ESB Critique?

[DSmith]

I've brewed 4 ESB's in 2012 and am combining things I liked best from each recipe. I'm planning on brewing the following to make a bigger, darker color ESB. Any critiques?

DSmith's ESB
Ingredients

Batch Size (Gal): 6.00 Wort Size
Total Grain (Lbs): 13.31
Anticipated Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.049
Anticipated OG: 1.059
Anticipated SRM: 14
Anticipated IBU: 40 Rager
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70 %
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes
Est Final Gravity: 1.013
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.1 %

Amount Item Type % or IBU

12.00 lb Simpson’s Golden Promise, 2.7L
12 oz Simpson’s Medium Crystal Malt, 55L
6 oz Thomas Fawcett Torrified Wheat
3 oz Weyermann Carafa Special II (Huskless), 430L

2.00 oz Goldings, Kent (5.0 %, 60 min, 40 IBU)
1.00 oz Goldings, Kent (5.0 %, 0 min, 0 IBU)
1.00 oz Goldings, Kent (5.0 %, dryhop, 0 IBU)

Mash at 152F for 90 min, 1 qt/lb Mash Thickness
Wyeast 1968 London ESB Ale, Ferment 68F

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

The carafa and wheat are out of place.

 

[DSmith]

The carafa was added on a whim for a deeper color only. It's a carry-over from my Dunkel and I'm assuming it has little flavor impact. It could be left out.

The wheat is an attempt to improve on the head retention. I compared my last ESB to a Fullers (pic below) and would like to do something to improve on that.

 

[bierhaus15]

The recipe looks fine. The torrified wheat is perfectly normal and common in UK brews, and it will add some toasty flavors. I would rather use something like pale chocolate in place of the carafa, but so long as you keep it around 1-2%, it won't make a huge difference.

Other than that, I would recommend pitching the wy1968 on the lower side (62-64F) and letting it rise to no more than 68F during the height of fermentation. Also, be sure to oxygenate well. Lastly, your water chemistry will have a greater effect on head retention and/or clarity than adding wheat malt alone. Bitters are one beer style where water chemistry is everything...

 

[DSmith]

The recipe looks fine. The torrified wheat is perfectly normal and common in UK brews, and it will add some toasty flavors. I would rather use something like pale chocolate in place of the carafa, but so long as you keep it around 1-2%, it won't make a huge difference.

Other than that, I would recommend pitching the wy1968 on the lower side (62-64F) and letting it rise to no more than 68F during the height of fermentation. Also, be sure to oxygenate well. Lastly, your water chemistry will have a greater effect on head retention and/or clarity than adding wheat malt alone. Bitters are one beer style where water chemistry is everything...

I'll try it with 4oz as British pale chocolate, 180L. I'm just looking for something a little different than the previous batches that have followed all the rules with base malt & crystal malt.

I ferment exactly like you describe with pitching a little cool and letting it naturally rise to 68F for about 4 days, finishing fermenation at 72F.

My bitters have all been made with RO water and CaCl2/CaSO4 added to about 60 ppm Ca, 40 ppm Cl & 100 ppm SO4. Room temperature mash pH at 5.4ish.

 

[DSmith]

Decided to simplify and experiment with the torrified wheat as the only change from a previously brewed batch that was a fine ale as-is:

DSmith’s ESB
Ingredients

Batch Size (Gal): 6.00
Total Grain (Lbs): 13.04
Anticipated Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.048
Anticipated OG: 1.058
Anticipated SRM: 9.2
Anticipated IBU: 40
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70 %
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes
Est Final Gravity: 1.013
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.9 %

Amount Item Type % or IBU

11.74 lb Simpson’s Golden Promise, 2.7L (95% of grain bill)
0.65 lb Simpson’s Dark Crystal Malt, 80L (5% of grain bill)
0.65 lb Thomas Fawcett Torrified Wheat (5% of grain bill)

2.00 oz Goldings, Kent (5.0 %, 60 min, 40 IBU)
1.00 oz Goldings, Kent (5.0 %, 0 min, 0 IBU)
1.00 oz Goldings, Kent (5.0 %, dryhop, 0 IBU)

Mash at 152F for 90 min, 1 qt/lb Mash Thickness
Wyeast 1968 London ESB Ale, Pitch at 63F, Ferment 68F

 

[badlee]

I may be missing something..but why no 20 or 15 minute addition of hops?
It's an English style so I would think you would want to go with the way English beers are hopped. You need a flavour addition so as not to get bitternesss and aroma.
But hey,that's just what I think

 

[DSmith]

I took the hop schedule from the Brewing Classic Styles ESB that I thought turned out very well. I can move some of the 60 minute hops to 10 or 15 minutes. Really appreciate the help.

 

[helibrewer]

I've adopted replacing the 60 min add's with FWH's then everything else at flameout. Chilling and whirlpooling essentially make the flameout addition closer to a 10 min addition. I heard Gordon Strong saying he did this and it seems to work very well and simplifies things a bit.

 

[badlee]

I find hat, although I do like the FWH, you get a more authentic ESB with a 15 minute addition.
By authentic I mean I am English and spent the better part of my informative years( 11-23) drinking lots of bitters and real ales.
If you are happy with this and have done it before,dont change it 'cause of something I say.The MOST important thing is to get out of the beer what you are looking for= enjoyment.
Good look with it mate