Best Bitter Beer Recipe | All Grain Special/Best/Premium Bitter by Ben's beers | Brewer's Friend
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Best Bitter

142 calories 16.4 g 330 ml
Beer Stats
Method: All Grain
Style: Special/Best/Premium Bitter
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 10.7 liters (fermentor volume)
Pre Boil Size: 15 liters
Pre Boil Gravity: 1.033 (recipe based estimate)
Efficiency: 75% (brew house)
Source: Blackcurrant
Calories: 142 calories (Per 330ml)
Carbs: 16.4 g (Per 330ml)
Created: Friday April 25th 2014
1.046
1.014
4.1%
34.3
8.4
n/a
n/a
 
Fermentables
Amount Fermentable Cost PPG °L Bill %
1,900 g United Kingdom - Maris Otter Pale1900 g Maris Otter Pale 38 3.75 92%
124 g United Kingdom - Crystal 70L124 g Crystal 70L 34 70 6%
42 g Torrified Wheat42 g Torrified Wheat 36 2 2%
2,066 g / 0.00
 
Hops
Amount Variety Cost Type AA Use Time IBU Bill %
18 g East Kent Goldings18 g East Kent Goldings Hops Leaf/Whole 4.74 Boil 60 min 21.52 32.1%
19 g East Kent Goldings19 g East Kent Goldings Hops Leaf/Whole 4.74 Boil 10 min 8.24 33.9%
19 g East Kent Goldings19 g East Kent Goldings Hops Leaf/Whole 4.74 Boil 5 min 4.53 33.9%
56 g / 0.00
 
Mash Guidelines
Amount Description Type Start Temp Target Temp Time
Infusion -- 68 °C 60 min
Starting Mash Thickness: 5 L/kg
 
Yeast
Wyeast - London ESB Ale 1968
Amount:
1 Each
Cost:
Attenuation (avg):
69%
Flocculation:
Very High
Optimum Temp:
18 - 22 °C
Starter:
No
Fermentation Temp:
20 °C
Pitch Rate:
-
0.00 Yeast Pitch Rate and Starter Calculator
 
Target Water Profile
Light colored and hoppy
Ca+2 Mg+2 Na+ Cl- SO4-2 HCO3-
75 5 10 50 150 0
Mash Chemistry and Brewing Water Calculator
 
Notes

A very traditional English best bitter, derived from the following real ale recipes in Graham Wheeler's book Brew Your Own British Real Ale:

Adnams
Adnams explorer
Bass draught
Brakspear
Brakspear special
Deuchars IPA
Courage best
Courage Directors
Flowers IPA
Flowers Original
Fullers ESB
Hop back summer lightning
Marstons Pedigree
Moorhouses Pendle Witches
Morland Old Speckled Hen
Ruddles Best
Theakston Old Peculiar
Taylor Landlord
Wadworth 6X
Youngs Special

Hop level and crystal malt level are averages of the values in the the above recipes.

2% torrified wheat added for head retention only.

Wyeast 1968 (Fuller's ESB strain) chosen for its estery profile and malty finish. Fermentation temp 20 deg C for moderate ester production.

Brewed with London tap water. Half the volume boiled to reduce bicarbonate hardness. 2 grams gypsum added to raise sulphate level slightly.

This recipe is designed for brew-in-a-bag using a 19 litre stockpot. Efficiency worked out at 75% according to Brewersfriend and 80% according to Beer Engine. IBU level 33 according to Beer Engine, but true value likely to be slightly under this as brew-in-a-bag has lower utilization.

Recipe Picture
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  • Public: Yup, Shared
  • Last Updated: 2014-05-10 17:32 UTC
Other Brewers Who Brewed This Recipe:
Sean110
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