Baptiste Lake Bitter - Saturday, November 9, 2024

I changed my recipe to reflect the recipes in my British Ale Clone book. I didn't with the last

one and the beer was too dark and of course malty. I used too much specialty malts. I fixed that so hopefully this beer will taste more like the British Bitters I am after. 

Ingredients

11 lbs. Crisp Maris Otter

6 ozs. CL ( 40 srm )

14.17 grams CaraFa Special III

49.50 grams EKG

Wyeast British Ale 1098 Slurry Over Build

I got way more yeast slurry this time around compared to the first one. But, you can't go by the amount, just by the estimated cell count. Estimated - who knows how much? Just a guess.

CA - 50

MG - 10

S04 - 75

CI - 63

PH - 5.45

Water Profile - Amber Balanced

O.G. - 1.042 - (75%)

F.G. -  1.010

% -     4.2

BU - 35

SRM - 6.5

Mash Volume - 5.25 gallons

Sparge Volume - 5 gallons

MASH

Gyp - 1.3 grams

CC - 1.9 grams

Eps - 2 grams

Lactic Acid - .5 ml

BOIL

Gyp - 1.2 grams

CC - 1.8 grams

Eps - 1.9 grams

Since I am down with a very bad cold, brew day has been re-scheduled for when it is over. That means I have time to tighten my mill and try again. I don't think it will need a lot of tightening so go easy. I had to adjust it 3 times to get a good crush. Not a good time to start crushing half crushed grains. Next brew I will do a hand full at a time and adjust it if needed. I had to adjust it for a finer crush which should of made it into flour but it didn't.

                                              BREW DAY NOTES

The wort is still darker than anticipated. I will stop using roasted malts in the mash to make an ordinary bitter in the future. Stouts of course get a free ride. Had a ton of problems with Mr. Robobrew's temperature settings. Way off. I have to calibrate every brew day. The boil right now says the temp is 226F. Now that is nuts... Wort tasted fine after all of the BS trying to make this. 

                                       1098 PITCHED AT 11 AM

Later that night - Going fine. Fridge off. 64F.

Day 1 - 64F. Cool downstairs and I may have to move it to the bench and turn on the heat. 

             This yeast does go down to 64F but I would like 66F but it doesn't look like it now.

Day 2 - Going good but only 64F or a bit less. Fridge off. I may move it tonight, will keep

             an eye on it.

Day 4 - Slowed down. Just trying to dial in a steady 66F.

Day 6 - Same.

Day 14 - Still some activity, slow, every 2 minutes or so. I will wait a little longer. I can take a 

               reading I guess. 

                        KEGGED ON NOVEMBER 23

This was carbed late in the day on Nov. 23 and there is no carbonation the next day. I just wanted a taste. It is not harsh, just that odd pastey taste I had 10 years ago when I quit brewing bitters. This is my last one. Brewing lagers again and this time I hope they turn out okay.

                                                 SHOCKING NEWS

The pasty unpleasant taste seems to be slowly going away. Never, ever thought it would happen. I could of added the Crystal malt when I sparged but that may not of worked out considering my I over milled it. Won't happen again.

                                                                 UPDATE

The pasty odd over milled taste has gone but I still don't like it. I am glad I didn't invest in any more English ale yeast as I will never brew one again.