Best Bitter - thoughts?

[malbeven]

Hi all.

Anyone see any problems with this? Comes up well on Iain's spreadsheet (excellent, btw), but just after any thoughts.

23 ltr Brew,

2.5kg LDM

150g Medium Crystal
150g Carawheat
50g Carafa 1
Grains steeped 30 min at 70 deg.

Then boiled with:
24g Centennial @ 60min
15g EKG @ 15 min
15g Amarillo @ 5 min
15g Amarillo dry

200g Dextrose

Nottingham Ale yeast

Ferment at about 18 deg.

Cheers,

Mal

 

[manticle]

Looks like a nice pale ale.
Without knowing aa% of the hops or predicted ibu, it's hard to guage exactly.

Doesn't matter if you're not entering a comp or trying to copy a known example but very little about it suggests best bitter.

 

[malbeven]

Yeah, agree with that. As I said, comes out as a best bitter in the spreadsheet, but I wouldn't have called it that on paper. Think it will be pretty drinkable though all the same. Any dramas with using only dry malt, with no liquid, or doesn't it really matter?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Mal

 

[Rocker1986]

The numbers might line up with a best bitter but the hops are all American save for the EKG. I'm sure it will make a very drinkable beer though, even if it doesn't really taste like a best bitter. I don't see any issues with using all dry malt myself, no.

 

[manticle]

Only thing that matters is using good quality, fresh made for brewing extract and accounting for the 20ish percent by weight of water in liquid (so differing amounts for same gravity, liquid vs dry).

 

[technobabble66]

What sort of beer are you hoping for?
A UK bitter, like Old Speckled Hen or Tetleys?
Or a "bitter" with lots of fruity hoppy flavours and aromas?

If it's the former, the hops you're using won't achieve that. Not that they're bad. As others have said, it'll probably be a great beer, just nothing resembling an UK bitter. So you need to change the hops to EKG, with maybe fuggles &/or challenger/target. A big part of most UK beers is the way those hops(& some others) meld with & enhance the malts (IMO).

If it's the latter you're after it should be perfect - somewhere between an American Pale Ale and a Golden Ale. (I haven't checked your og, fg, or IBUs, but assuming they're ok, etc).

Btw, Nottingham mutes hops flavours/aromas a fair bit, so if you're after that latter style, swap to US-05 or BRY-97.

Hope that helps

 

[malbeven]

Thanks guys, great advice. I reckon I'll go for more of the EKG,, less of the American hoops and the BRY-97 yeast. Appreciate your help. Will let you know how it goes.

Cheers.

 

[technobabble66]

Fwiw, If you're going for an English style Best Bitter, Nottingham yeast would be more to style.
Both are fairly neutral so either would be fine, ...
but notto might bring out the malts more. And the way it mutes hops is ok for these UK ales.
It's only undesirable for the hoppy US pale ale style (where hoppy means prominent tropical citrusy fruity & resiny elements in aroma & flavour) (which sounds unlike what you're going).
The effect of the hops flavours/aromas is more subtle in the UK bitters, so it doesn't matter so much if a bit of muting occurs.
2c

 

[stewy]

I think Lallemand have just released a dry ESB yeast. If you haven't already brewed this I would highly recommend phoning around to see who has some in stock. Would be the perfect choice of yeast for your best bitter.

 

[welly2]

Hi all.

Anyone see any problems with this? Comes up well on Iain's spreadsheet (excellent, btw), but just after any thoughts.

23 ltr Brew,

2.5kg LDM

150g Medium Crystal
150g Carawheat
50g Carafa 1
Grains steeped 30 min at 70 deg.

Then boiled with:
24g Centennial @ 60min
15g EKG @ 15 min
15g Amarillo @ 5 min
15g Amarillo dry

200g Dextrose

Nottingham Ale yeast

Ferment at about 18 deg.

Cheers,

Mal

Those aren't best bitter hops (other than EKG). EKG, Fuggles, Challenger, Northdown, Willamette.

 

[panspermian]

Best bitter thoughts I have is , I hate everything, everyone and my wife.
Love my son though!
Bitter enough?

 

[altone]

Those aren't best bitter hops (other than EKG). EKG, Fuggles, Challenger, Northdown, Willamette.

I'd go further and stick to just EKG and Fuggles however what you've got there is kind of an American pale (yes even with the Nottingham)
So it'll be nice - just go for it.

 

[altone]

Best bitter thoughts I have is , I hate everything, everyone and my wife.
Love my son though!
Bitter enough?

Have a beer mate. It'll all seem better

And you'd better hope the wife doesn't see that post ... or things might get worse :unsure: