Suggestion for a good recipe for a ESB or Pale Ale w/ WLP002?

[midlifecrisis]

I'm going to be bottling an Oatmeal Stout brewed with WLP002 this weekend and while I have the washed yeast around I'm trying to come up with a good British ESB or Pale Ale to brew the following weekend that would work well with this yeast. I've got plenty of Maris Otter, Golding and Fuggles Hops on hand and I can pick up any specialty grains at the LHBS around the corner. I've already brewed a very dry and hoppy America IPA, and an excellent California Common (dry hopped--so good)--so I thought a British brew with a little more malt and british hops might be in order.


I'm thinking something with a OG no higher than 1.055--any suggestions would be welcome.

 

[k47k]

take a look at the "Captain hooked on bitters" recipe in the recipe database. Ive made some great beers based off this recipe.

 

[Challenger440]

Quick note: in general it is recommended to increase the gravity of you brews when you are re-using yeast.

That aside I would say Orfy's Boddington's Bitter looks like it might fit the bill of what you are looking for

 

[rockfish42]

~9-10 pounds of maris otter, 1 lb of medium british crystal 75-80 L, or a combo of light carastan .5 and 120-160 L british crystal .25.

Hop with a combo of fuggles for bittering and kent goldings for the finishing hops, 60/10/0 try to hit ~40 ibus.

Ferment at 68 degrees if possible and consider adding a bit of CaCL or CaSO4 if your water is soft.

Mash at 152.

 

[Bottenbrew]

The Captain Hooked on Bitters is a fantastic recipe.

 

[jmo88]

~9-10 pounds of maris otter, 1 lb of medium british crystal 75-80 L, or a combo of light carastan .5 and 120-160 L british crystal .25.

Hop with a combo of fuggles for bittering and kent goldings for the finishing hops, 60/10/0 try to hit ~40 ibus.

Ferment at 68 degrees if possible and consider adding a bit of CaCL or CaSO4 if your water is soft.

Mash at 152.

I was about to write the same thing. This is solid advice and it gives you just some guidelines to work with. My favorite esb uses thames valley yeast. My grain bill is about 5% carastan, 1 oz of roasted barley for color and the rest Maris otter. My favorite hopping strategy is from Kingbrian's common room ESB, using FWH in lieu of the 60 minute addition.

 

[midlifecrisis]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I've got it down to three recipes (pasted below) that fit my inventory of hops and grain:
I'm leaning toward either Common Room ESB or JZ and JP's ESB because the OG is a little higher. I'm a bit surprised that the last recipe doesn't have a slightly higher mash temp.

Any thoughts on these three recipes? I'm looking for a classic British ale that works with MO and WLP002 and is a little maltier than the hop bomb american IPA (wounded knee IPA at 70IBU) I just started drinking (and loved).


Common Room ESB
Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
10.00 lb UK Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (1.4 SRM) Grain 90.91 %
0.75 lb UK Medium Crystal 50-65L (56.5 SRM) Grain 6.82 %
0.25 lb UK Dark Crystal 135-165L (150.0 SRM) Grain 2.27 %
1.50 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.50 %] (60 min) (First Wort Hop)
0.25 oz Fuggles [4.00 %] (20 min)
0.25 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.50 %] (20 min)
0.25 oz Fuggles [4.00 %] (0 min)
0.25 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.50 %] (0 min)
1 Pkgs SafAle English Ale (DCL Yeast #S-04) Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile:
Est Original Gravity: 1.054 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.054 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.014 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.014 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.17 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 5.21 %
Bitterness: 35.3 IBU Calories: 241 cal/pint
Est Color: 10.4 SRM Color: Color

Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 13.75 qt of water at 173.3 F 154.0 F

Boddington’s Bitter
7.25 lb Pale Malt, Maris Otter
.55 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine
.264 lb Crystal Malt 60L
1 oz Chocolate Malt

Mash at 154-155 F

Hopping schedule:
1oz Northern Brewer, First Wort Hops
1oz EKG (45 minutes)
1oz EKG (0 minutes AKA flameout)
Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.040 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.040 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.014 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.012 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.17 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 5.21 %
Bitterness: 40 IBU
Est Color: 7.9 SRM

JZ and JP’s ESB (Programmer’s Elbow)—From Brewing Classic Styles
Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
12.00 lb UK Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (1.4 SRM)
0.5 lb Crystal 15L
0.25 lb Crystal 120L
2.00 oz Goldings, Kent [5.0 %] (60 min)
1.00 oz Goldings, Kent [5.0 %] (0 min)
White Labs WLP002 English Ale Yeast
Mash at 152oF for 60 min

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.056 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.015
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.4 %
Bitterness: 40 IBU
Est Color: 8 SRM