brēowanthorpe

The Homestead of Beer

Ordinary Bitter

By thomas #30 Minute Boil, #Ale, #Barley, #Beer, #BIAB, #Bitter, #British, #British Bitter, #Homebrew, #Hops, #Mountain Portage, #No-Sparge, #One Gallon, #Ordinary Bitter, #Recipe, #Summer Bitter, #Water, #Yeast

Codename : Mountain Portage Summer Bitterthorpe

The unofficial theme for summer 2024 is to focus on low gravity (AKA lower alcohol) ales, particularly British styles. This summer bitter is technically in the category of an ordinary bitter, an easy drinking session beer. I discovered by thoroughly reading through the standard, that using only base malts, a lighter coloured beer could be considered a summer ale or golden bitter. So to mark the summer solstice, a summer bitter.

Pale amber to light copper colour. Good to brilliant clarity. Low to moderate white to off-white head. May have very little head due to low carbonation.

https://www.bjcp.org/style/2021/11/11A/ordinary-bitter

Ingredients

  • 1 lb 1 oz Maris Otter malt (3.8L)
  • 2 oz Caramunich III (53L)
  • 2 oz Light Munich (6.9L)
  • 1/4 Campden tablet in strike water (optional)
  • 0.30 Bramling Cross hops at 30 minutes
  • 1 oz White sugar at 20 minutes
  • 1/2 tsp Irish Moss (optional) at 15 minutes
  • 3 ml Mangrove Jacks Empire Ale dry ale yeast

Vital Stats

  • BJCP Style : Ordinary Bitter
  • Anticipated ABV : 3.5%
  • Anticipated IBU : 30
  • Anticipated SRM : 8
  • Pre-boil SG : 1.026
  • Post-boil SG: 1.036
  • Original SG : 1.036
  • Target SG : 1.009
  • Carbonation : 2
  • Water profile : Ordinary Bitter
  • Brewhouse (in)efficiency : 68%

Brew Day

  • Prepare 6.3L strike water, 152F. 
  • Add the milled grains to the bag. 
  • Place the bag in the hot water, set the timer for 90 minutes, and maintain the temperature at 152F. It is acceptable if the temperature varies by a couple of degrees in either direction.
  • If you find the gravity is reached before 90 minutes, you can jump to lifting the bag out.
  • Stir occasionally.
  • Calibrate the refractometer, aka the sonic screwdriver.
  • Lift the bag out of the water, and allow it to drip into the pot. Every bit of sugar that can be extracted will benefit the end ABV.
  • Bring up to a boil, 212F, set the timer for 30 minutes. Add hops, sugar, and Irish moss, as prescribed above.
  • Sanitise everything required for fermentation.
  • Cool to room temp, an ice-bath or a snowbank work effectively.
  • Prepare the yeast mixture, per manufacturers directions.
  • Transfer the wort to the carboy, splash the wort around to aerate the contents.
  • Put the airlock on the carboy.
  • Store in a cool dark place for primary fermentation for 7-14 days.

Bottling Day

Brew Notes

  • Sticking with the distilled water with the water conditioning salts.
Allow this light coloured bitter to ferment for 7-10 days.

Brew day : 22-Jun-2024

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Cartoon dog facing left