brēowanthorpe

The Homestead of Beer

Best Bitter

By thomas #Ale, #Barley, #Beer, #Best Bitter, #BIAB, #Bitter, #English, #Helter-Skelter, #Homebrew, #Hops, #Mountain Portage, #one-gallon, #Sparge, #Water, #Yeast

Codename : Mountain Portage Best Bitterthorpe

Continuing along with the tradition assorted English bitters, this is a low gravity, malty, easy drinking ale. I was running low on base malts, so this one is a bit of a helter-skelter of barley to make it happen.

Ingredients

  • 11 oz Maris Otter malt
  • 8 oz Munich II malt (9L)
  • 4 oz Amber malt (38L)
  • 4 oz Caramel malt (30L)
  • 0.10 oz Northdown hops at 60 minutes
  • 0.10 oz Northdown hops at 15 minutes
  • 0.20 oz East Kent Golding hops at 10 minutes
  • ¼ Whirlfloc tablet (optional) at 10 minutes
  • 0.20 oz East Kent Golding hops at 5 minutes
  • 0.20 oz Fuggle hops at 0 minutes
  • 3 ml Nottingham ale yeast

Anticipated IBU : 33
Anticipated ABV : 4.3%
Target OG : 1.044
Target FG : 1,011
Brewhouse (in)efficiency : 70% (increased for this batch)

Brew Day

  • Prepare 6.1L strike water, 154F
  • Add the milled grains to the bag.
  • Mash in, place the bag in the hot water, set the timer for 60 minutes, and maintain the temperature at 149 F. Stir occasionally.
  • Mash out, increase the temperature to 167F, set the timer for 10 minutes. Looking for SG 1.034.
  • Calibrate the sonic screwdriver.
  • Lift the bag out of the water, and allow it to drip into the pot. Give the bag a hard squeeze, every bit of sugar that can be extracted will benefit the end ABV.
  • Bring wort up to 205F.
  • Set the timer for 60 minutes. Add hops and Whirfloc as prescribed above. Looking for SG 1.044.
  • Sanitise everything required for fermentation.
  • Cool to room temp, an ice-bath or a snowbank work effectively.
  • Prepare yeast mixture.
  • Add wort to the jug. Pitch yeast.
  • Store in a cool place for primary fermentation for 7 days.

Bottling Day

  • Sanitise everything required for bottling.
  • Transfer from carboy to bottling pot.
  • Prepare 19g corn sugar with enough hot water to dissolve it. Add to pot.
  • Bottle.
  • Conduct bottle conditioning for at least 4 weeks. 

Brew Notes

Brew day : 8-Aug-2022
Bottling day : 22-Aug-2022