02-01-08 - Simonds Bitter (1880)

[SiHoltye]

Hello,

First brew of '08 for me is tomorrow.

1880 Bitter
(Would call it Simonds but I scaled the grain bill wrongly and can't be arsed to correct it now, it's pretty much from the Durden Park website basically)

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
7.44 kg Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (5.0 EBC) Grain 84.04 %
1.41 kg Amber Malt (43.3 EBC) Grain 15.96 %
125.52 gm Fuggles [4.50 %] (90 min) (First Wort Hop) Hops 42.4 IBU
18.80 gm Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (30 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
31.38 gm Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (15 min) Hops 5.0 IBU
1.59 tbsp PH 5.2 Stabilizer (Mash 60.0 min) Misc
1.59 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
30.00 L London, England Water
2 Pkgs SafAle English Ale (DCL Yeast #S-04) Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.066 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.017 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.38 %
Bitterness: 47.4 IBU
Est Color: 17.9 EBC

The grist will be dry as I'm not confident this lot'll go easily into my H&G coolbox.

Looking at the ingredients list above, think I'll start rounding off my weights. I mean 125.52gms of Goldings hops! Looks stoopid dunnit.

7.5kgs MO
1.5kg Amber
125g Goldings FWH
30g Goldings last 15mins
20g Goldings 30min steep
22g S-04 yeast
30L brew length
5.2 in tun, CRS to all water so <50ppm
OG66, IBU47
Mature 3 months.

This brew is supposed to be great, anyone done it?

Cheers all, any thoughts welcome.

[steve_flack]

It looks from the colour rating that you're using the Belgian Diastatic Amber? My understanding is that that isn't a direct replacement for the Pale Amber Durden Park use. I seem to recall a blend of Belgian Amber, Munich and Pale being reported as better.

I think the problem with the Diastatic Amber is a) It's a bit too dark b) it's not very fermentable and makes the beer too sweet.]

EDIT: Actually I just realised you've probably already brewed it....I'm sure it will be fine as it is.....

[SiHoltye]

Hi Steve,

I'll have to expose my ignorance on this one. I have read about there being differing Amber malts, although I haven't absorbed any of the info, or considered it for brewing this yesterday. I blindly ordered H&G Amber Malt, and have used this with no regard to it's origins or properties.

"AMBER MALT (UK)
The grain is dried to about 3% moisture and then heated quickly to above 95deg. C. The temp. is then raised slowly to around 140deg. where it is held until the correct colour is achieved. An interesting alternative to Crystal malt in bitters and outstanding in dark ales, especially Porters. ................................................................. Maximum Percentage - 20% .......... E.B.C. - 100 ............................................................ Extract Litre Degree/Kg MIAG 2 as is - 279.8 ................................................................ "
(Info from H&G website - hope they don't mind.)

[SiHoltye]

Oh and I chose the Malt from the Beersmith pre-plumbed range. No real thought or consideration their either!!!

[steve_flack]

You'll note that the EBCs are different for the BeerSmith malt and the stuff you actually used? The beer will be rather darker than the original recipe. Pale Amber is actually a lightly toasted pale malt. My understanding is that the Durden Park guys were toasting their own.

The difference is that the home roasted malt and the Belgian still have enzymes and can convert their own starches. The 100EBC amber doesn't - this is probably why you're mash wasn't finished at 60 minutes. You can make a beer entirely of home roasted Pale Amber Malt - you can't with 100EBC amber without adding diastase enzymes from another source.

EDIT: Pale Amber is apparently around 30EBC so your malt is a lot darker at 100EBC

[SiHoltye]

Thanks Steve.

[EccentricDyslexic]

Have been recomended this beer by the DP chaps, how did it turn out?

Steve

[SiHoltye]

Bloody hell thats a old thread!?!The answer depends on your tastes really. For me the darker long maturers come out amazing. The Simmonds for me came out tasting like a strong amber tasting bitter. Complex but amber focussed.

[EccentricDyslexic]

I see that it has 18% Amber, where as nowadays 10% is considered a max....is it worth a brew? Or worth moding so theres less amber?

Ie would you brew it again as is?

steve

[coatesg]

It's actually light Amber, which is a slightly different animal. You can roast your own, as per the durden park instructions but you need a grain mill. Or you can sub carapils, or some combination of carapils Munich and something else-it's in an old post somewhere...

[Aleman]

It's actually Pale amber . . . Which is not 'Pale Amber' That you can buy in your LHBS . .You do have to home roast it, and it adds an extremely nice nutty flavour/aroma to the beer . . . and gives it an really nice creamy texture.

[coatesg]

Ah yup - that's what I meant! D'oh!

I'll hopefully be trying this out myself soon and finally get to use the grain mill swmbo bought me last Christmas!!