Home Brew Forum

Brewed November 15, 2015. I wanted to participate in the Jim's-own-ESB-group-brewing-fun (surely there's a big German word for all that, right?) based on this original recipe but I couldn't resist adapting it into a hop trial. I hope it's still a proud tribute to our fearless Captain!

I loved the taste of Rakau hops in Schlafly Rakau Session Ale, Schlafly Dry Hopped Farmhouse Ale and Summit Sága IPA but this is my first time personally brewing with them.

I have a feeling this classic English grainbill + intense New Zealand hops + classic English yeast will = something similar to Marble Dobber. Here's hoping, anyway!

From my Ratebeer review of that Schlafly Rakau hop trial:

AROMA: 8 out of 10, APPEARANCE 4 out of 5, TASTE 8 out of 10, PALATE 4 out of 5, OVERALL 18 out of 20 = 4.2/5.0
Tasted on tap at The Bottleworks in a nonic glass. It poured a nice golden amber colour with everlasting white head, spritzy little bubbles and lots of Belgian lace. Aromas of berry fruit, strawberry shortcake, smokey, resiny, woodsy, low-level overall but outrageously diverse. Flavour was nutty, biscuity, light grainy sweetness with faint apricot, perfectly ripened plums, golden raisins, gingerbread crackers--and I swear--peppermint and juicy fruit chewing gum. Medium body and carbonation, very well-rounded bready mouthfeel and lingering caramelly bittersweet aftertaste. I’ve tasted all the Schlafly hop trials. Rakau is by far the most surprising yet, and my favorite. I went back for a growler fill, and hope to refill again before it’s gone. I didn’t expect to rate a SMASH so highly.

I started late at night but thankfully the entire brewday (brewnight?) went well. Extremely well, actually. I had expected a starting gravity of 1050 like Jim's, but I achieved 1055. A similar thing happened last time I brewed too; I guess I need to adjust my calculations going forward. Or maybe just thank the beer gods for the gift of extra alcohol.

The aroma so far was undeniably English: tea with honey and lemon. Herbal, grassy, earthy. I tasted the hydrometer sample: malty, biscuity, hint of caramel, sweet citus and some of the tropical fruit you expect from New Zealand hops. High hopes for this fun collaborative brew!

JIM'S ESB WITH NZ HOPS (aka SEYMOUR RAKAU PALE ALE)

5 US gallons = 4.2 Imperial gallons = 19 Liters

GRAINBILL
85% = 7.48 lbs = 3.4 kg, Pale Malt (a blend of UK Simpsons Best Pale and US Briess Two-Row)
5% = .44 lb = 200 g, CaraMalt (Muntons 10-14L)
5% = .44 lb = 200 g, Light Crystal Malt (20L)
5% = .44 lb = 200 g, Torrified Wheat
TOTAL: 8.8 lbs = 4 kg

CRUSH grains, STRIKE with 2.8 US gal/2.3 Imp gal/10.6 L dechlorinated water heated to 167°F/75°C to reach main rest.

MASH at 153°F/67.2°C for 90 min, then add sufficient boiling water to reach 172°F/78°C.

VORLAUF then SPARGE to collect 7 US gallons/5.8 Imp gal/26.5 L pre-boil.

BOIL hard for 90 min, sprinkle gypsum at beginning, add Irish Moss with 15 min remaining.

HOPS
.9 oz = 26 g, Rakau, first wort addition
1.4 oz = 40 g, Rakau, 10 min
1.4 oz = 40 g, Rakau, at flame-out, then steep

KNOCK-OUT, CHILL, AERATE, PITCH.

YEAST
Wibblers Brewery strain, which came from Crouch Vale Brewery, which originally came from the now defunct Ridleys Brewery, all located in Essex, England. Thanks Timbo41!

STATS updated with measured results
(85% mash efficiency and 80% yeast apparent attenuation)
OG: 1055
FG: 1011
ABV: 5.7%
IBU: 50
COLOUR: golden with white foam

Wibblers yeast starter, the pre-measured grains, sanitized mash tun


Rakau hops, Campden tablets (to dechlorinate the hot liquor), Gypsum (just a little in the boil to make the hops sing), and Irish Moss (to help clear the wort)


The grist. Very pale throughout, as you can see


Single mash temp, nailed it!


Measuring the hops


Vorlauf, to settle the grainbed and reduce the amount of trub going into boil kettle


Sparging into the boil kettle


The boil underway


Knock-out, racking the wort to the fermentor carboy


Measuring the original gravity. I see it as 1052 + temperature correction = 1055, a pleasant surprise. I'm pleased with the colour too, though it seems paler than other Jim's ESB brews round this forum. I bet it's that I used a lighter Light Crystal Malt than other people.


Pitching the yeast, thanks again Timbo41!


Sealed-up. Okay yeast, I did what I could. It's up to you guys now!

Looks good, will be interested to hear how it turns out

Nice one Seymour! I can't wait to see how it turns out.

Great idea to do this with Rakau hops! Very interested to see how it works, suspect it will be pretty special.

now that sounds intresting mmmmmmmm

Nice to see that you're using some good old Essex yeast!

Cheers

MB

I measured the final gravity, then kegged it onto a little priming sugar and gelatin for fining.

The hydrometer sample tasted delicious. I'll describe the overall flavour profile more completely once it's carbonated and tapped.

Nice and clear!

I've almost drunk all mine and you've not even cracked it open

Looks great

Hanglow wrote:I've almost drunk all mine and you've not even cracked it open

Looks great

Yeah, tell me about it! "Life gets in the way" is an understatement lately.

Can't wait to get amongst it though!

Enjoying a pint of my Jim's ESB on a snowy day. Just look at that head retention and lace! Right tasty too.

My leftover Wibblers yeast dregs, saved for next time.

seymour wrote:My leftover Wibblers yeast dregs, saved for next time.

How long did the Wibblers yeast take to drop clear?

Cheers

MB

FOREVER. Longer than any other yeast I've dealt with. I don't remember exactly, because I had a lot going on and wasn't in a rush to transfer it, but like 6-8 weeks I think. Every time it got jostled in the least, it would kick-up a huge, persistent new krausen. It's so obviously a top-cropped, continuous-fermentation workhorse. I mean look at that new krausen, just from pouring the 3 month old dregs from a carboy into a jar. How is that even possible, there's no new fermentables for it to consume?!

seymour wrote:FOREVER. Longer than any other yeast I've dealt with. I don't remember exactly, because I had a lot going on and wasn't in a rush to transfer it, but like 6-8 weeks I think. Every time it got jostled in the least, it would kick-up a huge, persistent new krausen. It's so obviously a top-cropped, continuous-fermentation workhorse. I mean look at that new krausen, just from pouring the 3 month old dregs from a carboy into a jar. How is that even possible, there's no new fermentables for it to consume?!

Damn!

I am entering my brew into a little competition in about 5 weeks time. I've never used finnings before, but now could be the time

Cheers

MB