Water Profile for an ESB

Ingredients
1

Happy Holidays to one and all!

So I am attempting an ESB for my next batch (planned recipe follows), and would like to get an idea for the water profile to use. I am using 100% distilled water, so adjusting the mineral content from scratch. I have the paid version of Bru’n Water, but do not see a clear choice for anything predetermined for a bitter. Any suggestions would be most welcome. Thank you in advance.

Steve

10lbs Maris Otter
1/2 lb Carastan 30L
1/2 lb Crystal (50-60L)

1oz EKG for 60 min
1oz EKG for 30 min
1oz Bramling Cross for 10 min
1oz Bramling Cross at whirlpool
2oz Bramling Cross dry hop

Wyeast 1469

2

Standard water for ESB would be Burton.  Or you could try Amber Bitter.

3

High SO4 with restrained Cl which helps accentuate hop bitterness / dryness: using distilled water, 1 tsp CaCl, 2 tsp Gypsum in 6.5 post boil gallons:

Calcium: 118.3 ppm
Sulfate: 178.9 ppm
Chloride: 77.3 ppm
Sulfite/Chloride Ratio: 2.31

Increase sulfate to your liking.  250+ is not unheard of.

4

Burton would be extreme. The Pale Ale profile could work, but even that might be a bit much for some tastes. The Dry profiles are decent starting points and they give a brewer the opportunity to boost a glass of the finished beer with post-fermentation mineral doses to see if “higher” is the direction that tastes better to them.

5

Fullers say they just add Gypsum to London water to get the Ca up to 100 ppm. They make the only ESB in the UK, as ESB is their trademark.

6

Thanks to you all for the help!
I think I will start with the Amber Dry profile and make any future adjustments from there.
Cheers!
Steve

7

I agree completely here. High sulfate may be more faithful to some actual commercial beers, but can be off-putting to some. Starting at a more moderate level and then boosting at serving to taste keeps you from risking an entire batch that may not suit your tastes.