Brewing 4-22-07: ESB?
Well, it’s the first brew of the season for me… or rather the first brew of the year. Come to think of it, I haven’t brewed beer since 2005. Anyways, It’s time to start again. Today’s goal: a full flavor ESB.
I searched the BrewBoard online and came up with a reasonable recipe – a good malt/grain/hops combination. I decided to go with an extract recipe this time so I can get back into brewing without too many new things.
The Recipe I picked:
10lb Maris Otter malted barley
1/2 lb malted wheat
1/2 lb Crystal
1 oz Goldings @60m
1/2 oz EKG @60m
1/2 oz EKG @30m
1 oz fuggles @2m
I found a place down in Iowa City on 2nd street that sells beer making supplies, however unfortunately it’s only a small selection of ingredients and supplies that another shop brings by weekly. Since they had nothing on my list, and wanting to start the next day, I decided to make the recipe up as I went. Here it is :)
3:00 PM Sunday 4-22-07
Cleaned carboy, started water on the stove.
 
5:16 PM
Mashed grain at 161F for 30 minutes (out at 5:46PM)
1/2 lb Briess 60L Crystal Malt, 6 Row
1/4 lb Briess Black Patent Malt, 6 Row Lovibond 480
I didn’t have a mill, so I used my blender. This was a mistake, it made it far too fine. Next time I will use a rolling pin or something similar to crush the grain instead of making it into a puree.
 
 
8:03 PM
Added malt extract.
3.3 lb Muton’s Light LME
3.3 lb Muton’s Amber LME
1/2 lb Munton’s Wheat DME
 
8:46Â PM – Hop Schedule:
60m: 1 oz Kent Goldings pellet (alpha 6.9 %) – 8:46pm
60m: 1/2 oz Saaz pellet (alpha 3.6%) – 8:46pm
30m: 1/2 oz Perle pellet (alpha 7.6%) – 9:21pm
02m: 1 oz Cascade Leaf (alpha 6.0%) – 9:45pm
 
I cooled the wort by putting it in a cold water bath (which I refreshed periodically) and using a fan to blow cold air over the pot. Yes, there was a lid.
2:00Â AM Monday 4-23-07
I transfered the wort into my carboy and pitched Wyeast 1056 American.
 
There was something wierd about the iodine I used for the airlock, but then again, it’s iodine. I think it was cloudy doe to temperature or a small amount of starch that somehow got in it.
The wort did not begin to show signs of fermentation until thursday 4-26-07.
Updates will follow…
Becca Said,
May 20, 2007 @ 7:42 pm
Though it might be an inappropriate and odd comment…but that is damn sexy.
Steve Said,
June 15, 2007 @ 11:23 am
That looks delicious. How did it turn out??
Scott L Stulken Said,
April 15, 2008 @ 4:51 pm
Very tasty! It reminded Tony and I of Mackeson’s XXX Stout, perhaps a little smoother. The year or so of aging might have contributed to that quality.