Dry Yeast pitch rate for ESB

[thehaze]

Hi.

I am planning on brewing my first ESB ever. The recipe will incorporate Maris Otter and a blend of different English Crysal malts: https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/561196/02-esb

I want to give Danstar ESB and Windsor a try and maybe brew two similar batches and use each of these yeasts. The ESB is a given: should work with ESBs, bitters and milds in general. Looking at the Windsor yeast page, it seems as this will yield a better ester profile, at least on paper.

My question is:

Would 1 sachet of Danstar yeast be enough for an OG of 1.060-1.065? Or do I need 2?

 

[RM-MN]

Hi.

I am planning on brewing my first ESB ever. The recipe will incorporate Maris Otter and a blend of different English Crysal malts: https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/561196/02-esb

I want to give Danstar ESB and Windsor a try and maybe brew two similar batches and use each of these yeasts. The ESB is a given: should work with ESBs, bitters and milds in general. Looking at the Windsor yeast page, it seems as this will yield a better ester profile, at least on paper.

My question is:

Would 1 sachet of Danstar yeast be enough for an OG of 1.060-1.065? Or do I need 2?

Yes.


Depending on which yeast calculator you use, either answer could be correct. I've used a single packet in beer with that approximate OG and it worked fine. Pitching double that amount will be also fine. It just doubles the cost for the yeast.

 

[dmtaylor]

English yeasts are mega-aggressive -- fermentation will be done in about 48 hours flat or less -- and will turn out too clean in character if overpitched.

1 packet of dry yeast in 5-6 gallons is actually an overpitch. I would use just 1/2 packet in 5-6 gallons.

Cheers.

 

[thehaze]

I see... Interesting answers.

I actually enjoy esters in both english and belgian style beers, so I will try to use some less yeast and see what happens.

The ESB will be my first and I can barely wait.

So, I guess the recipe looks OK, as none of you had any comments on it?

 

[dmtaylor]

Recipe might be a little heavy on the crystal malts. Maybe take them down to 0.2 kg of each. Should be tasty either way.

 

[Gameface]

I use liquid yeast for ESB, so ymmv, but in my experience you don't need to encourage English yeast strains to produce esters. They will produce nice English character esters even if you "overpitch" and even if you combine pitching a lot of yeast and fermenting on the cooler side for that yeast.

I put overpitch in quotes because I absolutely don't think a single packet qualifies as an overpitch. Two packets would definately be pitching on the high side, but it will not leave you without English character. English yeast will give you English character pretty much no matter what. Now if you really want over the top esters, then by all means, underpitch, stress the yeast with temps, etc. I mean sometimes nail polish tastes good to some people.

 

[ESBrewer]

I think it's going to be a tasty beer. Please let us know how it turns out. I think this recipe relies quite heavily on late Amarillo additions whereas most traditional British bitters tend to focus more on bittering hops that are added at the start of the boil. The recipe calls for OG 1.050 but you mentioned that it could be 1.060+. If you start your fermentation at 1.060+ the beer is going to be a bit 'heavy' for the style and also (based on the experience of other people) Danstar ESB yeast is going to leave a lot of body/sweetness in your beer (I think FG will be at least 1.020 if mashed at a relatively high temperature). I would probably aim for OG 1.050-1.056 for a strong bitter.

 

[thehaze]

As counterproductive for the style as it may seem, I think I will mash low when using Windsor and especially ESB yeast from Lallemand. At least this is what I could find on these yeast, which are known for high final gravity.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

If this isn't too late...

As counterproductive for the style as it may seem, I think I will mash low when using Windsor and especially ESB yeast from Lallemand. At least this is what I could find on these yeast, which are known for high final gravity.

And that poor attenuation is part of the style, bunging in a load of crystal and then trying to attenuate it hard just ends up with a sickly mess. Learn to love your yeast - but at the same time don't be afraid to give it a rouse 24h after pitching. People always seem to put too much crystal in English styles, it shouldn't be more than 5-6% - and mash highish but be open to drying it out with a bit of sugar, or golden syrup, 5-10% is common in commercial beers.

On the hops, I might add in an ounce of Bramling Cross if you can get it, BX+Goldings is one of those 2+2=5 combinations. And/or throw some Goldings in as a dry hop.

And don't overcarbonate and don't serve too cold!!!!

 

[thehaze]

Thank you for the fine information.

I have not yet brewed this one, with the Xmas preparations, work and the god damn traffic, once we approach holidays.

But I am planning on being one of the 5 batches I will be brewing in the next year. Actually, the first 5 batches will only be english style ales. And this will be A first. Never done english ales. although I enjoy them tremendously.

I want an ESB, a malty/chewy Brown ale, a Porter, a Golden/Pale Ale with some EKG and possibly an Old Ale/Barleywine kind of beer with some Crystal Rye in there.

 

[TomVA]

I agree that is a lot of late hops additions for the style. English Bitters should focus on bittering hops with less hops flavor and aroma. Personally I prefer about 80-90% of my IBU to come from the 60 minute addition and the balance added at about 15 minutes, but of course YMMV.

TomVA

 

[ESBrewer]

Now I'm doing it a bit more like Keeling described the Fuller's ESB and what Northern Brewer said here. Only 5% crystal and a bit more grain so that I don't need to sparge too much but will rely more on the initial drain. I was a little bit worried that it would be impossible to get the 30EBC color with so little special malt but it looks quite good already preboil and it's going to concentrate quite a bit (to 1.059). Turned more towards aroma hops cause my first batches, although bitter, lacked the hoppy (Challenger-like) aroma that Fuller's beers certainly express.

OG 1.059
FG 1.014, I hope

94.6% fawcett MO
4.2% fawcett Crystal
0.7% fawcett dark Crystal
0.4% crisp chocol

Mash single step 90 min 66C->64.8C. Batch sparge once briefly. Diluted a bit preboil to hit target. Soft water got CaSO4 about 0.3g/liter and a hint of CaCl2, sparge w had a bit of phosphoric acid too.

Kettle additions
Target 60min 26-27 IBUs (80% of total IBUs)
Irish Moss 15min
Challenger 4min 3.4 IBUs
Northdown 4min 2.4 IBUs
EKG 4min 0.6 IBUs

Pitch 18-19C wyeast 1968. Will use some dry hops as well.

 

[JKaranka]

Terve!

I'd use higher SO4 water for pale British styles. I have soft water and they do demand a bit of a clean, bitter snap. They feel unfocused with soft water. I usually target an SO4 between 150 and 200 using gypsum.

On the colour, I'd find 30 EBC very much on the high side for the style (although if you go for Fuller's ESB rather than other strong bitters, it is indeed darker). Often the colour is not reflected in the malt as the brewer is likely to use some brewers' caramel to make up the numbers. Fullers don't seem to use brewing sugars anymore but I assume they still use brewers' caramel. I think some chocolate malt or patent malt is a good substitute.

I'd give it a light dry hop, around 0.6-0.8g/l.

 

[ESBrewer]

Kiitos! It's not so easy to clone it exactly. Would be extremely happy if it tastes like fuller's, even if the appearance is not exactly the same. I used more caso4 in my previous batch, but decided to err on the side of caution now. Trying to focus on the basics..same thing with chocol malt.

 

[ESBrewer]

The recipe above looks like this prefermentation. Tastes good, definitely better balance than my previous homebrews at the same stage. There could be even more hop aroma so need to do some dry hopping as well.

 

[ESBrewer]

OG 1.0585 / FG 1.0120 (Fuller's 1.010-11). It attenuates very well when the mash temperature is 65C for 90min and the fermentation 18->21C. Now 0.8g/liter dry hops (northdown/challenger/EKG 2.5:2.5:1) in a secondary until Friday, then cold crashing it during Christmas when I'm away from home.