# Hargreaves Hill Esb Recipe



## Fents (19/5/09)

Anyone want to take a stab at this with me? im addicted to their ESB and i have to have a crack at brewing it....Searched the whole Recipe DB and google and nothing comes up.

I know simon posts on here maybe he will chime in with a hint...? 

Grain :

90% Ale
5% Crystal?
No idea what the other 5% should be but i know its got a golden/copper colour so maybe Carared?

Hops :

No idea...

Yeast (Liquid) :

No idea either...

Need some help! I've read BJCP and still no further...plus i want a Hargreaves tasting ESB not just any old ESB.

cheers crew.


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## brettprevans (19/5/09)

theres a disc thread here  but no one answer. 

buggered if i know whatsa in it, but i love it also.


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## Bizier (19/5/09)

From the murky depths of my memory, I thought this tasted like 100% NS on the hops.

I enjoyed the beer, though I think it is not an ESB.


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## captaincleanoff (19/5/09)

love this beer too. Would be very interested in a recipe


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## DUANNE (19/5/09)

have to agree this beer is stunning but no esb. no idea how to brew it but i do know they use a lot of galaxy in it.


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## Kai (20/5/09)

The current HH ESB has a stonkload of passionfruit character to it. I'd start with any hop that will give you that, regardless of what the beer actually has. In terms of replicating the hop flavour, I'd be looking to Motueka mainly, then Galaxy. And then maybe some Sauvin. Other than that, I dunno.


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## Back Yard Brewer (20/5/09)

Fents said:


> Anyone want to take a stab at this with me? im addicted to their ESB and i have to have a crack at brewing it....Searched the whole Recipe DB and google and nothing comes up.
> 
> I know simon posts on here maybe he will chime in with a hint...?
> 
> ...





I would agree to me it really is not an ESB but very nice all the same. I have made something like it using all Galaxy hops. I think it would just be a matter of getting the balance right, grain profile that is. 





captaincleanoff said:


> love this beer too. Would be very interested in a recipe



How is that bulk hop buy going? h34r:   

BYB


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## PostModern (20/5/09)

Kai said:


> The current HH ESB has a stonkload of passionfruit character to it. I'd start with any hop that will give you that, regardless of what the beer actually has. In terms of replicating the hop flavour, I'd be looking to Motueka mainly, then Galaxy. And then maybe some Sauvin. Other than that, I dunno.



This is probably close. I definitely got Galaxy, maybe NS, but not so much Motueka (which is probably my favourite hop right now).

To the OP, I think the idea you have so far is fine, mostly pale ale, touch of dark crystal, maybe some choc to adjust colour and hop to your fancy. Without meaning to be rude, what is the appeal of cloning it? Don't you think you might like a similar beer, slightly tweaked to your preferences, even more than the HH ESB? Or is this beer truly Nirvana for you? I'm currently sipping a low hopped pale ale with Caraaroma and it's ******* delicious. I'd use this grain bill again with a hoppier beer for sure.


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## Fourstar (20/5/09)

Just and idea Fents.

HH ESB 
Extra Special/Strong Bitter (English Pale Ale) 

Type: All Grain
Date: 20/05/2009 
Batch Size: 23.00 L
Brewer: Braden 
Boil Size: 30.90 L
Brewhouse Efficiency: 68.0 

Ingredients
4.50 kg Pale Malt, Maris Otter (Bairds) (3.0 SRM) Grain 81.8 % 
0.35 kg Carared (Weyermann) (24.0 SRM) Grain 6.4 % 
0.30 kg Munich II (Weyermann) (8.5 SRM) Grain 5.5 % 
0.25 kg Wheat Malt, Malt Craft (Joe White) (2.0 SRM) Grain 4.5 % 
0.10 kg Caraaroma (Weyermann) (178.0 SRM) Grain 1.8 % 
20.00 gm B Saaz - Motueka [7.10%] (60 min) (First Wort Hop) Hops 17.4 IBU 
20.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [5.00%] (60 min) (First Wort Hop) Hops 12.2 IBU 
20.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [5.00%] (15 min) Hops 5.5 IBU 
20.00 gm B Saaz - Motueka [7.10%] (0 min) Hops - 
30.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [5.00%] (Dry Hop 5 days) Hops - 
1 Pkgs London ESB Ale (Wyeast Labs #1968) Yeast-Ale 

Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.051 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.015 SG 
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.7 % 
Bitterness: 35.1 IBU
Est Color: 9.8 SRM

Mash Profile
Mash In Add 14.30 L of water at 73.5 C 67.0 C 60 min 
Mash Out Add 8.03 L of water at 93.0 C 75.6 C 10 min


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## /// (20/5/09)

PostModern said:


> I'd use this grain bill again with a hoppier beer for sure.



If one had it written down ...


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## Simon from Hargreaves Hill (20/5/09)

BEERHOG said:


> have to agree this beer is stunning but no esb. no idea how to brew it but i do know they use a lot of galaxy in it.



If you read any judging guidelines (BJCP or Brewers Association - which is used for the AIBAs) this beer ticks all the boxes. I view it as a "new world" interpretation of the style, using "new world" hops - since we have been brewing this beer, we have selected hops from US, NZ and Australia. This is no less legitimately to style, even after reading the guidelines. I am happy for anyone to justify why it isn't an ESB - BJCP makes mention that "Judges should not judge all beers in this style as if they were Fuller's ESB clones." Ours isn't, but it falls within all parameters mentioned in the guidelines. We tend to brew to palate, rather than to style, which makes pigeon-holing our beers, and entering competitions problematic. 

I am pretty chuffed that there is so much interest in it. We will probably bottle it once the new brewery is commissioned. 

Simon


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## PostModern (20/5/09)

/// said:


> If one had it written down ...



I log my brews elsewhere. I think I can re-do this one without much issue  (EDIT: Turns out this beer was 50% Pale Ale, 50% Vienna with just a touch of carafa spec II, not Caraaroma)

Simon, cheers for joining the discussion. Can you offer any help, even just a hint, about the recipe? Love this beer. Always have one or two when I'm at the Darlo Taphouse.


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## Sammus (20/5/09)

Oh yeah I was wondering where I'd heard this name before. Certainly the best of all the beers I tried during my recent trip to melbourne - st kilda taphouse iirc (it was pomos comment about darlo taphouse that sparked my memory). Top beer... I'd love to have a crack at it.


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## Fents (21/5/09)

Po_Mo - i prob would enjoy a simaliar beer and im sure i could knock one out easily enough...but your right at this point in time its Nirvana for me. I could put this beer on a IV drip all day everyday. Summer, Winter dosnt matter. Seriously not trying to blow smoke up simons ass but i've tried alot of micros and for me this one is the one.

Simon - again thnaks for chiming in on this discussion. Whats it going to take for us to pry out what hops you guys use in this? think we only really need to know what hops are in there....an no it wont stop me from buying your beer, you know what they say, trying to replicate somthing someone has made is the highest form of flattery right?


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## Bizier (21/5/09)

Simon from Hargreaves Hill said:


> We tend to brew to palate, rather than to style, which makes pigeon-holing our beers, and entering competitions problematic.



Purely academic argument here, because I love the beer in question, and order it when it is available.

I think it has individuality going for it, and that is highly commendable. But I can't help having a certain preconceived expectation when I see ESB as the style. I think when you use distinct 'new world' hops, it really changes the character away from the 'bitter' family tree and towards the generic title of 'pale ale'. But I also think that 'pale ale' is a useless description, because you have no idea what the product is. And I am unsure that there is another category that would better fit your beer. It just surprised me the first time I tried it.
I have ordered it multiple times, over 19 other possible beers at the Taphouse in Syd, so you aren't doing bad in my books.

BTW... am I right with the NS?


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## Back Yard Brewer (21/5/09)

Simon from Hargreaves Hill said:


> I am pretty chuffed that there is so much interest in it. We will probably bottle it once the new brewery is commissioned.
> 
> Simon




Let know where and when!!  Am also wondering where in S.A it might be on tap since in the bottle is out of the question.

BYB


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## HoppingMad (21/5/09)

Tried this last night and it was a nice drop, but apologies to Simon from Hargreaves - I have to agree with some of the other threads here - really doesn't sit as an ESB in the old sense.

As an experimental fusion of styles? As a 'New World ESB'? Dunno about that - really tastes like an APA that might have some ESB characteristics in the background. But the hops are so big that it doesn't really leave much more to it.

I thought ESBs traditionally had to exhibit some malt profile. This is all about the hops. So that takes it into APA territory I would think.

Nice beer and all though, and should sell well for the guys.

Cheers,

Hopper.


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## PostModern (21/5/09)

HoppingMad said:


> I thought ESBs traditionally had to exhibit some malt profile. This is all about the hops. So that takes it into APA territory I would think.



I think it would sit OK at the hoppier end of the IPA style as well. Think IPA, think hops.


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## HoppingMad (21/5/09)

PostModern said:


> I think it would sit OK at the hoppier end of the IPA style as well. Think IPA, think hops.



Yep true on that point. Tried Mountain Goat's IPA about half an hour prior to this one and their ESB is bigger in hops than the Goat's IPA.


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## Bizier (21/5/09)

I think that you get a nice sweet malt backing. And from memory the balance is not very bitter at all, so I would be inclined not to call it an IPA. But to qualify, I like my IPAs hoppy, bitter, and then some.


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## brettprevans (21/5/09)

HoppingMad said:


> Yep true on that point. Tried Mountain Goat's IPA about half an hour prior to this one and their ESB is bigger in hops than the Goat's IPA.


yes but not all beers are created equal. IPA range is sybstantial. look at squire's IPA. barely bitter enough to eb an IPA in my book.


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## gibbocore (21/5/09)

PostModern said:


> I think it would sit OK at the hoppier end of the IPA style as well. Think IPA, think hops.



yep, i got it in my paddle at the taphouse last week, sitting next to and tasting next to 'Feral hop hog IPA' and really i thought the ESB had more hop aroma/flavour, was about to take it back cause i thought he'd poured me the wrong thing until i realised it was a real nice beer.


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## Back Yard Brewer (21/5/09)

Bizier said:


> And from memory the balance is not very bitter at all,




Same here, just a nice all round balanced beer. Not sure what the word is to describe the clarity or lack of it in this beer but that did add that extra bit of mystery about it in the sense of how it was put together.


BYB


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## PostModern (21/5/09)

citymorgue2 said:


> yes but not all beers are created equal. IPA range is sybstantial. look at squire's IPA. barely bitter enough to eb an IPA in my book.



Sure. There is plenty of overlap in the BJCP styles, and we have to remember that the BJCP is not the be-all end-all of beer classification. When it gets down to it, the BJCP and other styles reflect what is being made by homebrewers, the craft brewers and macro brewers. The brewer says it's an ESB, so it is.

That said, I found the first time I tasted it, as soon as it came on tap at The Local, it had a much bigger bitterness hit. As the keg aged a couple weeks, or perhaps it was a different batch, the hops mellowed and more of the malt came thru. Lovely beer, no matter which bjcp box it sits in.


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## marksfish (21/5/09)

as simon quoted beerhogs comment maybe its a hint that galaxy is the hop of choice


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## haysie (11/9/10)

I tasted this beer today for the first time and it was ok, didnt like the big munich malt character. Just too rich. One only thx. Its all a a bit too malt offensive. I read the above posts, the bitterness was subdued, the hop flavour was overwhelmed by malt.
I didnt check the use/best by, but it was clean. Not sure how you find galaxy in that?
Whos brewed it? did you come close? does it have a shedload of munich/caramunich?


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## Back Yard Brewer (11/9/10)

Will be in Melbourne this October. I shall be heading down to the Taphouse to reminisce my last visit 2yrs ago. Hope the ESB is not as bad as described  

BYB


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## beersatan (11/9/10)

Royston had it on tap last weekend and I thought it was the best thing they had on tap so I had three.
If only there was a machine that you could pour a bit of beer into and it would reverse engineer it for you!

Oh yeah, they had Holgate ESB on the hand pump but in comparison it was hardly worth a mention. In fact, I wish I didn't even type this now.


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## bum (11/9/10)

I had it last weekend and while I didn't think it was the best ESB ever I did think it was a pretty nice beer. Seems like there is significant changes in this one with time though.


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## haysie (11/9/10)

I think as an ESB *style* thats not what their trying to do, Its their own style and its ok, I drunk it from a bottle with a heap of sediment. In contrast , I believe this is available via tap? So I am only commenting on the bottle version. Nevertheless I thought it rich enough to be bocklike yet lacking the substance of alcohol and body to carry it thru.


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## bum (11/9/10)

Mine was on tap and I did enjoy it quite a bit. Not going to pick it apart as an ESB because that isn't one of my pet styles but it didn't seem entirely like other ones I've had.


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## berto (22/10/10)

Does anyone know what yeast they use in this?


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## bullsneck (22/10/10)

I was there earlier in the year. The brewer told me he uses Wyeast 1056.


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## spamdecs (13/3/13)

Hey folks
Sorry I'm late, the dog ate my homework again.

Just looking at having a crack at something like this so I've been trying to scrounge info re their recipe. I found this in another post 

http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/46138-nelson-sauvin/?p=653987

Let me know if you have any more clues! She's a good beer...


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## Ciderman (15/9/14)

Anyone brewed this recently. Just tasted it on tap and loved it.


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## Lucas2411 (3/7/18)

Very old thread but for anyone searching online and wondering (like me), HH now list the following on their bottles.
Hops: Galaxy, Mosaic
Malt: Ale, Crystal, Chocolate
5.2%, 35IBU, 20EBC.

I personally find the chocolate malt much more prevalent in the bottled version but this may be due to the lack of nitrogen in the bottled version.


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