"Stock" recipes

[ercol]

Afternoon,

After a lengthy stint doing numerous unusual/old/strong recipes with a 5L set up i've finally got round to setting up my 23L 'brewery' in the brewshed!

Unfortunately having had my head wrapped well around the small volume 'test brews' and spending each evening trying something weird/wonderful/different, faced with the idea of churning out something i'd want a decent stock of i've drawn a complete blank. Despite the quality of some of my 'tests' the idea of brewing the same thing twice just seems like a missed opportunity for experimentation, and it seems in doing so i've totally lost sight of what makes a decent 'standard' beer.

So got me to wondering, how many of you regularly brew the same thing? Alternatively anyone attempted to tweak and hone a particular recipe to perfection?

Also any ideas on something easy drinking for the evenings would be appreciated - i've just looked over my 'to make' pile and its all East India Porters, 1900's AK's and brutally hopped american Ipa's...hmmm.

cheers,

[seymour]

I always tell myself I'm trying to perfect a recipe so that I can brew it again and again, but once I'm really happy with it, I end up setting it aside and starting over on the next idea. I seldom actually brew the exact recipe again. Life's short and I can't brew nearly as often as I like, so I usually want to try something new.

My Juniper Rye Bock took three tries. My Pioneer Persimmon Beer and Viking Mead were both brewed two ways. I tried four or five times to achieve my ideal Belgian Farmhouse Red. Lately though, I've been brewing tamer, truer-to-style table beers, so it's more likely I will repeat these.

I'd be glad to offer some suggestions "on something easy drinking for the evenings" but I need more info. What is your idea of a really nice evening drink? What style(s) and/or commercial beers are you thinking of?

In the meantime, it's sure hard to beat Fuller's London Pride, compliments of BYO Magazine:

Fuller’s London Pride clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.048
FG = 1.012
IBU = 33
SRM = 14
ABV = 4.7%

This recipe is for the bottled version of London Pride. In the UK, London Pride is brewed to 4.1% ABV for cask and keg. In North America, the keg version available is the same strength as the bottled 4.7% ABV.

Ingredients
9.0 lbs. (4.1 kg) Muntons pale ale malt
14 oz. (0.40 kg) crystal malt (75 °L)
5.83 AAU Target hops (60 min)
(0.53 oz./15 g of 11% alpha acids)
2.63 AAU Challenger hops (15 min)
(0.35 oz./9.9 g of 7.5% alpha acids)
2.98 AAU Northdown hops (15 min)
(0.35 oz./9.9 g of 8.5% alpha acids)
Wyeast 1968 (London ESB) or White Labs WLP002
(English Ale) yeast

Step by Step
Mash at 149 °F (65 °C) for 60 minutes. Boil for 60 minutes adding Target for the full boil. With 15 minutes left in the boil, add Challenger and Northdown hops. Cool wort, transfer to fermenter and pitch yeast. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C).

P.S. The recipes resulted from interviews with brewmaster John Keeling. You couldn't ask for better confirmation that Wyeast 1968 and White Labs WLP002 are the Fuller's strain!

[ercol]

Ah Seymour, interesting reply as always.

Should have been a little more specific as indeed its all down to taste. I suppose im looking for a 'standard' english bitter - but then who is ever looking for something bog-standard? Personally if it came out like the majority of 'session' ales i probably wouldnt drink it so i suppose we're talking more like an ESB - big on Malt flavour and balanced hops, but not necessarily with the usual high ABV that comes with the style.

To be honest the real issue here is that the wife will complain if its 'watery' which is something she regards a large amount of english cask ales as being. Part of the problem is the British penchant for room temperature and flat as a pancake beer serving which is not to my, or her tastes and the prevalence of London Pride around these parts, (which is weaker on tap) but yes, i'll be in trouble if its not a bit 'special'.

I'm sure that didnt help at all. Maybe i'll just brew London Pride and tell her its something else. See if she notices.

[seymour]

...so i suppose we're talking more like an ESB - big on Malt flavour and balanced hops, but not necessarily with the usual high ABV that comes with the style...

Sounds like a dark mild to me. Cha-ching!

Whatever the case, it sounds like you ought to aim for a higher mash temp to keep your brews malty and full-bodied, and avoid very high-attenuating yeast strains.

...Maybe i'll just brew London Pride and tell her its something else. See if she notices.

That works too. The BYO link above has a homebrew recipe for Fuller's ESB too, in case you're interested.

[boingy]

...but then who is ever looking for something bog-standard?

Errr.. me! I've brewed all sorts but the beers I like best are the unglamorous, standard, "boring" English ales! So that's what I brew. Most of my beers have very simple and very similar grain bills but I vary the hops according to what I fancy. I quite like doing single hop ales, the Citra was excellent and EKG is also a regular.

If I may paraphrase your requirements, you want a big beer that's small and something normal and standard yet special.

A "not watery" 4% English bitter is a pretty easy thing to brew. Would that do the trick?

Alternatively, find a commercial beer you like and someone can probably give you a recipe for it.

[Dr. Dextrin]

I regularly brew the "same" recipe over and over and try and improve it each time. This means I get to drink the beers I like but also maintains an element of experimentation as I never know quite how each tweak will turn out. Sometimes it turns out something unexpected and I fork it off as a new beer to develop independently.

As regards a non-watery special, not-so-special, big, small, everyday beer similar to an English bitter (for ercol)... when I used to frequent Croydon the local Youngs Special always seemed to fit that bill. Quite high on flavour and hops but still just about OK for a session.

[seymour]

...when I used to frequent Croydon the local Youngs Special always seemed to fit that bill. Quite high on flavour and hops but still just about OK for a session.

Hmmm, that does sound good. Classic.

Young's Special
GRAINBILL: Maris Otter, Crystal Malt
EARLY HOPS: Fuggles, Goldings
LATE HOPS: Goldings
OG: 1046
ABV: 4.5%
IBU: 32
COLOUR: amber

[ercol]

Thanks Gents.

I should point out that i'm aware my request was a bit of a mess - with a few contradictions! - the problem with trying to please everyone. Next request: An alcohol free Belgian Dubbel that tastes like its 8%. Needs to use only kentish hops and be gluten free. any takers?

Interesting to hear that some of you regularly brew a 'standard' though - i suppose i if i stopped bottling and set up a bar/kegerator/similar (one day!) i'd be tempted to do the same. As it is with only bottled beers and a small scale set up its easy to try things out for the hell of it - low recipe requirements, even for big beers, and you dont lose too much if it all goes to hell (or just not to your taste).

On recipes - thanks for sharing. I shall try get hold of some commercial examples and try to pin down what im actually looking for. I've forgotten what most British Bitter is like to be honest!

[Jocky]

when I used to frequent Croydon the local Youngs Special always seemed to fit that bill. Quite high on flavour and hops but still just about OK for a session.

How long ago was this? Youngs beer is watery rubbish these days.

[jmc]

....Personally if it came out like the majority of 'session' ales i probably wouldnt drink it so i suppose we're talking more like an ESB - big on Malt flavour and balanced hops, but not necessarily with the usual high ABV that comes with the style....

The recipe for Caledonian 80/- in GW's BYOBRA gave a nice dark malty brew that punched above its weight.

[seymour]

Next request: An alcohol free Belgian Dubbel that tastes like its 8%. Needs to use only kentish hops and be gluten free.

Try apple juice or a bowl of brown rice with a dash of red wine vinegar.

[ercol]

The recipe for Caledonian 80/- in GW's BYOBRA gave a nice dark malty brew that punched above its weight.

Not seen it written like that before... could be forgiven for thinking it said Bring your own Bra.

[Barley Water]

I also frequently make a London Pride clone and it's one of my favorite beers. I do the lower gravity beer and got the recipe out of the Graham/Wheeler book so mine has some flaked corn in it (although I understand the brewery modified their recipie). The only thing I have done is add a bit of bisquet malt, the beer is great every time I make it and it has won awards in competitions as well.

[Dr. Dextrin]

when I used to frequent Croydon the local Youngs Special always seemed to fit that bill. Quite high on flavour and hops but still just about OK for a session.

How long ago was this? Youngs beer is watery rubbish these days.

Yeah, it was half a lifetime ago. But you don't have to copy what they sell nowadays. Dave Line's book has a recipe that must date from around 1980.

[Goulders]

Just looking at the CYBI London Pride recipe as thinking of doing this next. 4.1kg MO and 400g crystal. Gives 1.056 and not 1.048 (75% eff). Unless I am missing something?