Burton Bitter

[Jim]

I've just been cleaning up the brewing gear for a brew tomorrow.

I set a starter away with a tube of Whitelabs Burton ale yeast last night (hence the name of the brew), but at the rate it's going I'll have to use a pack of Nottingham instead - no real signs of activity yet. To be fair, it's a few months out of date.

Anyway, this is the recipe:

Grain BIll;

5kg Marris Otter pale malt
250g Crystal Malt
250g Torrefied Wheat

Hops
Bittering:
15g Progress (10 IBUs)
40g Challenger (20 IBUs)

Late:
10g Goldings 15 minutes from end of boil
10g Goldings after switching off the boiler

Irish Moss - Water treated with gypsum and epsom salts.

[Horden Hillbilly]

Jim, I have used Burton ale yeast myself & I noticed that it can be somewhat of a slow starter, but be prepared for the eruption when it does kick in!

I learned the hard way that you will need to put an old sheet under the fv as this yeast has a habit of foaming over the sides of the fv as soon as you turn your back!

[Jim]

Jim, I have used Burton ale yeast myself & I noticed that it can be somewhat of a slow starter, but be prepared for the eruption when it does kick in!

I learned the hard way that you will need to put an old sheet under the fv as this yeast has a habit of foaming over the sides of the fv as soon as you turn your back!

Thanks for the tip, HH.

[prodigal2]

Perhaps when your starter is ready you could have another brew day Jim?

[Garth]

Have a good brew tomorrow Jim

where the hell did you get an o.o.d. vial from.......?

[subsub]

Good luck with the brew Jim, and HH speaks the truth about the Burton yeast. It also happens with the Brewlab stuff as well

[Gurgeh]

Have a good brew Landlord!

[Jim]

Have a good brew tomorrow Jim

where the hell did you get an o.o.d. vial from.......?

I think you know.

HH was absolutely right, it's off like a rocket this morning, so all systems are go!

Another 20 minutes or so and the mash will be done.

[Garth]

good early start there Jim, are we getting some photographic work?

I'm pleased the starter worked, is this the first time you've used WL? I know you've used Wyeast smackpacks in the past.

[Jim]

good early start there Jim, are we getting some photographic work?

I'm pleased the starter worked, is this the first time you've used WL? I know you've used Wyeast smackpacks in the past.

I've used a Whitelabs English Ale before - it was a good one, but I couldn't keep it going forever, unfortunately; got a good few brews out of it, though. I'll take a few pics, though after a few brews they all seem to look the same, so I won't bother with the mash tun under a blanket this time.

Here's the WL yeast doing its thing:

[Andy]

Wow, an early start there Jim. Hope all goes well.

[Jim]

OK, some pics.

I insulated rather than my usual heat and stir, and the mash only lost about 1/2 a degree over the 1 1/4 hours, ending up at about 66C: -



With 5 1/2kg of grain, my sparger is at full capacity!



Grain bed temperature was a bit cool at first (around 60C) and run off was sluggish....



...but improved when the hot (85C) sparge water got in there, with the grainbed at just under 70C.



And the boil just getting underway:



Cooking with gas!



Last runnings were about 1.018 - a bit high, but I've allowed plenty of grain for losses - target OG is 46 (collection 6 gallons).

[ECR]

Looking marvellous

[Jim]

All done and dusted now.

I collected around 6 gallons (5 to drink, 1 to propagate the yeast):



Remarkably, the OG was spot on target (46)!



The extra gallon went into a demijohn and both batches are now safely in the temperature controlled cabinet.

[prodigal2]

looks like a productive day there Jim. Great to see your fermentation chamber in use, how is it working out?