celsius.
All infusion amounts are in Liters.
All infusion ratios are Liters/Kilograms.

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, I just brewed a recipe using (somewhat reluctantly) Brewers Gold hops from 2018 bought from Annapolis Homebrew that are from 2018 and they were remarkably potent.

So, while not a guarantee at least there's a chance you could get some good character hops that are 5 years off the bine...

Cheers!

 

[hottpeper13]

A guy in the club made an IPA with 2022 hops that were stored in a zip lok bag in the fridge this summer. He said they smelled cheesy but used them anyway. He tossed the beer. I made an PA with 2017 hops that I buy by the pound and vacuum seal and in the freezer. It was as good a beer as I make. He still won't get a sealer but buys by the oz. If you sucked'em and froze'em they should be good even for a 5 min addition.

 

[Franktalk]

The dry hops in your best bitter and strong bitter seem heavy handed for the styles. Historically, British beers have been rather lightly dry hopped. Your dry hop amounts seem to me to be more American in their heft. I think that one of the things that we love about English ales is their balance.

 

[Gadjobrinus]

Excellent. Thanks very much guys. It's a hard habit for me to let go of, the level of dry-hopping, having come from Goose Island, where they dry-hopped prodigiously, with a slurry. But I'm definitely into traditional British bitters and do not want any Americanized-interpretation.

That said, I'm guided by some thoughts by Northern_Brewer (as I am a good deal). For his bitters, and I'm of like sensibility, he likes BU:GU .85-.9 for his northern bitters, so in this brew 40ish ibus suit.

But the striking thing I have in my notes, unless I've written them down wrong, is:

Aside from the bittering charge, I'd aim for more like ~5g/l in late-copper/flameout/dry hops

As mine is a 50 L brew length, that would mean 250 grams hops in late to dry hopping charges. I've done some brews, just to push the flap of the envelope, where most if not all of the bittering came from late charges 10 min. - WP. Way too much. So, here, if I followed Northern's advice, eliminating the dry hops I'd be splitting 250 grams between EKG and Bramling Cross at 10 min. - WP, which I'd thought was likely just too much. So the 28 grams each was an attempt in a way to keep within the spirit of Northern's comments on late hop rates, parsing a balanced kettle picture.

But I completely hear the light touch on dry-hopping. Particularly as it's my hope these be casked, so I won't be using pellet slurries as I do normally with bottled or kegged beers. "A handful of EKG and Bramling Cross" will likely do.

So, the alternate picture - only late additions and no dry-hopping.

Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
33.00 g. Goldings - E.K. Pellet 8.10 17.9 60 min.
130.00 g. Goldings - E.K. Pellet 8.10 14.1 10 min.
120.00 g. Bramling Cross Pellet 5.10 6.8 0 min. (WP - 30 min. hop stand).

This seems really heavy to me as late additions, isn't it?

 

[Franktalk]

It's better in the sense that late and flameout additions would make it more to style, and if you're serving them on cask, you could always throw a handful of dry hops. However, to me it still seems like a lot. Though, I'll admit that Northern Brewer knows his British beers probably better than I will ever know them, me being a Yank and all.

 

[Gadjobrinus]

It's better in the sense that late and flameout additions would make it more to style, and if you're serving them on cask, you could always throw a handful of dry hops. However, to me it still seems like a lot. Though, I'll admit that Northern Brewer knows his British beers probably better than I will ever know them, me being a Yank and all.

Thanks. Hopefully he'll chime in. Me being a yank as well, chasing the tail of the British lion to get it right. Again, since I never got it right in the first place.

@Northern_Brewer ?

 

[Miraculix]

For my classic English ales, I tend to stay within the 0.75g to 2g per litre range for the dry hops. Often I actually skip them altogether and only use one bittering and one late or whirlpool addition.

The grain bill for the bitter is 100% to my liking. In fact, it's almost a copy of what I've brewed yesterday.

 

[Gadjobrinus]

For my classic English ales, I tend to stay within the 0.75g to 2g per litre range for the dry hops. Often I actually skip them altogether and only use one bittering and one late or whirlpool addition.

Thanks. Given that, for the 50 L brew length, you wouldn't think 28 g each EKG and Bramling X for a total of 56 g dry hopping would be excessive or "out-of-British," then?

 

[Miraculix]

Thanks. Given that, for the 50 L brew length, you wouldn't think 28 g each EKG and Bramling X for a total of 56 g dry hopping would be excessive or "out-of-British," then?

It's on the upper end of the range but for me it would be ok.

 

[Gadjobrinus]

It's on the upper end of the range but for me it would be ok.

Thanks. Would be a nice set of trials - same grist, and varying 3 batches between the heavier late-kettle and no dry, lighter late kettle and some dry, and my original thought, including the 28g/28g dry with the balance in the kettle.

 

[Gadjobrinus]

Wrong thread.

 

[Gadjobrinus]

Mods, thanks for the move.

 

[AlexKay]

I bought and used 2018 Vojvodina from Northwest Hop Farms. They were just fine; no complaints.

 

[Gadjobrinus]

I bought and used 2018 Vojvodina from Northwest Hop Farms. They were just fine; no complaints.

Thanks, added to cart. It will be interesting to see. I know it's not a "fair" comparison given the age, but also trying out Sovereign for the same stout.