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Author Topic: "Irish" bitter  (Read 2848 times)

Offline gmac

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  • London, Ontario
"Irish" bitter
« on: August 30, 2012, 09:25:08 am »
Anyone ever use Irish Ale (WLP004) in British style beers?  I ordered some WLP007 and it's back ordered and I only have about 2 days left to brew before work gets busy so I am going to make a bitter or a mild with a vial of Irish Ale yeast I have.  Probably shoot for 1.040-42 OG because I don't want to make a starter for this one (or more accurately, it's is a starter for a higher OG sweet stout I have planned which is why I have the yeast).

Any thoughts or comments on this choice?  Thinking of the following but haven't ran it through Beersmith yet.

6 lbs Maris Otter
1/2 lb Special Roast
1/4 lb C 45
1/4 lb C 90
1/4 lb Light chocolate (200 SRM)
1 oz EKG at 60 (5%)
1 oz EKG at 15
WLP004

Edit: Added the light chocolate cause in Beersmith it was looking too pale.

That's it.
Thanks.
« Last Edit: August 30, 2012, 09:34:38 am by gmac »

Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: "Irish" bitter
« Reply #1 on: August 30, 2012, 09:29:58 am »
I have not (actually, I typically use Wyeast, so I've never used WLP004) but I was just planning my weekend brew and was thinking about doing a side-by-side with my usual stout with 1084 (Irish Ale) and 1968 (London ESB) to see how they come out.

I don't see why you couldn't make a great mild with Irish ale yeast.  It may be fruitier?  But lots of the English ale yeast are fruity, too.
It's all in the reflexes. - Jack Burton

Offline dak0415

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Re: "Irish" bitter
« Reply #2 on: August 30, 2012, 09:46:41 am »
GMAC,
Keep the temps down (<65) and it will create a great bitter.  004 gets a little fruitier than 007 at higher temps but, unless the 004 vial is REAL fresh, go ahead and make a 1 liter starter about 24hrs before you pitch :D

Dave
Dave Koenig
Anything worth doing - is worth overdoing!