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Author Topic: secrets or opinions on english grists  (Read 2656 times)

Offline fredthecat

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secrets or opinions on english grists
« on: June 12, 2021, 12:03:11 am »
ive made english-intended beers, bitters, strong ales, just "ales", porters, etc


does anyone have any favourite "english" grists or tricks?


my well improved bitter recipe is looking like 94% golden promise(?) 3% crystal 120, 3% crystal 60 with WLP007 and 1.042OG/ 45 IBU

using WLP007 so not adding any sugar to it.

i will say i am not a massive fan of maris otter. im trying golden promise to see if i like it.

Offline Ortizer

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Re: secrets or opinions on english grists
« Reply #1 on: June 12, 2021, 09:02:46 am »
ive made english-intended beers, bitters, strong ales, just "ales", porters, etc


does anyone have any favourite "english" grists or tricks?


my well improved bitter recipe is looking like 94% golden promise(?) 3% crystal 120, 3% crystal 60 with WLP007 and 1.042OG/ 45 IBU

using WLP007 so not adding any sugar to it.

i will say i am not a massive fan of maris otter. im trying golden promise to see if i like it.
We definitely have liked Golden Promise better than MO for our stout and esb.

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Offline majorvices

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Re: secrets or opinions on english grists
« Reply #2 on: June 12, 2021, 09:08:27 am »
I've had great success with Ron Patterson's Book "The Homebrewer's Guide to Vintage Beers". 

His blog is well worth your gander too

http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com

« Last Edit: June 12, 2021, 09:10:39 am by majorvices »

Offline fredthecat

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Re: secrets or opinions on english grists
« Reply #3 on: June 12, 2021, 10:39:02 am »
ive made english-intended beers, bitters, strong ales, just "ales", porters, etc


does anyone have any favourite "english" grists or tricks?


my well improved bitter recipe is looking like 94% golden promise(?) 3% crystal 120, 3% crystal 60 with WLP007 and 1.042OG/ 45 IBU

using WLP007 so not adding any sugar to it.

i will say i am not a massive fan of maris otter. im trying golden promise to see if i like it.
We definitely have liked Golden Promise better than MO for our stout and esb.


thanks, looks like i will have to give it a try.

Offline erockrph

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Re: secrets or opinions on english grists
« Reply #4 on: June 12, 2021, 11:04:10 am »
Personally, Crisp MO is my go-to, but if you don't like MO, then try Vienna, GP, or a Pale Ale malt (Dingemans has worked well for me) as alternatives for your base malt. I do find that a flavorful Pale Ale malt carries a lot of the flavor, so definitely find one you enjoy.

Torrified wheat at about 10-15% of the grist adds a nice nuttiness if that works in the recipe you're brewing.

English styles actually run a wide spectrum. Try different yeasts and base malts to see what you like, then dial in your recipes and process from there. I use 1469 the most, but I also enjoy 1968, WLP013 and Winsor/Notty, and I have others on my wish list that I haven't gotten around to trying yet.

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Offline denny

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Re: secrets or opinions on english grists
« Reply #5 on: June 12, 2021, 11:43:13 am »
ive made english-intended beers, bitters, strong ales, just "ales", porters, etc


does anyone have any favourite "english" grists or tricks?


my well improved bitter recipe is looking like 94% golden promise(?) 3% crystal 120, 3% crystal 60 with WLP007 and 1.042OG/ 45 IBU

using WLP007 so not adding any sugar to it.

i will say i am not a massive fan of maris otter. im trying golden promise to see if i like it.
We definitely have liked Golden Promise better than MO for our stout and esb.


thanks, looks like i will have to give it a try.

Keep in mind that GP is just a barley variety.  It's what the maltster does with it that really makes the difference. I prefer Simpson's GP to Fawcett.
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Offline fredthecat

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Re: secrets or opinions on english grists
« Reply #6 on: June 12, 2021, 12:08:28 pm »
Personally, Crisp MO is my go-to, but if you don't like MO, then try Vienna, GP, or a Pale Ale malt (Dingemans has worked well for me) as alternatives for your base malt. I do find that a flavorful Pale Ale malt carries a lot of the flavor, so definitely find one you enjoy.

Torrified wheat at about 10-15% of the grist adds a nice nuttiness if that works in the recipe you're brewing.

English styles actually run a wide spectrum. Try different yeasts and base malts to see what you like, then dial in your recipes and process from there. I use 1469 the most, but I also enjoy 1968, WLP013 and Winsor/Notty, and I have others on my wish list that I haven't gotten around to trying yet.


yup, thats what i've decided i'm working on this brew-year. really keeping it simple in recipe formulation. torrified wheat - i better try it at some point finally.

isn't 1469 a PITA to deal with? is it relatively forgiving? what do you think about WLP007?

Offline erockrph

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Re: secrets or opinions on english grists
« Reply #7 on: June 12, 2021, 02:12:47 pm »
Personally, Crisp MO is my go-to, but if you don't like MO, then try Vienna, GP, or a Pale Ale malt (Dingemans has worked well for me) as alternatives for your base malt. I do find that a flavorful Pale Ale malt carries a lot of the flavor, so definitely find one you enjoy.

Torrified wheat at about 10-15% of the grist adds a nice nuttiness if that works in the recipe you're brewing.

English styles actually run a wide spectrum. Try different yeasts and base malts to see what you like, then dial in your recipes and process from there. I use 1469 the most, but I also enjoy 1968, WLP013 and Winsor/Notty, and I have others on my wish list that I haven't gotten around to trying yet.


yup, thats what i've decided i'm working on this brew-year. really keeping it simple in recipe formulation. torrified wheat - i better try it at some point finally.

isn't 1469 a PITA to deal with? is it relatively forgiving? what do you think about WLP007?

For me, 1469 is super easy and forgiving in my experience. I brew 2.5-gallon batches, and pitch 1 pack without a starter in pretty much all my recipes with it (typically in the 1.040 range, but I've gone up to the mid 1.060's OG). Even though it is a Yorkshire yeast, it doesn't require the heavy oxygenation that other Yorkshire strains require. I don't add any supplemental oxygen, or even aeration for that matter. I let the wort splash as I drain into my fermentation keg, pitch, seal the keg, and let her go.

WLP007 is pretty clean to me. It's great for West Coast IPA, but I prefer more esters in my English ales. I've only used it a couple of times, so don't take my wordas gospel on that one.
Eric B.

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Offline Iliff Ave

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Re: secrets or opinions on english grists
« Reply #8 on: June 12, 2021, 08:38:54 pm »
I know stone’s house yeast was 007 if it not anymore and their specialty is west coast ipa. I’m no English style brewer but I think something with more character might be a good touch.
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Offline pete b

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Re: secrets or opinions on english grists
« Reply #9 on: June 13, 2021, 05:53:46 am »
I have been using WY1469 a lot and do not find it at all difficult, in fact it has been a consistent performer. When I first started using it I gave the wort extra aeration but the last two times I just used the aeration from running the wort into the fermenter like Eric mentioned and I didn’t see a difference.
I use a couple simple grist formulations. I like MO and recently used Simpson’s GP for the first time and liked that too. However what I have used most is a pale ale malt, specifically from my local master, Valley Malt. I almost always do 99% base malt and 1% black malt for color or 95% base and 5% 60L crystal. The former is inspired by Timothy Taylor’s Landlord, the latter by Whitbread IPA.
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Offline chumley

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Re: secrets or opinions on english grists
« Reply #10 on: June 14, 2021, 02:47:42 pm »
"does anyone have any favourite "english" grists or tricks?"

Yes, use sugar.

I just tapped my latest British ale this past weekend, and it is quite tasty. 85% Simpson's Maris Otter, 10% Lyle's Golden syrup, 5% Hugh Baird Carastan. A little inverted sugar gives a nice toffee flavor that pairs well with the dirt hops.

Offline majorvices

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Re: secrets or opinions on english grists
« Reply #11 on: June 14, 2021, 03:17:25 pm »
"does anyone have any favourite "english" grists or tricks?"

Yes, use sugar.

I just tapped my latest British ale this past weekend, and it is quite tasty. 85% Simpson's Maris Otter, 10% Lyle's Golden syrup, 5% Hugh Baird Carastan. A little inverted sugar gives a nice toffee flavor that pairs well with the dirt hops.

Agree ... also, Ron Patterson's book/blog. ;)

Offline fredthecat

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Re: secrets or opinions on english grists
« Reply #12 on: June 14, 2021, 03:18:45 pm »
"does anyone have any favourite "english" grists or tricks?"

Yes, use sugar.

I just tapped my latest British ale this past weekend, and it is quite tasty. 85% Simpson's Maris Otter, 10% Lyle's Golden syrup, 5% Hugh Baird Carastan. A little inverted sugar gives a nice toffee flavor that pairs well with the dirt hops.

i have been off and on in my recipe formulation about using some sugar in the planned british brews. might do it.

lol carastan, haven't heard that malt in quite a while.

Offline Kevin

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Re: secrets or opinions on english grists
« Reply #13 on: June 15, 2021, 07:34:32 am »
English malted barley. Invert sugar #3 or #2. Very little crystal malt.

English hops but brewers there also imported plenty of hops from America and continental Europe.

I have used S-04 and don't care for it. Switched to Wyeast 1099 for several years and have lately been experimenting with Imperial A-09 and A01 with satisfactory results. I'll need to do a side by side comparison  between these and 1099 at some point.
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Offline Cliffs

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Re: secrets or opinions on english grists
« Reply #14 on: June 15, 2021, 09:36:52 am »
"does anyone have any favourite "english" grists or tricks?"

Yes, use sugar.

I just tapped my latest British ale this past weekend, and it is quite tasty. 85% Simpson's Maris Otter, 10% Lyle's Golden syrup, 5% Hugh Baird Carastan. A little inverted sugar gives a nice toffee flavor that pairs well with the dirt hops.

you sure the dirt flavor isnt from from so many of the english hops we get stateside being past their prime? I know this sounds semantic, but I have tasted earthiness in hops, and then straight dirt flavor from hops, and the difference seemed to be hop freshness.