Classic ESB all grain recipe?

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Newton

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I have a packet of Safale S-04 yeast in my brewing closet that has been giving me the eyes as of late. I want to brew a classic ESB, any suggestions for a recipe (all grain)? :confused:
 
Here's a NHC second rounder that scored 40:

5.25 gal
80% efficiency
OG = 1.064
FG = 1.017
SRM = 11
IBU = 44

9 lb Golden Promise
.5 lb Toasted Maris Otter
.5 lb Honey malt
1 lb Crystal 40L
.5 lb Flaked Barley

Mash @ 155* F for 60 min

1 oz Styrian Goldings pellet 5.2% FWH
1.25 oz Willamette whole 6.4% 60 min
1 oz Willamette whole 6.4% 5 min
1 oz Styrian Goldings pellet 5.2% Flameout

1 vial/packet European Ale yeast in big starter.

Ferment @ 65*-66* F.
 
Hey thanks for the recipes! Looking at that Captain Hooked on Bitters, the grain bill calls for 3 lbs of toasted 2-row for an 11 gal batch. I can't do that as I don't have a grinder at home...someone asked about a substitution and 1lb of biscuit malt is suggested. So for a 5.5 gallon batch, would that be .5 lb biscuit malt?
 
While both these recipes look like they will make decent beer, they do not appear to be classic ESB recipes. By classic I assume you mean the traditional English style. Do you really think English brewers use tettnanger, styrian goldings, flaked barley, a german ale strain, scottish base malt or honey malt in their beers?

My classic ESB recipe has nothing but British ESB Pale Malt, British 55 Lovibond Crystal and East Kent Goldings. It's simple and delicious. This is my house beer and is almost always on hand.

Traditional ESB

5.5% abv - 6 gallon batch
bjcp style: 8C. Extra Special/Strong Bitter (English Pale Ale)

11 lbs. ESB Malt
.75 lbs 55 Lovibond Crystal Malt

½ lb corn sugar

2 oz K.Goldings 4.4%AA (90 mins)
.5 oz K. Goldings (15 mins)
.5 oz K. Goldings (5 mins)
.5 oz K. Goldings (dry hop)

White Labs 002 English Ale Yeast

The corn sugar can be substituted with cane sugar, no big deal. British brewers use a bit of sugar to decrease the nitrogen content of their wort. It also improves the apparent attenuation of this yeast. The yeast strain is the same strain as the Fuller's ESB, the benchmark of the style. Your Safale S-04 will work fine, I've never used it but from what I've read it's high attenuating so you might want to drop the sugar completely or subsitute with another pound of base malt.
 
While both these recipes look like they will make decent beer, they do not appear to be classic ESB recipes. By classic I assume you mean the traditional English style. Do you really think English brewers use tettnanger, styrian goldings, flaked barley, a german ale strain, scottish base malt or honey malt in their beers?
You are correct, I just used ingredients that would taste like an ESB, even though they may not be 'classic' ESB ingredients. Some brewers may be better served to stick with the classic ingredients but if you know your ingredients, sub away. For me it's all about the final product, not so much how you got there.
 
Yeah for my first ESB, I want to make an English classic. After that I might try some American hybrids.
 
Take a look at this thread https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/esb-recipe-critique-177641/ There are some posts there from much more educated guys than me. I did the recipe though and it tasted great going into the keg. If you're going traditional S-04 wouldn't be the choice anyway, Wyeast 1968/ WLP002 is the strain Fuller's uses.

Fuller's is the only beer that is allowed to be labeled as an ESB in the UK. However, it is widely regarded as not representative of the style. It's a great beer, but not a classic ESB. I think S-04 (the whitbread strain) will make a better "classic" ESB imho.

Also, to really nail the style, you have to mess with the water chemistry. You should make sure your brewing with high sulfate water especially. Also, I've brewed the common room ESB and I second that choice as good recipe.
 
Traditional ESB

5.5% abv - 6 gallon batch
bjcp style: 8C. Extra Special/Strong Bitter (English Pale Ale)

11 lbs. ESB Malt
.75 lbs 55 Lovibond Crystal Malt

½ lb corn sugar

2 oz K.Goldings 4.4%AA (90 mins)
.5 oz K. Goldings (15 mins)
.5 oz K. Goldings (5 mins)
.5 oz K. Goldings (dry hop)

White Labs 002 English Ale Yeast

This sounds lovely, however I'd say it'd be better by replacing the corn sugar with a unrefined sugar such as turbando or demurara, that's pretty much the recipe for my house bitter.

I do a slightly edited version of bob's formula (Pride of Raubsville in the recipe database) which is 80/10/10 Uk Base malt/Crystal 55/unrefined cane

I do it as 80/10/5/5. Marris Otter/C55/Demurara/Flaked Barley. Hopped with EKGs and Fuggles, Target, or whatever very british hops you've got around.
 
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