- Recipe Type
- All Grain
- Yeast
- White Labs WLP023
- Yeast Starter
- Standard propagation - notes are lost, but see comment below.
- Batch Size (Gallons)
- 12
- Original Gravity
- 15.7 Plato
- Final Gravity
- 3.8 Plato
- Boiling Time (Minutes)
- 90
- IBU
- 44
- Color
- 17.1 SRM
- Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
- 5 Days at 68
- Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
- Rack; Dry hop slurry x 4 days
- Additional Fermentation
- Rack; Crash cool to 35F and cold condition an additional 5 days
- Tasting Notes
- Malt Balanced, aromatic bitter
The early step up to 156 gives some dextrinous mouthfeel. This is in general a more malt balanced brew than my bitters, usually. Though it's balanced with the First Gold dry hop slurry; I love First Gold. I hope this is the place to post the recipe itself:
Brewlength: 12 gallons. On my (former) system, 14 gallons into the BK, and with evaporation, line and trub, shrinkage and other losses, 12 gallons into fermenter.
1.75 # Munich Malt - Durst
1.00# Flaked Barley
27.00# Maris Otter
2.75# Crystal 80L
3 oz Chocolate Malt - Crisp
3.25 oz Challenger - 90 min.
2.00 Oz. Styrian Goldings - 15 min.
2.5 EKG - Knockout
2.00 First Gold - Dry hop
All hops are pellet. My dry hop slurry is to simply take a sterile container, a 12 oz. beer similar in character to my brew, and using aseptic technique, transfer the beer into the container and drop the hops in. I swirl, trying not to agitate too much, until I obtain a liquid slurry. Using aseptic technique again (I mean, flame, alcohol, etc.), I dump the slurry into the secondary and give it the indicated time. I find the slurry allows a quicker pickup than any other method I've done. I've also found you can overdo it - too long, and you definitely pickup grassy or hay, unwanted tones.
Mash in via infusion at 149 x 20 minutes; infusion step up to 156F in 1F/1min. increments. Rest at 156 x 45 minutes. Iodine test for conversion, and if good to go, I use direct fire to raise to 170, where I let it rest for 15 minutes.
I vorlauf until absolutely clear. I'm going on memory, guys - it's been a really long time - but usually IIRC it was about 45 minutes. Oh, and by hand, as I did not use a pump.
Yeast Propagation: Long lost to me, but I actually devised a spreadsheet estimating initial yeast count, OG, etc., to come up with the right amount of starter. Bummer. A far better one is undoubtedly on this site. I've got a lot to read here - knowledge base is unbelievable.
Oxygenation: Same thing here. I used an airstone and pure O2, and again estimated the proper time.
Water treatment: Unlike for my other bitters, I did not "Burtonise" this water. I never fully do, anyway, but when I first brewed this our water - we lived on a farm - was decent for pale ales and I adjusted moderately with a bit more gypsum and CaCl. This water is basically a Yorkshire water. Moderate Ca, Sulfate, and CaCO3.
After cold conditioning, I just force carbonated and counter-pressure bottle-filled or kegged. I had a cask and beer engine at the time, and sometimes did this in a more traditional way, with a much lower VCO2 (just natural conditioning) and no crash cooling. I still do not dry hop the cask, usually; because I use pellets.
I think that's about it. This beer's name is in honor of my grandfather-in-law. Former Estonian WWII POW with a story, old guy is now 98. Cheers, Edgar.
Brewlength: 12 gallons. On my (former) system, 14 gallons into the BK, and with evaporation, line and trub, shrinkage and other losses, 12 gallons into fermenter.
1.75 # Munich Malt - Durst
1.00# Flaked Barley
27.00# Maris Otter
2.75# Crystal 80L
3 oz Chocolate Malt - Crisp
3.25 oz Challenger - 90 min.
2.00 Oz. Styrian Goldings - 15 min.
2.5 EKG - Knockout
2.00 First Gold - Dry hop
All hops are pellet. My dry hop slurry is to simply take a sterile container, a 12 oz. beer similar in character to my brew, and using aseptic technique, transfer the beer into the container and drop the hops in. I swirl, trying not to agitate too much, until I obtain a liquid slurry. Using aseptic technique again (I mean, flame, alcohol, etc.), I dump the slurry into the secondary and give it the indicated time. I find the slurry allows a quicker pickup than any other method I've done. I've also found you can overdo it - too long, and you definitely pickup grassy or hay, unwanted tones.
Mash in via infusion at 149 x 20 minutes; infusion step up to 156F in 1F/1min. increments. Rest at 156 x 45 minutes. Iodine test for conversion, and if good to go, I use direct fire to raise to 170, where I let it rest for 15 minutes.
I vorlauf until absolutely clear. I'm going on memory, guys - it's been a really long time - but usually IIRC it was about 45 minutes. Oh, and by hand, as I did not use a pump.
Yeast Propagation: Long lost to me, but I actually devised a spreadsheet estimating initial yeast count, OG, etc., to come up with the right amount of starter. Bummer. A far better one is undoubtedly on this site. I've got a lot to read here - knowledge base is unbelievable.
Oxygenation: Same thing here. I used an airstone and pure O2, and again estimated the proper time.
Water treatment: Unlike for my other bitters, I did not "Burtonise" this water. I never fully do, anyway, but when I first brewed this our water - we lived on a farm - was decent for pale ales and I adjusted moderately with a bit more gypsum and CaCl. This water is basically a Yorkshire water. Moderate Ca, Sulfate, and CaCO3.
After cold conditioning, I just force carbonated and counter-pressure bottle-filled or kegged. I had a cask and beer engine at the time, and sometimes did this in a more traditional way, with a much lower VCO2 (just natural conditioning) and no crash cooling. I still do not dry hop the cask, usually; because I use pellets.
I think that's about it. This beer's name is in honor of my grandfather-in-law. Former Estonian WWII POW with a story, old guy is now 98. Cheers, Edgar.
