Samuel Smiths sovereign bitter

[Coffeeuk]

Hi all,

Just gone all grain after doing kits and a single extract brew.
AG#1 is currently fermenting which is a theakstons best bitter.

The reason for my post, I would love to do a Samuel Smiths sovereign bitter clone next, but have struggled to find a recipe. Does anyone have one they can share please.

Thanks

Mick

[jmc]

Hi all,

Just gone all grain after doing kits and a single extract brew.
AG#1 is currently fermenting which is a theakstons best bitter.

The reason for my post, I would love to do a Samuel Smiths sovereign bitter clone next, but have struggled to find a recipe. Does anyone have one they can share please.

Thanks

Mick

Looks like you're not the only one looking for a Samuel Smiths sovereign bitter recipe

Only Sam Smiths recipes I could find on Jims were

Real Ale Almanac SAMUEL SMITH OLD BREWERY BITTER

Standard Brown Ale

Maybe PM seymour. He's you're man for recipes.

Good Luck,

[Coffeeuk]

The old brewery one looks worth a go, thanks for that

[seymour]

I don't know this for sure, but I get the impression Samuel Smiths has one basic bitter/pale ale recipe, with only minor tweaks. For instance, it's sold in bottles as "Samuel Smith Old Brewery Pale Ale/Organic Pale Ale", in casks as "Samuel Smith Old Brewery Bitter/OBB" (formerly Museum Ale). I'm pretty sure "Samuel Smith Sovereign Bitter" is the same but kegged ("smooth" CO2 force-carbonation, as opposed to true cask-conditioning) except brewed with all Sovereign hops (instead of Fuggles and Golding), something along these lines:


Samuel Smith Sovereign Bitter (keg)
Samuel Smith Brewery (historic, 1758-present), Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, UK
Style: Best Bitter
OG: 1040
ABV: 4.1%
Grainbill: 91% Maris Otter, 9% Crystal Malt
Bittering hops: Sovereign (90 min)
Aroma hops: Sovereign (15 min)
IBU: 31
Colour: orange amber
Yeast: proprietary Samuel Smith open fermented Yorkshire stone square English ale strain, available in bottle-conditioned Stingo, possibly available as BrewLabs Yorkshire 1 or White Labs WLP037


That last bit about the yeast is key to cloning any Samuel Smith's ale. Do whatever you can to reproduce open fermentation in a clean, non-breezy, cat- and critter-free environment. Homebrewers can get close using a sanitized rectangular plastic storage bin, or a water-tight sawed wooden half-barrel, or simply leaving the lid off a fermentor bucket, etc. You'll also get best results this time of year by keeping the wort warm: using a heating belt, pad, submersible aquarium heater, etc.

For more info on your native Sovereign hops: http://www.britishhops.org.uk/sovereign-2/

Best of luck with your brew!
-Seymour

[bob3000]

Old brewery bitter and sovereign bitter both appear on keg at my local sam smiths. They are pretty similar but soveriegn seems a little lighter.

Can you even get Sam Smiths on cask?

[bob3000]

maybe the two have the same recipe but are fermented differently.

[seymour]

Hi all,

Just gone all grain after doing kits and a single extract brew.
AG#1 is currently fermenting which is a theakstons best bitter…

Oh, by the way Coffeeuk, you get amongst that Theakstons Best Bitter yet? If so, how'd it turn out?

Cheers!

[Coffeeuk]

Hi all,

Just gone all grain after doing kits and a single extract brew.
AG#1 is currently fermenting which is a theakstons best bitter…

Oh, by the way Coffeeuk, you get amongst that Theakstons Best Bitter yet? If so, how'd it turn out?

Cheers!

It's drinkable but I'm
Not over impressed, I can't taste much hops and seems to be lacking in body. I think the lack of hop taste is because I used a home made narrow hop sock.

I've just done AG#2 which is a Sarah Hughes ruby mild, this time I let the hops loose in the boil. It's currently fermenting away, hopefully it will turn out better.

[jmc]

Hi all,

Just gone all grain after doing kits and a single extract brew.
AG#1 is currently fermenting which is a theakstons best bitter…

Oh, by the way Coffeeuk, you get amongst that Theakstons Best Bitter yet? If so, how'd it turn out?

Cheers!

It's drinkable but I'm
Not over impressed, I can't taste much hops and seems to be lacking in body. I think the lack of hop taste is because I used a home made narrow hop sock.

I've just done AG#2 which is a Sarah Hughes ruby mild, this time I let the hops loose in the boil. It's currently fermenting away, hopefully it will turn out better.

Sarah Hughes ruby mild from BYOBRA is a great brew. I hop yours turns out lovely.

[Coffeeuk]

Oh, by the way Coffeeuk, you get amongst that Theakstons Best Bitter yet? If so, how'd it turn out?

Cheers!

It's drinkable but I'm
Not over impressed, I can't taste much hops and seems to be lacking in body. I think the lack of hop taste is because I used a home made narrow hop sock.

I've just done AG#2 which is a Sarah Hughes ruby mild, this time I let the hops loose in the boil. It's currently fermenting away, hopefully it will turn out better.

Sarah Hughes ruby mild from BYOBRA is a great brew. I hop yours turns out lovely.

Thanks so do I, the wort tasted much better than the Theakstons.