Barleycorn's Best Bitter, an ESB

-- Noel Blake

Noel Blake says this about the beer: This recipe won best of show at the 2nd annual Mill Creek Classic. The judges loved the recipe, saying that it was a true English-style Bitter. They would have liked slightly lower hops and a bit more F.G., but it scored a 37 just the same. The hops are assertive but not aggressive, and the beer is very refreshing.

(He is being a little modest there. I spoke with one of the Best of Show judges, he stated that the BOS judges kept coming back to the beer and could not find a fault with it.)

 
Malt:   7 lbs.         English pale malt
        1/2 lb.        flaked barley
        1/4 lb.        biscuit kilnamber (26L)
        1/4 lb.        biscuit aromatic (15 L)
        1.5 oz.        British chocolate (425L)
        1.5 oz.        Special 'B' (250L)
 
Hops:   1.5  oz.       Kent Goldings, pellets 4.5%    60 min
         .25 oz.       Kent Goldings, pellets 4.5%   30 min
         .25 oz.       Liberty, pellets 4.5%          30 min
         .25 oz.       Kent Goldings, pellets 4.5%   15 min
         .25 oz.       Liberty, pellets 4.5%          15 min
         .33 oz.       Kent Goldings, pellets 4.5%    30 sec
         .33 oz.       Liberty, pellets 4.5%          30 sec
         .33 oz.       Styrian Golding                30 sec
        1    oz.       Kent Golding, pellets 4.5%     Dry hopped for 5 days
 
Yeast:                 Wyeast #1275 (Thames Valley)
Starting Gravity:      1.050
Final Gravity:         1.010
Yeild:                 4.5 Gallons

Brewer's Specifics:A step mash was used with rests at 132 degrees for 30 minutes and 152 degrees for 75 minutes. Water was treated with 1/4 teaspoon Gypsum in the mash and sparge water and 1/2 teaspoon Gypsum and 1/4 teaspoon Calcium Carbonate in the boil. (note: this beer was brewed in Portland, OR. Our city water is very soft, close to the profile of Pilzen) A 1/4 teaspoon of Irish moss was used for 20 minutes of the boil.

Primary fermentation was for 4 days at 66 degrees and secondary fermentation was for 5 days at 63 degrees.

If you'd like you can send feedback to brewer Noel Blake or return to the OBC Home Page or the recipe index.