Batch #3: Ordinary Bitter
This was my first attempt at a low-gravity all-grain
beer. I wanted something light, and definitely got
it with this beer. It was possible to drink a half
gallon at a sitting and still stand up, so this went
fast once it hit its prime.
Recipe
Grain Bill
- 5 lbs. Fawcett Optic
- 8 oz. DWC Biscuit Malt
- 8 oz. DWC Cara-Munich
Hops
- 1 oz. East Kent Goldings (5.7% AA) @60 min.
- 1/2 oz. Fuggles (5.4% AA) @10 min.
- 1/2 oz. Fuggles (5.4% AA) finishing.
Yeast
WLP002 washed from the primary of a
previous batch and stepped up with a two quart starter.
Mash
Single Infusion mash, 60 minutes at 152F. Batch sparged, to
avoid oversparging with a fly sparge.
Vitals
- OG: 1.035
- FG: 1.010 (approx.)
- Calculated IBU: 26
- Carbonation: Kegged, 5 psi @55F
Timeline
Brew day: September 21, 2002
- 11:53 am: mash in @152F
- 12:53 pm: Begin first batch sparge.
- 1:30 pm: Finish second batch.
- 2:45 pm: Boil begins (good rolling boil)
- 3:00 pm: Add Kent Goldings hops.
- 3:50 pm: Add first half of Fuggles.
- 4:00 pm: Add rest of Fuggles and start chilling.
- 4:30 pm: Chilled to 78F.
Kegged October 2, 2002. SG 1.010
Tasting notes
10/02/2002
Nice hop aroma, pleasant maltiness, but carbonic and watery. Slightly
astringent. Still too green.
10/13/2002
Bright, warm hop character plays well with the biscuit
malt. Still somewhat thin-bodied, and easily
overcarbonated. This can be helped by filling a
growler from the tap, and pouring roughly into a
glass. This strips carbonation, and kicks up a head
over flattened, tasty beer.
10/19/2002
This beer has blossomed over the last week. It has cleared,
and I have turned down the carbonation to 5psi @55F, giving
a more reasonable amount of carbonation from the tap. It
still tastes better after a rough pour. Now if only I had
a beer engine, I'd be set :-)
The malt profile is toasty and cracker-like from the
Biscuit malt, which worked just as advertised. It
is balanced by the modest hop bitterness, and
complemented by the Fuggles aroma. I think the
carbonation sensitivity could be addressed by replacing
the CaraMunich with a sweeter, less toasty British
crystal malt in the future.
11/09/2002
Keg finished. Good to the last drop.
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