Chemo wrote:...I'd love to know how to create that unique smell of Ward's best bitter.
Anyone got any suggestions? maybe it was the yeast
I'd hypothesize the smell was mainly produced by the unique fermentation and the minerals in the local water supply. I've seen three Wards Best Bitter recipes and they all contain Aciduated/Enzymatic Malt, which I'm pretty sure contains probiotics like acidophilus and lactobacillus, as in yogurt, kim chee, Berliner weiss, lambic, sourkraut, etc. That would absolutely produce some interesting sourish smells unlike mainstream English ale fermentations.
sparky Paul wrote:BarnsleyBrewer wrote:My uncle said Wards Best Bitter was fighting beer!!
Once drank, it fought to get out of your arsehole!!
TRUE???
Certainly.
I don't know what it was, but it certainly gave you a good clearout...
Those statements would back-up my hypothesis. The same aforementioned bacterium are sold in probiotic pill form to aid with digestion.
Did you guys know the historic Vaux/Wards English ale strain is supposedly still in use by Maxim brewery? I seriously doubt it's still managed as a triple-strain though. If you could get their yeast, I'd primary ferment with that, then add some probiotics to the secondary.