Best Bitter - To Dry Hop, Or Not To Dry Hop

[jacknohe]

Hi All

I've been trying a few new combos of malts, hops, and yeasts. In this one I'm using Ringwood Ale yeast (can't get hold of that magical 1469PC) and I've read it provides some distinct esters. Its almost fermented out and I'm thinking of adding another 2 x plugs of Styrian Goldings as a dry hop addition. But I'm in two minds. Maybe I should leave it as is and let the esters of the yeast come through? Will the dry hop be too much for this recipe?

Anyone had experience with this yeast or dry hoping Styrians have an opinion?


Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 23.00 L
Boil Size: 31.17 L
Estimated OG: 1.048 SG
Estimated Color: 25.6 EBC
Estimated IBU: 30.8 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
4600.00 gm Pale Malt, Golden Promise (Thomas Fawcett)Grain 92.00 %
200.00 gm Caraaroma (Weyermann) (350.7 EBC) Grain 4.00 %
200.00 gm Crystal Malt - Medium (Thomas Fawcett) (150 EBC) 4.00 %
25.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [5.60 %] (60 min) Hops 15.4 IBU
25.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [5.60 %] (30 min) Hops 11.8 IBU
28.00 gm Styrian Goldings [2.60 %] (15 min) Hops 3.6 IBU
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
12.15 gm Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs Ringwood Ale (Wyeast Labs #1187) Yeast-Ale

Mashed at 67.8

 

[Charst]

Hi All

I've been trying a few new combos of malts, hops, and yeasts. In this one I'm using Ringwood Ale yeast (can't get hold of that magical 1469PC) and I've read it provides some distinct esters. Its almost fermented out and I'm thinking of adding another 2 x plugs of Styrian Goldings as a dry hop addition. But I'm in two minds. Maybe I should leave it as is and let the esters of the yeast come through? Will the dry hop be too much for this recipe?

Anyone had experience with this yeast or dry hoping Styrians have an opinion?


Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 23.00 L
Boil Size: 31.17 L
Estimated OG: 1.048 SG
Estimated Color: 25.6 EBC
Estimated IBU: 30.8 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
4600.00 gm Pale Malt, Golden Promise (Thomas Fawcett)Grain 92.00 %
200.00 gm Caraaroma (Weyermann) (350.7 EBC) Grain 4.00 %
200.00 gm Crystal Malt - Medium (Thomas Fawcett) (150 EBC) 4.00 %
25.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [5.60 %] (60 min) Hops 15.4 IBU
25.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [5.60 %] (30 min) Hops 11.8 IBU
28.00 gm Styrian Goldings [2.60 %] (15 min) Hops 3.6 IBU
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
12.15 gm Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs Ringwood Ale (Wyeast Labs #1187) Yeast-Ale

Mashed at 67.8

Havent had any experience with the yeast but id but you could get a 5 litre demijohn and just dry hop a small batch.

 

[bcp]

In a kind of on-topic hijack - i'm doing a best bitter and have a lot of EKG flowers. I'm tempted to dry hop also, even though aroma isn't usually part of the deal.

So rather than another thread - i'd like an opinion on EKG dry hopping in an english best bitter and/or yorkshire bitter.

 

[WarmBeer]

In a kind of on-topic hijack - i'm doing a best bitter and have a lot of EKG flowers. I'm tempted to dry hop also, even though aroma isn't usually part of the deal.

So rather than another thread - i'd like an opinion on EKG dry hopping in an english best bitter and/or yorkshire bitter.

I believe it's pretty standard practice to dry-hop in the barrel for hand pumped English bitters.

That's why hop plugs are the size and shape they are, to fit through the bung in the top of the barrel/hogshead.

 

[argon]

In my opinion... dry hop away. Both Styrian and EKG are nice and subtle as a dry hop addition... not like throwing in an american hop. All but one of my English beers have been dry hopped and i've loved it every time. The one that didn't get dry hopped had a very strong caramel aroma from the addition of a little over 3% caraaroma and could have done with a little more late hoppiness.

I'll be dry hopping the latest 2 ESBs i have fermenting right now. One with EKG plugs and the other with Aurora (super styrian)

 

[Barry]

Dry hop. Make the beer that you want to drink.

 

[Effect]

When in doubt...add more hops

 

[Murcluf]

It's up to you really but I wouldn't waste my time dry hopping a bitter.

Personally, I'd move the the 30min EKG to 15mins and move the styrian addition from 15 min to flame out, I'd also FWH the 60 min addition too. I'd remove the 200g Cararoma and replace it with 100g to 150g Brown Malt, reduce the boil to 60 min and round up all the hop additions to 30g


just mt thoughts on the recipe

 

[rich_lamb]

Looks like a very tasty recipe!
Though it's quite strong and dark for a Best Bitter (Caraaroma?) - getting close to the typical Aussie version of an ESB, which seems to be besed on the Fuller's version.

I use a little medium crystal and a little melanoidin myself, but you'll get as many opinions as there are brewers I guess. As you your question; yeah - I'd go the dry hops, at the risk of clashing with the malts you use. Good english hop character makes a bitter (I use a hop tea myself, just a variation on the theme though).

 

[jacknohe]

Thanks all. Bombs (plugs) away...

Yeah I was mucking around with the Cararoma. Nevemind. You Brew (live) and learn...