ESB Recipe - thoughts?

[bosium]

Hi all,

Well, I like to have a keg of ale on hand, and I've just about finished my current one - a Cascade / Amarillo pale ale. I thought I might like to have a British bitter on for a change. I adore Fullers ESB so thought I'd try for something similar.

OG 1.056
IBU 41
EBC 22

Recipe
89% Maris Otter
5% Biscuit Malt
4% Crystal
2% Dark Crystal

90g - 41 IBU - EKG 5% @ 60 min (FWH)
40g - 0 IBU - EKG 5% @ 0 min

WLP002 - English Ale

Any suggestions or comments would be gratefully received

[Andy]

There's a Jamil podcast where the Fullers brewer gives the ESB recipe, can't remember biscuit malt being in the grist.

[bosium]

There's a Jamil podcast where the Fullers brewer gives the ESB recipe, can't remember biscuit malt being in the grist.

Yes I think the recipe they gave for Fullers ESB is 95% pale and 5% Crystal. I'm not going for an exact clone, just something similar which tastes good.

[196osh]

That looks like it will make a pretty great beer.

[micmacmoc]

Very tasty, thats a proper English Pale inmy books, Goldings, mmmm. Roast Beef and Yorrkies with that?

[bosium]

Cheers! I was thinking more steak pie, chips and peas smothered in gravy...

Mmmm roast beef. I'm starving!

[coatesg]

Looks pretty good to me - again, you don't necessarily need the biscuit, but it should be fine with it in there as well.
.

[Spud395]

AFAIK Fullers ESB is hopped with Northdown for birttering and finished with Challanger, Fuggles and Golding.

[bosium]

AFAIK Fullers ESB is hopped with Northdown for birttering and finished with Challanger, Fuggles and Golding.

Again, I'm not trying for a Fuller's clone, just a extra-special/strong bitter / ESB of my own using Fullers as inspiration.

I'm a little confused about the colour of british dark crystal however - some sources say it's about 240EBC, some say closer to 300EBC. Does anyone know which it is? I tasted a few grains and they had a very dark, almost burnt sort of flavour. I bought it from the Hopshop in Plymouth, so not sure who their maltsters are.

I might swap the biscuit malt out for 3% of aromatic instead.

[steve_flack]

It depends on the maltster but the ones I've seen seem to be dark crystal 200EBC and extra dark crystal (simpsons and warminster) 400EBC. I think the hopshop's would either be Tuckers or would come from Brupaks and whoever they use.

[bosium]

Steve, do you perchance know what colour the Fawcetts dark crystal is?

[steve_flack]

Their website says 200-400EBC....which is not really helpful. I guess like most maltsters it can malt to a specification. Doesn't it say on the bag? Brupaks bags usually have the colour rating on them.

[bosium]

The bag says 200-400 EBC, as you say not very helpful...
I don't think it's from brupaks.

[steve_flack]

You could ring and ask?

[borischarlton]

The dark crystal from me is EBC 240 at the present.

Rob