Best bitter recipe

[Simonh82]

I'd like to make a best bitter and would like some feedback on my recipe. I'm aiming for a well hopped but balanced ale which has the sweetness of some crystal coming through but isn't overly sweet or too malty.

23L batch, BIAB, mash temp 67oC, 60 min mash.

3.8kg maris otter
300g crystal 113 ECB (50L)
200g crystal 225 ECB (90L)
200g amber malt 80 ECB (25L)
100g torrified wheat

15g Pilgrim 60 min boil;
30g each Fuggle and East Kent Golding 15 min;
30g Fuggle, 20g East Kent Golding, 35g Pilgrim 0 min.

OG 1.046, FG 1.011, 4.6 ABV, 40 IBU

I've not settled on a yeast yet but it will likely either come from harvested Young's yeast I'm culturing up from bottles at the moment or some from Wibbler brewery.

Is this too much crystal/ speciality malt at about 15%?

I'm thinking about dry hopping too, but probably not using too much. Maybe 20-30g of Pilgrim or EKG.

Any thoughts welcome.

 

[geetee]

For my taste I would probably miss out one of the Crystal additions. depending if you want it light or darke. My preferred hops would be target for bitterness and styrian golding/fuggles late but nothing wrong with your choice and I would usually not dry hop a bitter to let the malt come through.

 

[peebee]

I often add about 10% crystal to "Best Bitter" so I know it might not be to the tastes of everyone; but I like it! It'll add a more "lush" flavour. I was surprised how even small additions of highly coloured crystal affected the colour and "caramelly" notes, but I was using the equivalent of 60g at 400ECB (because I didn't have enough of the "standard" crystal).

Amber malt is something I want to experiment more with, because first impressions have been very good.

Torrified wheat worries me because I think it caused me some unwelcome "cereally" flavours. Does wonders for the "head" though.

40IBU also worries me. But probably depends on how you serve it. If like me you go for young and low carbonated bitter I find 30IBU quite enough. But aged, chilled and high carb (more like bottled pale than draught bitter) you might get away with 40.

 

[TartanSpecial]

I think it looks pretty good. The Fuller ESB clone I did had approx 10% crystal and it was fine...but I felt it need a bit more to accentuate the caramel notes of Fuller...so next time I am going to got for 12.5%. Mixing the 50l and 90l will broaden the crystal tastes...and is similar to what I did for my recent ESB.
Have never tried Pilgrim ...but late fuggles and (especially) EKG looks good.
For my taste I'd agree that 40IBU for a 4.6% bitter would be on the high side...I'd go for 30-35 but its personal preference (I target 40-45 for my pale ales).
I've just used 400grams torrified wheat in a pale ale which I just sampled out of the fermenter a minute ago and I don;t detect to many cereal or toe nail notes so you should be good with 100grams.

 

[Tony1951]

I've just used 400grams torrified wheat in a pale ale which I just sampled out of the fermenter a minute ago and I don;t detect to many cereal or toe nail notes so you should be good with 100grams.

TOE NAIL notes? Bloody hell - you do know how to make a recipe sound appetising.

:)

 

[Notlaw]

toe nail notes .

How do you know what a toenail tastes and smells like? I can't I give mine a good chewing or sniffing when I cut mine. :lol:

 

[TartanSpecial]

TOE NAIL notes? Bloody hell - you do know how to make a recipe sound appetising.

:)

just picking up on a previous thread a week or so ago on torrified wheat. I changed the recipe of my pale ale to incorporate 400 grams of the stuff specifically to see if I could detect the various negative flavours people had mentioned...toe nails being the most extreme :shock:

 

[geetee]

just picking up on a previous thread a week or so ago on torrified wheat. I changed the recipe of my pale ale to incorporate 400 grams of the stuff specifically to see if I could detect the various negative flavours people had mentioned...toe nails being the most extreme :shock:

I hope you haven't put your foot in it, metaphorically speaking!

 

[Simonh82]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I may cut back on the crystal a bit as I don't want it too sweet. I've also been using very clean highly attenuating yeasts so far and English yeast may lead to a sweeter maltier brew overall. My harvested yeast from Young's bottles seems to have taken off, so I'll definitely use that now.

I'm quite happy with the 40 IBUs, I like bitter beers and have just bottled a very light golden ale which was about 3.8% and also had about 40 IBU. It tasted great going in to the bottle.

The Pilgrim hops are new to me. So far I've mostly used big fruity American hops but I wanted to go British for this brew. Pilgrim sound like they might have a bit of the citrus flavour that I do really like but I want to combine them with Fuggle and EKG. I'll leave off dry hopping this one.

The amber malt and torrified wheat are really just to see how they work out. When I ordered the amber malt the Home Brew Company sent it crushed instead of whole. I want to use it before it is past its best. Hopefully it will add a little colour and biscuity malty flavour without too much sweetness.

The wheat is mainly for head retention. I know some people use a small quantity as standard. Hopefully it won't taste of toenails or anything else unpleasant.