Best Bitters

Below are my attempts at Best Bitter. This beer is characterized as a low to no carbonated room temperature (62F) beer that is very drinkable. The very first beer I did was Morebeer's extract Best Bitter which was a huge success. However since then I have not been able to replicate a Best Bitter to my satisfaction using all grain recipes. Red ink below suggest areas I made mistakes.

Tetley Bitter clone - TBD

Style: 4A Ordinary Bitter

Method: Infusion Mash

Min Recipe Max

O.G. 1.030 1.037 1.038

T.G. 1.008 1.009 1.013

Alc % 3 3.6 3.8

I.B.U.20 25.8 40

S.R.M.6 8.4 14

Ingredients:

• 4.4 kgs Pale Ale Malt (MASH)
• 1 kgs Flaked Barley (MASH)
• 600 g Brown Sugar (EXTRACT)
• 80 g Chocolate (MASH)
• 200 g Crystal 80L (MASH)

45 g Pilgrim 9% BOIL 90 minutes

25 g Northdown 7% FINISHING 15 minutes

20 g Northdown 7% DRY minutes

Boil Time: 90 minutes

Mashing Procedure:

Mash Efficienc80%

Add 14.20 litres of water at 75 C to heat mash to 66 C (151F)

Sparge with 41 litres of water to yield 40.00 litres to primary

Water Absorbed by Grain: 5.68 litres

Water Evaporated during boil: 15.00 litres

Notes: Yeast, Safale SO4 pitched dry

bierhaus15's  Best Bitter

TBD

Recipe Type: All Grain

Yeast: WY1968 London ESB
Yeast Starter: Yes
Batch Size (Gallons): 5.5
Original Gravity: 1.040
Final Gravity: 1.009
IBU: 28
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: 9.0
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 21 days@ 65-68F with diacetyl rest
Tasting Notes: Perfect balance of rich malt, biscuit and floral hops with a smooth bitterness

My original intention was to create an ordinary/special bitter that best represented the cask bitters I had while traveling around England. Something that was complex, full flavored and malty, yet light enough to have three or four pints and still be able to play darts. Well, after three years of tinkering with recipes and many more batches, I finally have a bitter I am 100% happy with. This beer is named after the pub where I had my first “proper” pint of British ale. I brew this about once a month – it goes fast!

Amount Item Type % or IBU

7.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM) Grain 87.00 %
0.50 lb Home Toasted Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 6.00 %
0.32 lb Carmel/ Crystal (45.0 SRM) Grain 4.00 %
0.25 lb Caramel/Crystal (120.0 SRM) Grain 3.00 %

1.50 oz Goldings, East Kent [4.50 %] (60 min) Hops 25.0 IBU
0.50 oz Goldings, East Kent [4.50 %] (10 min) Hops 3.0 IBU
1.00 oz Goldings, East Kent [4.50 %] (flame out) Hops 0.0 IBU
1.00 oz Goldings, East Kent [4.50 %] (Dry Hop 4-5 days)

WY1968 or WY1275 yeast

Mash at 154F for 60 min.
Whirlfloc for last 10 min of boil

Notes:

For the toasted malt: Spread pale malt on baking pan and toast in a 300F oven for 15 – 20 minutes, turning frequently. You will know it’s ready when it tastes just like cheddar goldfish. I let my toasted malt age for a minimum of 1 week before use, as to prevent grainy flavors. Victory would be an ‘ok’ sub, though you get a better result with the homemade stuff.

I found a shorter dry hop provided a nice floral aroma while still allowing the malt and yeast aromas to shine through. A longer dry hop is fine, though it can throw the balance off if left too long.

Carbonate to 2.0-2.2 volumes, drink within two month of bottling/kegging. 

Alternative Yeasts

First Gold - Pleasant herbal, orange-y aroma/flavor, not too strong, does very well in paler bitters and golden ales. Smooth bitterness.

Styrian Goldings - Slovenian fuggles; has a light citrus, spicy, and earthy character. Great for late hopping, blends well with other UK hops... EKG especially.

Challenger - Bright orange and marmalade when used in large quantities, otherwise herbal, fruity, clean, and bright. Clean bitterness. Makes a very nice English bitter as a stand alone hop. Similar to EKG.

Bramling Cross - Nice mix of citrus (lemon) and earthy fruitiness. Often described as blackcurrant, I get more of an herbal "berry" thing. Under-used hop.

Brewers Gold - Not UK, but very similar in flavor. Bright citrus, some tropical fruit, herbal... like a mix between a tropical-fruity American hop and UK one.

Soverign - A lot like a more floral version Fuggles. Herbal, clean, pleasant, and earthy.

That should give you some ideas... and if you're going to use UK hops, you really should just use them for your bittering addition too.

Jim DeShields' Best Bitter

TBD

I asked on TastyBrew's forum for a great Best Bitter Recipe and this is what I got. I plan to do this Bitter in January/February.


OG 1.042
FG 1.011
IBU 39
ABV 4.0 %
SRM 6

Specifics

Boil Volume 6.25 gallons
Batch Size 5 gallons
Yeast 75% AA
Efficiency 82%

Style Comparison

                   Low     High
OG 1.039   1.042   1.045
FG 1.009   1.011    1.014
IBU 20       39         45
SRM 6       6           14
ABV 3.7    4.0        4.8

Fermentables

% Weight Weight (lbs) Grain Gravity Points Color
88.9 % 6.00 British Two-row Pale 37.4 3.0
3.7 % 0.25 Flaked Corn 1.6 0.0
3.7 % 0.25 British Crystal 50-60L 1.4 2.8
3.7 % 0.25 Caramel 1.4 0.3 6.75 41.8

Hops

% Wt Weight (oz) Hop Form AA% AAU Boil Time Utilization IBU
28.6 % 0.50 Target Whole/Plug 11.5 5.8 60 0.267 23.0
28.6 % 0.50 Challenger Whole/Plug 7.5 3.8 30 0.205 11.5
14.3 % 0.25 East Kent Goldings Whole/Plug 5.0 1.3 20 0.162 3.0
14.3 % 0.25 East Kent Goldings Whole/Plug 5.0 1.3 5 0.053 1.0
14.3 % 0.25 East Kent Goldings Whole/Plug 5.0 1.3 DH 0.000 0.0 1.75 38.6

Old Speckled Hen

Aug 25, 2013 (Sunday) 5 gallons

The recipe is based loosely on the clone recipe from Clownbrews. Still searching for my perfect Best Bitter recipe. This is not it. I ended up carbonating this beer and I would consider it a good Pale Ale. Mellow and easy to drink but nothing special.

Target

OG 1.051-53

FG 1.010-12

5.2 % ABV

Fermentables
7.75 lbs Maris Otter

12 oz  55L Crystal

4 oz White wheat malt

1/2 lb cane sugar (skipped this time)

Mashed @ 150 for 60 mins

Mashed out with 165F to make 6.5 gallons

Hops
1 oz Fuggle @ 60 mins

1 oz Fuggle, 1 oz KG @ 14 mins

1 oz KG @ 1 min

Pitched yeast, Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale @ 90F. Worked out well (again).

OG 1.046

FG 1.010 (Sept 3rd)

ABV 4.8%

Primary for 10 days at 65F. 

Aged for 3 weeks in keg at 40F.

Comments

• Turned into a Pale Ale that I improved with carbonation. Still not the Best Bitter I'm looking for yet a good Pale Ale.

Best Bitter

Dec 5, 2012

Mashed too high with a thermometer that was not calibrated. This resulted in a high FG. A very filling beer with lots of flavour. This did not have the consistency and drinkability of what I expect from a Bitter.


Milled Barley

Lbs. Description
1. Carastan (next time 1/2 lb) substituted this time with Carapils 1/2 lb
9. British Pale, 2-row, Maris Otter
4 oz 50/60 malt British (next time)

Hops

Oz. Name
2.    US Fuggle. (AA 4.2%, Beta 3.4%)
2.    US Golding (AA 4.9%, Beta 2.6%)

Mash (in 15 gallon thermos)
Start 166F, End 161F, 1 hr 4 gallons (too high, should have been 154F)
Start 163F 1:10 pm


Boil

Mins. Amount. Description
60. 1 oz. US Fuggle
50. 1 oz. US Fuggle
30. 1 oz. US Golding
20. Coil, tablet, (next time Burton salts (2 teaspoons))
FO. 1 oz. US Golding


OG 1.048 (estimate)
FG 1.033

Kent Golding’s BEST BITTER

Nov 26, 2011

This is my third try after Best Bitter in Oct 2008. Using Morebeer Extract kit (which was great) and my last try (Oct 2011) to make this better bitter best.- Target OG 1.039-045, FG 1.009-014, low aroma.

Resulted in a nice pale ale but still no Best Bitter. The serch goes goes on. I think the issue here is a lack for hops with flavour and no flavour malts.

Ingredients

• 1 vile White Labs #23 
• 6 oz Kent Golding hops 
• 4#s 2-row milled 
• 3#s Golden promise 
• 2#s British Maris 
• 1# Carapils 
• 0.5# Carastan 

Mash (batch style)

4 gals 150F H20 60 mins - temp too low :-(
3 gals 158F H20 10 mins
3 gals 161F H20 2 mins

Boil

90 mins


60 mins Kent Golding 2oz
30 mins Kent Golding 2 oz
20 mins Copper coil and whirfloc


10 mins Burton Water Salts - 2 tsp
5 mins Kent Golding 2 oz

Fermentation

Cool & transfer to carboy
Pitch yeast when wort is below 80F
Maintain 68F to 72F until FG 1.011 plus two days.
Kept a head until Dec 8th. Slow steady fermentation.
Kegged on Dec 10th with low carbonation (PSI 2)

BEST BITTER

Pub fare - bitter & slightly sweet, amber tint. Served warm (60F) and lightly carbonated.

ALL-GRAIN RECIPE 5.5 Gallons - Oct 5th 2011

In Bottle (flip top)

Ingredients

1 vile White Labs 002 English yeast (#23 last brew)
8 # British Pale Malt - milled
1 # British Crystal 50/60 - milled
3 oz Willamette
1 tsp Burton Water Salts
1 tbt Whirfloc tablet

Mash

Add both malts
3 gals 153F H20 60 mins
3 gals 169F H20 Mash out
3 gals 169F H20 Mash out

Note: Malt absorption and boil time will bring this to 6 gals

Boil

70 mins rapid boil for 10 mins
60 mins add Burton Water Salts
45 mins add Willamette (sub: Fuggles)
20 mins add copper coil and whirfloc tablet
10 mins add ⅝ of Willamette
Flame out add ½ of Willamette

Fermentation

Cool & transfer to carboy
Pitch yeast when wort is below 80F
Maintain 65F to 68F until FG 1.011 plus two days.

More Beer Kit - Best Bitter 

Extract Brew - 5 Gallons

This was my first ever Brew and my best Best Bitter to date.(Dec 2, 2013)

Malt Extracts / Additions: 

 6 lbs Ultralight Malt Extract 

.5 lbs Light DME

Steeping Grain: 

Use a grain bag. Add to water immediately. Remove steeping grain at 170F 

8oz Carastan 

Hops: 

1 oz Kent Goldings

1.5 oz Northern Brewer 

1 oz Kent Goldings 

Wort Clarifying Treatment: 

Clarifier – Whirlfloc (Use ½ - 1 Tablet) - Add last 5 minutes of the boil 

Add to the last 5 minutes of the boil (improves beer clarity 

Priming Sugar added at Bottling: 

4 oz Corn Sugar – Boil with 2 cups of water for 5 minutes 

Specific Recipe Information: 

Estimated MoreBeer! Ranges

Estimated original gravity (OG): 1.042-45 

Estimated SRM: 7 

Estimated IBU’s: 26-29 

Estimated alcohol ABV %: 4 

Suggested fermentation temperature: 68