Second ESB Attempt

[rodwha]

My second is better than my first, but I'm not getting the biscuit flavor I was after.

This second time MoreBeer added Maris Otter LME, and so the backbone was British, but I used 1 lb of Special Roast and 1/2 lb of Victory. It's OK but not very biscuity. I'm actually after something along the lines of Foster's Premium Ale (once known as ESB).

So I'm not sure if I'm using the wrong base grain (Maris Otter) or if I need to up the Special Roast.

I also considered using some honey malts. What's better with biscuits (other than sausage gravy) than honey??? But one thing at a time...

Having had another Old Speckled Hen (again) I'm after something similar once I get this nailed down, but have ordered 2 tins of Lyle's Golden Syrup for it (waiting 2 months as it's coming from England).

Guess I need to try Fuller's again as it and OSH didn't seem all that extraordinary the first time, yet OSH was fantastic my last try!

 

[Qhrumphf]

The combo of Maris Otter, special roast and victory should give you a plenty toasty biscuity flavor, and at those levels it might even be borderline overkill. Not sure exactly what flavor you're looking for, but you might try using a different yeast and see if that gets you closer.

Have you checked your local supermarket for golden syrup? Might either be in the baking section with the other sugars, or specialty sugars, or if you have an ethnic section, check for a British foods section. I have to go to a speciatly British shop to get treacle, but I can get golden syrup at the grocery store here.

 

[Roadie]

Fuller's ESB?? If so I thought it was just MO with about 7% crystal. White Labs 002 is the yeast.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[rodwha]

Qhrumphf: Wish I had a few of you around here so that you could try the 2 I've made so as to better describe what I'm tasting. I don't get the biscuit-like flavor (strong) I get from Foster's Premium Ale.

I have looked for the Lyle's Golden Syrup locally. I found it at World Market, and I think it's close to the same cost (11.9 oz for $5 local vs $7 for 454 grams).

Roadie: Not Fuller's. I've had it, and liked it, but felt it was somewhat plain as I did OSH. But having had an OSH again, and seeing it was very flavorful, I obviously need to try Fuller's again.

 

[rodwha]

How much Special Roast can I use without it becoming overpowering?

 

[Qhrumphf]

I'm wondering if any of the biscuity character gets lost with the making of your MO extract. It may also be the specific maltster that they're using. In my Bitters and ESBs I usually use Thomas Fawcett or Crisp Maris Otter (the grains, with a subtle difference between the two maltsters), and then maybe a half pound each Special Roast and Biscuit (Victory being Breiss's trademark name for Biscuit, I believe). And that's plenty of biscuity character. Even using ONLY Maris Otter or MO and a little crystal malt, and I still get plenty of biscuity character. Your issue may be something else. You might want to try tossing in some English crystal malt (I like Crisp's 45L Light and 77L Dark crystal malts) if you're not using any crystal malt, or swap them if you're using an American crystal malt. It's possible that's the character that you're missing.

 

[rodwha]

The LME I used is made by Crisp.

The crystal I used is British (Hugh Baird).

This was my recipe (5.75 gal partial mash/partial boil):

5 lbs M.O. LME (FO)
2 lbs M.O.
1 lb crystal 50/60
1 lb Victory
1.25 lbs soft white wheat berries
0.5 lb carapils
0.5 lb light DME
0.25 Special Roast
2 oz EKG @ 77 mins
1.5 oz EKG @ 21 mins
0.5 oz EKG @ 7 mins
1/2 tab Whirlflock @ 7 mins
S-04

I had to doube check, and it seems I indeed flip-flopped the Victory and Special Roast. Funny as I don't get an extreme nutty flavor per se...