ESB thoughts

Tweaked my ESB recipe and looking for anything you might suggest.

thanks in advance

Recipe: Heisenberg ESB TYPE: All Grain
Style: English Extra Special Strong Bitter
—RECIPE SPECIFICATIONS-----------------------------------------------
SRM: 9.6 SRM SRM RANGE: 6.0-18.0 SRM
IBU: 44.6 IBUs  IBU RANGE: 30.0-50.0 IBUs
OG: 1.055 SG OG RANGE: 1.050-1.060 SG
FG: 1.013 SG FG RANGE: 1.011-1.015 SG
BU:GU: 0.806 Calories: 197.2 kcal/12oz Est ABV: 5.4 %
EE%: 77.00 % Batch: 5.75 gal      Boil: 7.73 gal BT: 60 Mins

—WATER CHEMISTRY ADDITIONS----------------

Total Grain Weight: 11 lbs Total Hops: 4.75 oz oz.
—MASH/STEEP PROCESS------MASH PH:5.4 ------

-ADD WATER CHEMICALS BEFORE GRAINS!!<<<<<<<
Amt                            Name                                            Type              %     
10 lbs                Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM)                Grain          90.9 %       
8.0 oz                Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM)    Grain          4.5 %       
4.0 oz                Biscuit (Dingemans) (22.5 SRM)              Grain          2.3 %       
4.0 oz                Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM)  Grain          2.3 %       
1                          WLP007                                                  Yeast

Name                  Description                              Step Temperat Step Time   
Mash In                Add 21.30 qt of water at 164.2 F          154.0 F      75 min


Batch sparge with 2 steps (Drain mash tun , 3.83gal) of 185.0 F water

—BOIL PROCESS-----------------------------
Est Pre_Boil Gravity: 1.045 SG Est OG: 1.055 SG
Amt                                    Name                                            Type                %/IBU       
1.75 oz              Challenger [7.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min              Hop                  40.8 IBUs   
1.00 oz              East Kent Goldings (EKG) [5.00 %]5 min -    Boil Hop            3.1 IBUs     
1.00 oz              East Kent Goldings (EKG) [5.00 %] 1 min -    Boil Hop            0.7 IBUs     
1.00 oz              East Kent Goldings (EKG) [5.00 %] - Dry Hop 5 days

There is a good Can You Brew It where they interview John Keeling of Fullers.

I’d use a different yeast, but other than that it looks good.

Ken, WY1968 (Fullers) is awful hard to beat. And personally, I don’t use biscuit with MO - I think MO is toasty enough. I know some brewers do use both, though. I’m sure it’ll be good.

Jon, I’ve got some lactose I need to use up some day. Milk Stout is on the schedule for this fall. I was thinking West Yorkshire. But I have no experience with any of the english varieties, only 1728 and the irish. I love the Fullers beers. Would that be your choice in a milk stout? Or is west york a good choice?

Jim, the only two strains (I think) that I’ve used in milk stout were 1028 (London) and Denny’s 1450 - both were great. But I bet either 1728, 1968 or 1469 would do a good job, too. Love milk stout to add coffee to, especially !

EDIT - And Denny’s isn’t a British strain, but it works great for malty beers.

Right on. I think I’ll stick with my plan. Preface, I dont brew to meet guidelines, but it ought to get interesting in the competition world. It appears that there will be both english and american categories for all of the stouts and porters in the new guidelines. If they ever release them and if they havent changed that from the draft version.

Yep, sounds good. I bet the expanded guidelines for the American ones are gonna focus more on them being hopped up than yeast character anyway.

Id think so, american ingredients across the board probably. And in the British ones, British ingredients across the board.

Good to know. Never tried 1968. I hear you on the biscuit. Done it without, considered using  a touch to see. It’s avangard Maris and it’s not as toasty as the floor malted Maris I used most of my previous beers.

Such as? I’ve used wlp02 in similar esb.

Never tried theirs. Yeah, some are a lot more toasty/biscuity than others.

Just happy I’m not temp controlling g a lager now…lost power in big storm and looks like tomorrow before we restore. Good night for whiskey though.

Good thinking.  :wink:

You stole my comment.  Exactly my thoughts as I read through the recipe.  I don’t think MO needs biscuit, but people do it.  No harm will come from it, for sure.

1968 is a personal favorite yeast for all English styles.  I’ve not used 007, so I can’t compare, but you can’t go wrong with 1968.

I have done a couple of split batches over the years on a special bitter with 1968 and West Yorkshire 1469. I much prefer the 1469. The lower attenuation and diacetyl production for 1968 just wasn’t as pleasant, and the fruity/earthy profile from 1469 is just what I am going for in a bitter. I realize that you are talking about and ESB, so not exactly the same beast, but that’s my two cents. The one downside from 1469 is it takes a little longer to finish because of the everlasting krausen. You really need to be able to crash it once fermentation is complete.

I have no problems getting 1968 to attenuate.  I’ve used it in everything from small beers to big beers and it does just fine.

Big pitch, 02, and time (at least for the big beers).

1968 will regularly take my old ale from 1.09ish to 1.15 or thereabouts.

However, I’ve not used the west yorkshire and maybe a split batch is in order.

I do love 1469 - I’ve used it in Landlord type beers. Great strain.  I’ve always had good luck with 1968, though.

+1

I routinely get 75 - 80% out of 1968.  Never diacetyl.  It just needs to finish a bit warmer.

Maybe it just likes Chicago water…