Difference between an IPA and ESB

[fizz head1982]

I walked past my ESB and looked kinda red in colour. So I then thought have I made an ESB or IPA? I googled and some Americans on another forum determined ESB has a caramel flavour whereas IPA was more hoppy... But their beer is quite different to ours.

It can't be just related to strength like porter and stout, cos an ESB is stronger than a bitter but can be stronger than an IPA and an IPA can be stronger than an ESB.

So is an ESB just sweeter and an IPA more hoppy? :wha:


And has anyone made a proper IPA (really strong) and stored it for some time then watered it down and how did it affect the flavour?

 

[RobWalker]

ESB = extra special bitter. like a bitter and can be deep in colour, but more emphasis on the quality, stronger, generally uses english hops in regular amounts.

IPA = pale, strong and hoppy.

 

[Duxuk]

IPA was shipped from England to India to help our soldiers to.................well, you know the rest. Anyway, it was brewed stronger than a standard ale with more hops to act as a preservative for it's long journey. A good curry and an IPA are 2 of the best things to come out of our Imperial ambitions.

 

[calumscott]

with more hops to act as a preservative for it's long journey

Hops are preservative but in truth no one knows why additional hops were added to pales destined for India. The earliest evidence of the additional hopping was just a request from (ISTR) the East India Company to the main brewer/exporter at the time.

A good curry and an IPA are 2 of the best things to come out of our Imperial ambitions.

Oh yes!

 

[markmark]

If you look at the BJCP style guidelines, there is a lot of cross-over in the two styles IMO.

ESB
OG 1048-1060
FG 1010-1016
IBU 30-50

IPA
OG 1050-1075
FG 1010-1018
IBU 40-60

 

[graysalchemy]

If you look at the BJCO style guidelines, there is a lot of cross-over in the two styles IMO.

ESB
OG 1048-1060
FG 1010-1016
IBU 30-50

IPA
OG 1050-1075
FG 1010-1018
IBU 40-60

And that is where the similarities end, the grain bill would be different, you would expect some crystal or darker malts in an ESB effecting colour and flavour. Traditionally IPA's would not have any aroma hops all the hopping would have been at the start of the boil with hops being added to the barrel. None of this monumental hopping schedules that our american cousins insist on using. :whistle: :whistle:

 

[fizz head1982]

ok, so if I took this:

For 23 litres:

5kg pale malt
200g Caramalt
200g Wheat

66 degrees C for 90 mins and fly sparged.

Boil for 60 mins

Goldings:

40g - 60 min boil
20g - 30 min boil
20g - 20 min boil
20g - 10 min boil

Goldings fresh plugs tea bag in FV.

Yeast M07 "British Ale" Craft Series. Which failed and I used wilco's ale yeast instead.

And omit the caramalt and wheat and bosh all the hopps in at the start of the boil... It would turn from an ESB to an IPA? :wha:

 

[graysalchemy]

A very traditional pale ale. Need to condition it for 6 months or so I believe.

 

[fizz head1982]

Should I place a silver coin in the barrel and rock it back and fro aswell? :lol:

 

[graysalchemy]

This is from The Durden Park brewing circle

Ushers 60/- Pale Ale (1886)

O.G. 1.060

For 1 gallon (4.5lt):
2.5 lbs (1135g) Pale Malt
0.75 oz (21g) Hops

Mash grain for 3 hours at 150º F (66±1º C). Raise temperature to 170º F (77º C) for 30 minutes.

Sparge with hot water at 180 - 185º F (82 - 85º C) to O.G. or required volume.

Boil with hops for 90 minutes.

Cool and ferment with a good quality ale yeast.

Mature 3 months.

 

[markmark]

If you look at the BJCO style guidelines, there is a lot of cross-over in the two styles IMO.

ESB
OG 1048-1060
FG 1010-1016
IBU 30-50

IPA
OG 1050-1075
FG 1010-1018
IBU 40-60

And that is where the similarities end, the grain bill would be different, you would expect some crystal or darker malts in an ESB effecting colour and flavour. Traditionally IPA's would not have any aroma hops all the hopping would have been at the start of the boil with hops being added to the barrel. None of this monumental hopping schedules that our american cousins insist on using. :whistle: :whistle:

I would disagree there grays.....I'm not referencing any American IPA's here as they are distinctly different.
Lots of similarity in the grain bills, lot of similar qualities in terms of aroma and colour.
IPA's tend more towards a higher OG with the hop bill increased to balance that.

 

[graysalchemy]

We will have to agree to disagree but I still say that a bitter and ESB you would expect some dark malts and aroma hops and a more fruity estery taste, a traditional IPA would have no late addition hops and no dark malts, Pale ale was and should be just pale malt.