Right, ive got plenty of Fuggles and plenty of East Kent Goldings still in their air tight packs.In the freezer i have small amounts of left over Liberty, Czech Saaz, Rawaka (Dsaaz) and Spalt. i also have a Thames Valley Wyeast, plenty of malted barley, dry light malt extract and a small amount of crystal (about 200gs).
My question is; does anyone have a tried and tested recipe for a nice, easy drinking, light summer, english style bitter? Looking for something about 3.9 to 4.5ABV and 15 to 30 litres. I could design one myself but if anyone has a good one out there i would really appreciate it!
Primary; Fuggles Discovery clone
Bottled/conditioning; Kolsch
An Englishman in Australia missing his beer!
English Light Summer Bitter Wanted!?
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SiHoltye
Re: English Light Summer Bitter Wanted!?
A fantastic marque to brew, just what you can quaff loads of with a taste of home. Do you fancy all the bother of trying to clone a fave brew, or how about posting up your interpretation and have it critiqued?
For light try all pale malt mashed at 67degsC to 1.040, 28IBU's goldings and 20g goldings in the last 10. Ferment with S04? Or a fave liquid WLP002?WLP005? Add 5% caramalt for sweetness or 5% torrified wheat for 'smoothness'.
For more of a quaffing best bitter maybe 95%pale and 5% crystal to 1.045 with goldings to 32IBU's and 15g 10 from the end, ferment with same yeast. Given 5 weeks maturation that is a fab base for me.
Dry hop either with 15g of goldings 10 days - 2weeks before you want to drink it for loads of hop aroma/freshness.
If you fancy trying a liquid yeast (and they can add a lovely character to your usual recipe) you can repitch from low OG to higher keeping the yeast happy, so I like to make 3 brews from a startered up WL vial. First beer in the ordinary category (like my 1st suggestion) next a best bitter (2nd suggestion) repitched with slurry from the light, then a bigger beer 1.055 from the slurry of the best.
Just thoughts
Edit: Re-read your ingredients, Thames Valley Wyeast would be perfect for these english styles. Great choice.
For light try all pale malt mashed at 67degsC to 1.040, 28IBU's goldings and 20g goldings in the last 10. Ferment with S04? Or a fave liquid WLP002?WLP005? Add 5% caramalt for sweetness or 5% torrified wheat for 'smoothness'.
For more of a quaffing best bitter maybe 95%pale and 5% crystal to 1.045 with goldings to 32IBU's and 15g 10 from the end, ferment with same yeast. Given 5 weeks maturation that is a fab base for me.
Dry hop either with 15g of goldings 10 days - 2weeks before you want to drink it for loads of hop aroma/freshness.
If you fancy trying a liquid yeast (and they can add a lovely character to your usual recipe) you can repitch from low OG to higher keeping the yeast happy, so I like to make 3 brews from a startered up WL vial. First beer in the ordinary category (like my 1st suggestion) next a best bitter (2nd suggestion) repitched with slurry from the light, then a bigger beer 1.055 from the slurry of the best.
Just thoughts
Edit: Re-read your ingredients, Thames Valley Wyeast would be perfect for these english styles. Great choice.
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keithshead
Re: English Light Summer Bitter Wanted!?
Outstanding, cheers mate. Been dreaming of a nice light coloured, easy drinking summer bitter for ages. they just can't get it right down here
thanks again
keith
thanks again
keith
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Subsonic
Re: English Light Summer Bitter Wanted!?
I agree with SiHoylte. My house 'Best bitter' is simply invented myself. Marris Otter Malt as the base with about 9% crystal on top, gravity 1.045 and goldings and fuggles to take the IBU to 42. Can't really go wrong with it. Check Mysterion's recent posting on Kentish IPA as that has a good bitter recipe as well that I did yesterday. Similar but with a bit of black malt chucked in. Subsonic.