ESB hops

[aryoung1980]

I plan on brewing up an ESB next weekend with US Goldings. What hops pair well with these in an ESB?


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[johnsnownw]

Fuggles.

 

[BigEd]

Assuming you want to stay traditional almost any of the UK hops will pair with the US Goldings or they could be used as the sole hop in the beer. The above mentioned Fuggles or other low alpha hops like WGV, First Gold and Bramling Cross come to mind. If you want to use a higher alpha hop for bittering try Challenger, Northdown, Target, Pilgrim, or Phoenix.

 

[jeremy0209]

+1 on the UK hops. I use 100% UK Kent Goldings in my ESBs. I'm guessing that 100% US Goldings wouldn't hurt, either.

 

[aryoung1980]

Originally I was going to go with 100% US Goldings. I've been doing a lot of single hopped beers lately and I feel that I may be doing myself a disservice. You know, the grass is always greener on the other side.

I'll probably hit it with a Northdown or Target bittering addition and use the US Goldings for flavor/aroma.

I've never brewed and ESB before so I'm pretty excited about it.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[jeremy0209]

I've never brewed and ESB before so I'm pretty excited about it.

They're pretty awesome, if they're done right.

 

[aryoung1980]

They're pretty awesome, if they're done right.

My original plan was/is 93% pale ale malt, 5% crystal 40, and 2% carapils. 40 IBUs from US Goldings at 60 minutes plus a 1oz addition at flameout. Ferment with WLP013 London Ale.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[jeremy0209]

My original plan was/is 93% pale ale malt, 5% crystal 40, and 2% carapils. 40 IBUs from US Goldings at 60 minutes plus a 1oz addition at flameout. Ferment with WLP013 London Ale.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

I use Maris Otter as my base, hop it to about 37 IBU, and ferment with WLP 002. My OG is usually 1.045(ish) and FG about 1.014(ish). It's drinkable in 10 days, but it's really good about a month after brew day. I try to keep it low in alcohol so you can have multiple pints and still be functional. Actually, I'm planning another batch with an OG of 1.035...that should get me somewhere around 3.5%. I could drink that all day.

Here are two great videos about English Bitter:

http://chopandbrew.com/2013/08/08/chop-brew-episode-10-boat-bitter/
http://chopandbrew.com/2013/08/08/boat-bitter-bonus-footage/

 

[Leviathan]

I used Challenger in my last ESB and thought they were great. I paired them with EKG.

 

[ardonthorn5]

huge fan of northdown and bramling cross...especially bramling cross!

 

[aryoung1980]

huge fan of northdown and bramling cross...especially bramling cross!

Bramling cross? Never heard of it. To the google machine!!


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[DogStar]

Progress blend perfectly with goldings. Challenger give a good smooth bitterness. Fuggles are the traditional choice.

 

[GuldTuborg]

While most any UK hop will blend nicely with goldings, don't feel you need to blend anything with goldings. Those little East Kent gems do just fine by themselves.

I'm surprised to see a lot of love now for Bramling Cross. Just a couple years back around here, no one had heard of them, seemingly. I like them well enough in darker beers (Bramling Cross + porter = win for taste buds), but bitters I like better with EKG, first gold, northdown, that kind of thing.

 

[badlee]

Northdown or more EKG

 

[14thstreet]

GuldTuborg, would you care to expound on why you think Bramling Cross works in a porter versus a bitter? I've got a crop of Bramling, Northdown and Challenger to use up this year and I think my run of dark beers is over. I'm uncertain which way to go, knowing I want to use all three, not necessarily in the same beer. Thanks!

 

[aryoung1980]

I did a 1.5L starter two days ago with my WLP013 London Ale. It's as dead as a door nail.

Has anybody tried the WLP028 Edinburgh Ale yeast in an ESB? The White Labs website gives it a 4 out of 4 for the style. I would prefer not to make a trip to the LHBS since I have the 028 in hand.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[Ølbart]

WLP028 should work fine. It's a bit like WLP002, but less flocculent, and with a different (but not overly strong) ester profile.

 

[iijakii]

I like Willamette too.

 

[badlee]

I used Will. in a dry stout once and never again

 

[aryoung1980]

WLP028 should work fine. It's a bit like WLP002, but less flocculent, and with a different (but not overly strong) ester profile.

Thanks. I've never used 002 before; 013 was my goto for English styles.

I made a Scotch Ale with the 028 which I was quite pleased with.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[BigEd]

Has anybody tried the WLP028 Edinburgh Ale yeast in an ESB?

Yes, it's excellent in an ESB.

 

[Puddlethumper]

Fawcett or Crisp Maris Otter for a base malt, add some British medium crystal and an ounce of black patent. EK Goldings @ 60 and 10. Then some S-04 or Notty. Ferment two weeks at 65F and you've got a great drinking brew. (Best to let it condition in the keg or bottle for a couple weeks.) Tastes like Fuller's London Pride.

 

[Scout001]

While most any UK hop will blend nicely with goldings, don't feel you need to blend anything with goldings. Those little East Kent gems do just fine by themselves.

I'm surprised to see a lot of love now for Bramling Cross. Just a couple years back around here, no one had heard of them, seemingly. I like them well enough in darker beers (Bramling Cross + porter = win for taste buds), but bitters I like better with EKG, first gold, northdown, that kind of thing.

+1 Mash at 75 mins...boil at 75 min with hop addition at start..ferment 3 weeks at 64-65 with the Wyeast ESB yeast..dry hop with half your boil addition of kent 3-4 days before bottling/keg...cold crash with gelatin for 48 hours..oh gah its good..

Sent from my SGH-T699 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[aryoung1980]

dry hop with half your boil addition of kent 3-4 days before bottling/keg

Sent from my SGH-T699 using Home Brew mobile app

Do others dry hop their ESBs? I wasn't planning on it but I definitely could.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[aryoung1980]

Yes, it's excellent in an ESB.

Good to hear. I did a 1.5L starter with it last night and am all systems go for Saturday.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[Puddlethumper]

Do others dry hop their ESBs? I wasn't planning on it but I definitely could.

Haven't seen it recommended in any of the recipes I have. And I doubt if its ever done. ESB's just aren't supposed to be all that hoppy.

 

[Scout001]

Haven't seen it recommended in any of the recipes I have. And I doubt if its ever done. ESB's just aren't supposed to be all that hoppy.

Why I dryhop for 3 days, its not overpowering at all, very subtle with the KG...just a way and its excellent...lol, you dont have to do anything. Pleasure of homebrewing is you can do what you want

 

[Puddlethumper]

Why I dryhop for 3 days, its not overpowering at all, very subtle with the KG...just a way and its excellent...lol, you dont have to do anything. Pleasure of homebrewing is you can do what you want

Never heard of it done but if it works for, that's great. +1 and I learned something.

Cheers!

 

[aryoung1980]

I feel like I've read somewhere that British brewers do add a dry hop to a cask of bitter before it is sent to the publican.

I ended up getting some EKG in the mail this week so I've altered my plan. I'm replacing the US Golding with all EKG and leaving it as a single hop beer. I may go the dry hop route too but that decision doesn't need to be made for a few weeks.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[Puddlethumper]

I feel like I've read somewhere that British brewers do add a dry hop to a cask of bitter before it is sent to the publican.

I ended up getting some EKG in the mail this week so I've altered my plan. I'm replacing the US Golding with all EKG and leaving it as a single hop beer.

I'm currently working out of recipe book published in the UK and, so far, I haven't been disappointed with the beers. Their recipes for both a common bitter and an ESB call for single hop with EKG. Just made another batch of common yesterday. Can't seem to keep a keg of the stuff on hand!

Interesting comment about dry-hopping the cask. I think I may try that with this batch. What do you think? An ounce in 5 gal. 3 days before kegging?

Cheers!