Bitter Feedback

[Chefencore]

This is my first ever completely mine recipe. It's a bit out of style, but I'm trying to explore a bit.



Recipe: Joe's Bitter
Style: 8A-English Pale Ale-Standard/Ordinary Bitter

Recipe Overview

Wort Volume Before Boil: 6.50 US gals
Wort Volume After Boil: 5.00 US gals
Volume Transferred: 5.00 US gals
Water Added: 0.00 US gals
Volume At Pitching: 5.00 US gals
Final Batch Volume: 5.00 US gals
Expected Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.031 SG
Expected OG: 1.048 SG
Expected FG: 1.008 SG
Expected ABV: 5.3 %
Expected ABW: 4.1 %
Expected IBU (using Tinseth): 40.4
Expected Color: 11.8 SRM
Apparent Attenuation: 83.0 %
Mash Efficiency: 81.0 %
Boil Duration: 60.0 mins
Fermentation Temperature: 68 degF

Fermentables
UK Pale Ale Malt 5lb 0oz (63.5 %) In Mash/Steeped
Simpsons Golden Naked Oats 1lb 0oz (12.7 %) In Mash/Steeped
UK Extra Dark Crystal 8.00 oz (6.4 %) In Mash/Steeped
Belgian Aromatic Malt 5.90 oz (4.7 %) In Mash/Steeped
Sugar - Honey 1lb 0oz (12.7 %) End Of Boil

Hops
UK Northdown (7.9 % alpha) 1.00 oz Bagged Pellet Hops used 60 Min From End
Slovenian Styrian Celeja (4.0 % alpha) 1.00 oz Bagged Pellet Hops used 15 Min From End
US Willamette (4.5 % alpha) 0.75 oz Bagged Pellet Hops used At turn off
US Willamette (4.5 % alpha) 1.00 oz Bagged Pellet Hops used Dry-Hopped

Other Ingredients

Yeast: White Labs WLP006-Bedford British Ale

Mash Schedule
Mash Type: Full Mash
Schedule Name:Single Step Infusion (66C/151F) w/Mash Out
Step: Rest at 151 degF for 60 mins
Step: Raise to and Mash out at 171 degF for 10 mins

 

[bierhaus15]

Well, if this recipe is for the sake of experimentation, then I can't really complain about it. It's not what I'd want in my bitter, but it probably would turn out 'ok.'

However, if this is your first time using wlp006, I would highly suggest brewing a standard English bitter. This yeast, IMO, is the best for the style and produces wonderfully complex, tasty beer with just a few ingredients. 90% Maris Otter, 10% medium crystal, 35-40 IBU of EKG, this yeast, and you got a beer with enough flavor and complexity to rival any APA out there. If you are intent on brewing what you got there, I would at least suggest dropping the honey. This yeast will attenuate pretty well and with 12% your going to end up with a dry beer. This is ok for belgians, but when you finish at 1.006-7 from 1.050 in a bitter, you loose a lot of the malt character. Good luck.

 

[Chefencore]

I dropped the honey, and decided to add 1.5 lbs of pils. Why you ask? Because I grabbed the wrong damn bucket and started pouring pils on top of my specialty grains, thinking 'I sure do use a lot of pils' then realizing my error. Got most of it out..

I have a question about the yeast. If I control it at 64-66degF for 6 days, will it be ok to freerise to about 72 after? I need to get the next batch into the fridge, but don't want this batch suffer.

 

[kingwood-kid]

6 days is more than enough. After 2 or 3, you're done with the growth phase and vigorous fermentation, so the risk of off-flavors (flavours for an English beer) is minimal. Letting it go up to 72 or a little higher will ensure the yeast ferments out those last couple of gravity points, which is very useful for bottled beers.

 

[bierhaus15]

I have a question about the yeast. If I control it at 64-66degF for 6 days, will it be ok to freerise to about 72 after? I need to get the next batch into the fridge, but don't want this batch suffer.

I like fermenting wlp006 right around 62-65F, it ferments out within two days at that temp and drops clear a few days later. At higher temps (68F+), it can get a bit fruity. Letting it free rise after a week or so is fine, although I wouldn't want to let it sit around too warm. I usually keg my ordinary/special bitters by day 15-19 and start drinking them a week or two later. Although make sure you're pitching plenty of healthy yeast into a well oxygenated wort.

 

[King of Cascade]

This is my first ever completely mine recipe. It's a bit out of style, but I'm trying to explore a bit.



Recipe: Joe's Bitter
Style: 8A-English Pale Ale-Standard/Ordinary Bitter

Recipe Overview

Wort Volume Before Boil: 6.50 US gals
Wort Volume After Boil: 5.00 US gals
Volume Transferred: 5.00 US gals
Water Added: 0.00 US gals
Volume At Pitching: 5.00 US gals
Final Batch Volume: 5.00 US gals
Expected Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.031 SG
Expected OG: 1.048 SG
Expected FG: 1.008 SG
Expected ABV: 5.3 %
Expected ABW: 4.1 %
Expected IBU (using Tinseth): 40.4
Expected Color: 11.8 SRM
Apparent Attenuation: 83.0 %
Mash Efficiency: 81.0 %
Boil Duration: 60.0 mins
Fermentation Temperature: 68 degF

Fermentables
UK Pale Ale Malt 5lb 0oz (63.5 %) In Mash/Steeped
Simpsons Golden Naked Oats 1lb 0oz (12.7 %) In Mash/Steeped
UK Extra Dark Crystal 8.00 oz (6.4 %) In Mash/Steeped
Belgian Aromatic Malt 5.90 oz (4.7 %) In Mash/Steeped
Sugar - Honey 1lb 0oz (12.7 %) End Of Boil

Hops
UK Northdown (7.9 % alpha) 1.00 oz Bagged Pellet Hops used 60 Min From End
Slovenian Styrian Celeja (4.0 % alpha) 1.00 oz Bagged Pellet Hops used 15 Min From End
US Willamette (4.5 % alpha) 0.75 oz Bagged Pellet Hops used At turn off
US Willamette (4.5 % alpha) 1.00 oz Bagged Pellet Hops used Dry-Hopped

Other Ingredients

Yeast: White Labs WLP006-Bedford British Ale

Mash Schedule
Mash Type: Full Mash
Schedule Name:Single Step Infusion (66C/151F) w/Mash Out
Step: Rest at 151 degF for 60 mins
Step: Raise to and Mash out at 171 degF for 10 mins

I would use american ale yeast for this...do you have any? or know someone who does?

 

[Chefencore]

I would use american ale yeast for this...do you have any? or know someone who does?

I have british, belgian, cali lager and berliner weisse. I know a guy but he's got old beer and bad yeast.