Shua Brewing

Special Bitter

I usually like to come up with my own recipes but I take a lot of ideas from other websites and blogs. But for this recipe I took it all pretty much straight from one of my favorite blogs that focuses a lot on English style session ales. When I want to brew a bitter, mild, or porter I check it first for recipe’s and ideas. This just seemed like such a tasty and straight forward recipe I had to give it a try. I also have been interested in different malt makers and getting more authentic grains for each brew, as in English malts for English beers. So I placed an order at brew brothers since they are decently close to me for shipping and the prices are crazy good with the best selection I have ever seen. I had heard good things about Thomas Fawcett Marris otter so I got some of that, along with dark and extra dark crystal, pale chocolate malt (which I love), and some dark English roasted barley all from Crisp. But enough of my rambling. Here is the recipe:

Special Bitter

OG: 1.041   FG: 1.012     ABV: 3.86%    IBU: 32.3     SRM:9.6

Size:5.5 gallon       Mash:151.5F  Ferment: 69F avg

Recipe:

86% Marris Otter (TF)

6% Home toasted Marris Otter (TF)

5% English Dark Crystal 77L (Crisp)

3% English Extra Dark Crystal 120L (Crisp)

.8oz Challenger 60min [26.2IBU]

.75oz East Kent Goldings 15min [6.1IBU]

.75oz East Kent Goldings 0min

.50oz East Kent Goldings Dry Hop

yeast: Wyeast NeoBrittania 3rd Generation

Notes:

2/18/12 1L starter from 2 week old thick slurry, to up the cell count as well but mainly to just get it going before its pitched.

2/19/12 Brewed early. Was a bit slower of a morning then usual. Dropped 1% in efficiency but no big deal. Starter was good and active when pitched. Fermentation started within 2 or 3 hours.

73.5 Ca, 16.4 MG, 9.9 Na, 126.1 S04, 5 Cl