Strong Bitter Common Room ESB

[wtaylor3]

Grabbed supplies for a swamp cooler this morning and brewed today. Sparge water calculator misled me, it had me heart 3.6 gal of strike water and 5.14 gal of sparge water for my batch sparge to get 6.37 gallons of preboil volume.

I ended up with a 6 1/2 gallon boil and 1.5-2 gallons of wasted wort.

Wort smelled great, sat the pot out in a snow bank and it took forever to cool and I had to leave for work so I'm praying it doesn't get infected before I can get home and rack to primary and pitch.

 

[DaNewf]

Enjoying a glass form a batch I put down on the 14 of December. This is my second go at this recipe, it's a good one.

 

[jekeane]

Just started the "60" minute timer on a 2.5g batch. Doing a 75 minute boil because I started a little low on the OG... 1/4g too much sparge water...

Homebrew club competition foe April is British Pales so looking forward to seeing how this goes.

 

[BeefsBeer]

Ive brewed this twice. Second round is in primary before the first keg is kicked. 2nd time i went with 10% biscuit to see the difference

 

[Bigdp228]

...Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 13.75 qt of water at 173.3 F 154.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 8.00 qt of water at 198.3 F 168.0 F
Sparge with enough water to achieve desired boil volume.

Is the mash out water addition just to raise the temp or does the extra volume of water have additional purposes? I am going to do this BIAB and i was just goint to turn on my burner for a few minutes to get the heat unless the extra water adds something to the process.

Cheers!
DP

 

[BrewMoto]

Just took first place in a recent homebrew comp with a slightly modified version of this beer. Thank you sir for laying the groundwork cheers

 

[rwgaro]

Just took first place in a recent homebrew comp with a slightly modified version of this beer. Thank you sir for laying the groundwork cheers

What was the tweak - if u don't mind sharing?

 

[joetownhound]

Common Room ESB All Grain

Extra Special/Strong Bitter (English Pale Ale) (8 C)



Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 7.00 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
End of Boil Vol: 6.50 gal
Final Bottling Vol: 4.75 gal
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage


Date: 29 Dec 2014
Brewer:
Asst Brewer:
Equipment: Dennis's Equipment
Efficiency: 69.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 78.4 %
Taste Rating: 30.0


Taste Notes:



Ingredients


Amt

Name

Type

#

%/IBU

1.06 tbsp PH 5.2 Stabilizer (Mash 60.0 mins) Water Agent 1 -
10 lbs Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 2 87.0 %
12.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 3 6.5 %
8.0 oz Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 4 4.3 %
4.0 oz Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 5 2.2 %
1.75 oz East Kent Goldings (EKG) [5.00 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 6 29.6 IBUs
0.25 oz East Kent Goldings (EKG) [5.00 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 7 2.3 IBUs
0.25 oz Fuggle [4.50 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 8 2.1 IBUs
1.06 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 9 -
0.25 oz East Kent Goldings (EKG) [5.00 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 10 0.0 IBUs
0.25 oz Fuggle [4.50 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 11 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg SafAle English Ale (DCL/Fermentis #S-04) [23.66 ml] Yeast 12 -
1.06 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Primary 3.0 days) Other 13 -


Gravity, Alcohol Content and Color

Est Original Gravity: 1.054 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.011 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.7 %
Bitterness: 34.1 IBUs
Est Color: 12.1 SRM

Measured Original Gravity: 1.046 SG
Measured Final Gravity: 1.010 SG
Actual Alcohol by Vol: 4.7 %
Calories: 151.6 kcal/12oz


Mash Profile

Mash Name: Single Infusion, Light Body, Batch Sparge
Sparge Water: 4.79 gal
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE


Total Grain Weight: 11 lbs 8.0 oz
Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Tun Temperature: 72.0 F
Mash PH: 5.20

Mash Steps


Name

Description

Step Temperature

Step Time

Mash In Add 14.38 qt of water at 166.7 F 148.0 F 75 min

Sparge: Batch sparge with 4 steps (Drain mash tun , 1.75gal, 1.75gal, 1.75gal) of 168.0 F water
Mash Notes: Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time).



Carbonation and Storage

Carbonation Type: Keg
Pressure/Weight: 12.54 PSI
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 45.0 F
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage


Volumes of CO2: 2.3
Carbonation Used: Keg with 12.54 PSI
Age for: 30.00 days
Storage Temperature: 65.0 F


Notes
Going to brew this on New Years Day for my next brew with the few changes. Hoping for a more of a malty chewy beer. The original looks so tasty.

Just getting around to brewing this tonight, (so busy at work). Started around 6 PM tonight and just finishing cleaning up and putting it in the freezer. Going to ferment it at 64 degrees for a week then slowly bring it up to 66-68 for another two. Will move it to secondary after then for a week before cold crashing it at 35 degrees for a week. Plan on kegging it using only 12.5 PSI of gas. The wort is a nice reddish color. Can't wait to try it. I did over shot my OG by 10 point coming in at 1.064 instead of the intended 1.054 hope that don't affect it much. Thanks again for the recipe KingBrain :rockin::rockin:.

 

[wtaylor3]

Sampled a bottle today after 13 days in the bottle, it was okay, still alittle under carbonated, I'm hoping to serve this at an easter party were having Saturday so I hope the yeast get to work over the next few days

 

[unviewtiful]

I brewed a version of this recently for a local homebrew competition, but I subbed Maris Otter for the base and domestic Crystal 120L for the dark crystal based on availability. It got me a gold for the category with a competition high score of 47!! Definitely a confidence boost for being my first competition.

Thanks for the original recipe!

 

[joetownhound]

My version has been in the keg for about a week now. A really easy beer to drank. Only getting better day by day.

 

[wtaylor3]

I had such a problem getting the flow started with my recently warped autosiphon that I think I oxygenated it...I'm dumping what I have chilled as its rather unpleasant and I'm going to let the warm ones sit for awhile. It's terrible because it was SO good before I bottled it

 

[Gavin C]

My first time with this beer I missed my targets. My OG was low my FG was high. Overall the beer was a miss in my view. Completely as a result of the brewer NOT the author of the recipe I hasten to add.

Second brew I got a great result. I did change the yeast to WYeast 1028. The grain bill was altered only to account for my efficiency. The percentages were the same. Hops were largely unchanged.

OG was 1.055 FG was 1.014

Thanks again KingBrian

A very tasty ESB

 

[jbb3]

My first time with this beer I missed my targets. My OG was low my FG was high. Overall the beer was a miss in my view. Completely as a result of the brewer NOT the author of the recipe I hasten to add.

Second brew I got a great result. I did change the yeast to WYeast 1028. The grain bill was altered only to account for my efficiency. The percentages were the same. Hops were largely unchanged.

OG was 1.055 FG was 1.014

Thanks again KingBrian

A very tasty ESBView attachment 270107

That is one scrumpdillytious looking beer!

 

[fimpster]

I'll be brewing my third batch of this tomorrow. I've done it with 1968, WLP013 and tomorrow with S-04. This is becoming one of my house ales.

 

[MollyHatchet]

I'll be brewing my third batch of this tomorrow. I've done it with 1968, WLP013 and tomorrow with S-04. This is becoming one of my house ales.

Which version was your favorite?

 

[fimpster]

Well, I haven't had any of the S-04 version yet. It's kegged and carbed, but I wont tap it until my friends upcoming housewarming party next week.

Between 1968 and 013 its a tough call, the yeast definitely added it's own character and both were really good. I'd have to give the nod to 1968, I guess, because it was so good immediately. 013 took a couple of weeks in the keg to really peak, but that's probably just being picky.

I'll let you know how the S-04 compares once I've poured it.

 

[atimmerman88]

Brewing today for the 4 or 5th time. 1335 this time around

 

[fimpster]

Following up from my previous post; having used 1968, WLP013, and S-04, I'd say that either 1968 or S-04 are my favorite. I just tapped the S-04 and it is as good as I remember the 1968 being right off the bat. Although the S-04 keg did sit in the keggerator under serving pressure for a couple weeks before being tapped, so I never really tasted it green like I had with the WLP013. I am really digging on S-04 in a lot of my beers lately.

 

[BadDeacon]

Ordered ingredients today. Added biscuit to the order. How much is recommended? I have never used this particular grain.

 

[MEPNew2Brew]

1469, West Yorkshire Ale, is my "house" English yeast. I would appreciate any thoughts you may wish to share about using it over S-04 or the other yeasts mentioned in this thread.

Thank you.

 

[rmyurick]

I used 1469 once, not in this exact recipe but something similar, and loved it. It was a bit fruity, like a light taste of ripe pear, at first, but that faded over time (it was bottle-conditioned) and it ended up with more of a nutty taste. Took a long time to clear, but that may have been process-related

 

[danok1]

I see I neglected to post my results. (I brewed this at the beginning of the year.)

Absolutely the best beer I've made! Fantastic recipe, great balance, just terrific!

It's all gone now, so I think I know what my weekend project will be.

 

[zippy84]

Planning on doing this early next week, looking forward to it. Converted to a partial mash...

2kg (4.4lb) Irish Pale Malt
340gm (.75lb) Medium Crystal
113gm (.25lb) Dark Crystal
1.8kg (4lb) lme

40 gm (1.4oz) Goldings, East Kent [5.7 %] (60 min)
7 gm (.25oz) Progress [6.60 %] (20 min)
7 gm (.25oz) Goldings, East Kent [5.7 %] (20 min)
7 gm (.25oz) Progress [6.60 %] (0 min)
7 gm (.25oz) Goldings, East Kent [5.7 %] (0 min)

Progress hops are a fuggles substitute, I believe fairly similar!?
I'll be using a harvested gervin ale yeast, hopefully it's similar to the S-04. I'm fairly new to stove top brewing and my efficiency is fairly low (60% ish) so with that recipe I might struggle to break 5% abv. I'm hoping to improve efficiency this time around with a few changes, but might add 200-300 gm brown sugar if I need to... unless that's a bad idea?

Should I ease off a little on the progress hops since the AAU is a little higher (6.6 as oppose to 4% in the recipe)

 

[m00ps]

I would add more malt extract if needed to up the OG. sugars will dry the beer out and give it a thinner body. Not what you're going for in an authentic tasting ESB.

Hop sub is fine. ESBs dont really have enough hop character for it to matter what you put in as long as its not like some crazy potent IPA hop

 

[zippy84]

I would add more malt extract if needed to up the OG. sugars will dry the beer out and give it a thinner body. Not what you're going for in an authentic tasting ESB.

Hop sub is fine. ESBs dont really have enough hop character for it to matter what you put in as long as its not like some crazy potent IPA hop

I haven't ordered any more extract, maybe I should just reduce the water to be added to compensate.

For example at 23 liters 60% efficiency I should get 4.3%... 19 liters should give me 5.2% with same recipe. Just missing out on a few pints I'm fine with 4.3%, I just want to remain as faithful to the recipe as possible.

 

[m00ps]

I'd go with the 4.3% to net you a few more beers. Try mashing 1-2 degrees higher to get more body to compensate

 

[zippy84]

I'd go with the 4.3% to net you a few more beers. Try mashing 1-2 degrees higher to get more body to compensate

Then I'm sacrificing more abv. I'll play it by ear, maybe I'll get a killer efficiency.

 

[zippy84]

Question about the Fuggles. I'm substituting with Progress hops which are at 6.6% but this recipe calls for Fuggles 4%. Would it be appropriate to adjust these additions to compensate for the extra aau?

i.e. 7gm (0.25oz) Fuggles (4%) = 4.1gm (0.14oz) Progress (6.6%) ?

Would it be appropriate to make such an adjustment or negligible?

 

[rmyurick]

Zippy, for bittering hops, I would make the adjustment. For late hops, probably not. However, I get 4.24 g. of 6.6% to equal 7 g. of 4%