First ESB

[MrN]

Planning a couple of brews to start off the new year and I've wanted to try First Gold in a bitter ever since I found out it was in Broadside. I intend to do this one once I've got my 3rd go at GW's TT Landlord clone out the way.

Any feedback is appreciated! I've never used torrified wheat before, is there anything I should be aware of beforehand? Same for the 1968 yeast.

Batch Size (fermenter): 12.00 l
Estimated OG: 1.054 SG
Estimated Color: 20.6 EBC
Estimated IBU: 40.7 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 78.7 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
2.630 kg Pale Malt, Maris Otter (5.0 EBC) 87.4 %
0.210 kg Wheat, Torrified (4.0 EBC) 7.0 %
0.100 kg Medium Crystal (130.0 EBC) 3.3 %
0.060 kg Dark Crystal (240.0 EBC) 2.0 %
0.010 kg Black (Patent) Malt (1300.0 EBC) 0.3 %
32g First Gold [6.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min 37.8 IBUs
14g First Gold [6.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min 3.3 IBUs
1.0 pkg London ESB Ale (Wyeast Labs #1968)

Mash at 66.0 C

[Rookie]

I've never used torrified wheat, but your recipe looks pretty good.

[MrN]

I've never used terrified wheat, but your recipe looks pretty good.

I'd certainly be terrified if I'd been torrified!

What sort of fermentability should one expect from the torrified wheat? Same as a base malt?

[Fil]

Torrified wheat hasn't been malted, more 'popped' so no you cant expect the same sort of fermentability. Its adding body and head retaining qualities.

[BenB]

As said, it's only there for body. Too much and the beer can start tasting wheaty not to mention cloudy. To put it in context in an Old Peculiar style beer I put in 2.4%.... I'd be tempted to dial that down...

1968 is a great yeast- floculates like crazy and forms a single gelatinous mass at the bottom of the FV. On a stir plate you get wierd chunks of yeast going round and round. Yet I've never had to rouse it to get it to target FG- perhaps testament to the fact that it's not that attenuative so it's not so low a target. For an ESB I'd ferment it at the upper end of the recommended range to encourage Esters.

Of course it's difficult to brew an ESB without comparing it to Fullers which is very different to your ESB. Fullers is pale and about 10% crystal and numerous hops whereas you've gone for a complicated malt bill and single hoping. It sounds a nice beer. And I've calculated an ABV of 5.37% which is pretty spot on for an ESB.... I guess you'll just have to drink it without subconsciously comparing it to Fullers!!!!

[MrN]

Thanks for the input!

I believe fullers say they use 95% pale with 5% crystal (their head brewer seems to be pretty open about their process) which is a bit closer to what I've used, however I've obviously gone with two varieties, which I was a bit conflicted about doing but I like the idea of getting some of the burnt toffee from the dark crystal. The black malt is mainly just for colour. I've ordered my custom grain kit from malt miller so I'm committed now!

I considered 5% for the torrified wheat but also read someone that said they got good results at 8 so I settled with 7 and then can adjust depending on results. What do you get with your relatively small amount?

I've just received some 2016 harvest First Gold hops from the homebrew shop at 9.69% AA! First Gold is another ingredient I've never used before. I'd really like it if I could get some of the orangey/marmaladey flavours that I've read about (and think I've tasted in Broadside) from it but let's wait and see.