# RecipeDB - Red Dogwood



## Gavo (12/4/09)

Red Dogwood  Ale - English Best (Special) Bitter  Partial                      Brewer's Notes Base grain was actually Bairds Pearl Ale malt. Mash temp of 67 degrees C for 60 min. 27 lt starting boil for a final of 21lt in the cube. No chilled. 60 min boil. Beersmith says 26.7 IBU and 26.1 EBC.   Malt & Fermentables    % KG Fermentable      1.9 kg Bairds Golden Promise Pale Ale Malt    0.2 kg Weyermann Carared    0.1 kg Weyermann Caraaroma    0.06 kg Weyermann Carafa Special I     1.2 kg Generic DME - Light       Hops    Time Grams Variety Form AA      34 g Goldings, East Kent (Pellet, 5.0AA%, 60mins)    22 g Bramling Cross (Pellet, 6.0AA%, 15mins)    15 g Bramling Cross (Pellet, 6.0AA%, 0mins)       Yeast     11 ml Danstar - Nottingham         21L Batch Size    Brew Details   Original Gravity 1.047 (calc)   Final Gravity 1.012 (calc)   Bitterness 29.3 IBU   Efficiency 75%   Alcohol 4.54%   Colour 28 EBC   Batch Size 21L     Fermentation   Primary 7 days   Secondary 7 days   Conditioning 3 days


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## RdeVjun (13/4/09)

Many thanks for posting that gavo- that's actually very similar to a few of the brews I've been doing recently, but as extract / k&b and no mash. Not surprisingly, I used your previous reds as inspiration for the steeped grain proportions. Here's a picture of a recent one fermenting its head off, smells just wunderbar, or rather jolly good!

My hops have been a bit messed up though, and I've been wanting to try Bramling X to see what all the fuss is about, so next up that's what I'll be using. Previously, I've used Fuggles and Saphire, so old plus new varieties, but yours uses fairly traditional varieties- just like the good old days, I guess. Cheers!


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## Gavo (13/4/09)

I have tried to keep with the traditional styles here. EKG makes good for bittering and flavour. The Bramling cross give a good smooth flavour addition. This one is interesting in that it is initially smooth on the palate with the bitterness coming through in another late layer. I will be doing this again very soon with the consideration of dropping the IBU 1 - 2 points and using a liquid yeast. Just trying to decide which Englis yeast.

Cheers
Gavo


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## brianman (14/4/09)

Hi Gavo,

Got all the ingredients today, didn't have the BC. so going all EKG like your previous EB. Haven't used, let alone heard of Danstar, but assume being an ale yeast 18-24deg will be alright, which end of the scale.

Cheers 
Briby


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## RdeVjun (14/4/09)

briby said:


> Hi Gavo,
> 
> Got all the ingredients today, didn't have the BC. so going all EKG like your previous EB. Haven't used, let alone heard of Danstar, but assume being an ale yeast 18-24deg will be alright, which end of the scale.
> 
> ...


Cool & you shouldn't be disappointed. Danstar is just a manufacturer, Nottingham is a reasonably common British ale strain, some sponsors have it, LHBSes might too, although S-04 seems to be their limit depending on which one and where you are. Danstar Nottingham link. Oh, yep, I'm no expert, but I'd head for 18 if you have a choice.
As per my post above, I want to give Bramling X a whirl, particularly in this traditional recipe, its in my cart already.


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## Gavo (14/4/09)

Briby, I am using the Nottingham at 18 degrees c for the ferment and then chilling to about 3 degrees a few days after fermentation is finished. I have taken to pitching at 19 and then dropping it back to 18 after the lag time is over. If you can't get the Nottingham at your LHBS try one of the above sponsors. the EKG will do well in this also.

RdeVjan, Good to see the Bramling Cross is in the shopping cart. I ordered another pack yesterday. I am making another one of these soon and am giving Wyeast 1968 a whirl with it. I am also going to drop the IBU back by a point.

Cheers
Gavo


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## brianman (16/4/09)

gavo said:


> Briby, I am using the Nottingham at 18 degrees c for the ferment and then chilling to about 3 degrees a few days after fermentation is finished. I have taken to pitching at 19 and then dropping it back to 18 after the lag time is over. If you can't get the Nottingham at your LHBS try one of the above sponsors. the EKG will do well in this also.
> 
> RdeVjan, Good to see the Bramling Cross is in the shopping cart. I ordered another pack yesterday. I am making another one of these soon and am giving Wyeast 1968 a whirl with it. I am also going to drop the IBU back by a point.
> 
> ...




Gavo, i got the Nottingham, just hadn't heard of it, the other day at G&G with everything else, exept the carafa Special 1, hope it won't make too much diff, got the steep going as i type, only got a 15lt pot at this stage, wife got it weekend, left what looks like rust mark at water level after doing a test run for temp. control yesterday, got a couple of other spots as well, so much for stainless <_< . Haven't got another big pot, am going to use a 8lt Kambrook urn for the sparge water, keeps 74deg just below #3 setting, hmm can taste that lovely ale already, can't wait to see how everything goes.

RdeVjan, thanks

Cheers
Briby


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## Gavo (16/4/09)

Shame about the carafa T1 Briby. It does quite a bit to darken the beer and add that bit of taste that a darker beer has. It would be intersting to see how it goes, so make sure you post up the results. Good that you have got the Notto though as it will highlight the malt.

Got to love the stainless pot... although it could be the result of something in the water. I have a cheap 12 lt and have no problems with it.

Cheers
Gavo.


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## brianman (16/4/09)

gavo said:


> Shame about the carafa T1 Briby. It does quite a bit to darken the beer and add that bit of taste that a darker beer has. It would be intersting to see how it goes, so make sure you post up the results. Good that you have got the Notto though as it will highlight the malt.
> 
> Got to love the stainless pot... although it could be the result of something in the water. I have a cheap 12 lt and have no problems with it.
> 
> ...


 Being my first one i probably wouldn't notice the diff, can always add it next time, OG from 13lt sparge 1030 @ 40deg. 1034 @ 28deg, 15mins into boil, how does that efficiency look.

Cheers 
Briby


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## Gavo (16/4/09)

briby said:


> Being my first one i probably wouldn't notice the diff, can always add it next time, OG from 13lt sparge 1030 @ 40deg. 1034 @ 28deg, 15mins into boil, how does that efficiency look.
> 
> Cheers
> Briby



That would both depend on your hydro base temp and your volume. If your hydro base temp is 15C then that would equate to around 1037 which is around 70%. I usually base my recipes at 70% and if I get better then that is a bonus. When I did this one I somehow managed 84% into the fermenter.  

Cheers
Gavo.


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## brianman (16/4/09)

gavo said:


> That would both depend on your hydro base temp and your volume. If your hydro base temp is 15C then that would equate to around 1037 which is around 70%. I usually base my recipes at 70% and if I get better then that is a bonus. When I did this one I somehow managed 84% into the fermenter.
> 
> Cheers
> Gavo.



Well it's finally in the fermenter at 1034, a bit low anything i can do to get it higher, or am istuckwith a low alc. EB.

Cheers

Briby


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## brianman (16/4/09)

briby said:


> Well it's finally in the fermenter at 1034, a bit low anything i can do to get it higher, or am istuck with a low alc. EB.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> ...



Added 600gm premium mix, didn't do a lot, added 500gm DME, up to 1045. Thanks everyone.

Cheers

happy Briby


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## Gavo (16/4/09)

Yep well now just look after the ferment and keep the temp down to a constant 18. Consider racking to a secondary when its close to the end. Give it time to clear at the end of the ferment. Bottle at 2 volumes and enjoy as soon as its carbed up.  

Cheers
Gavo


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## brianman (16/4/09)

gavo said:


> Yep well now just look after the ferment and keep the temp down to a constant 18. Consider racking to a secondary when its close to the end. Give it time to clear at the end of the ferment. Bottle at 2 volumes and enjoy as soon as its carbed up.
> 
> Cheers
> Gavo



Thanks again Gavo, sorry for being on two threads, for the same subject, but thought i needed help, real quick. Wonder what a 3.5% alc. bitter would taste like.

Cheers
Briby


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## Gavo (18/6/09)

Well just tried my first bottle of this fermented with Wyeast 1968 London ESB Ale yeast fermented at around 19 degrees C for the first 5 days then 20 degrees C for another 4 days. Started at 1048 and finished at 1014. The result :icon_drool2: Best English Bitter I have done yet, and will do it again.

Cheers
Gavo.


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