[tschmidlin]

I'm going to brew a bitter/esb tomorrow and can't decide what to do . . .

I only have 10.75 lbs of maris otter.  It's a bit much for a 5 gallon batch of ESB, and a bit shorter than I'd like for a 10 gallon batch of ordinary bitter.  I have a bunch of other grains I can supplement with if need be, but I am trying to keep it simple to let the flavor and aroma of the hops (Sonnet Goldings) come through.   I could just make an ESB with less of the MO, but I don't want to.

Any suggestions?  On hand I have:
brown
munich
vienna
crystal 40
carared
carapils
special b
aromatic
chocolate
pale chocolate
chocolate wheat
carafa special
black barley
pils

[Hokerer]

Use all the MO and add enough pils to get your base malt total - specialty grains as normal ?

[tschmidlin]

I'm trying to avoid using the pils and nearly left it off the list because I figured someone would suggest just that

For specialty grains I was just going to use some C40 unless someone comes up with something that sounds enticing.

[skyler]

If it was me, I would bulk it up to 1.044 or so with Vienna and use no specialty malts.

[Hokerer]

I'm trying to avoid using the pils and nearly left it off the list because I figured someone would suggest just that

Crap, sounds like I'm getting predictable 

[skyler]

Or I would just brew 5 gallons of English IPA.

[tschmidlin]

Crap, sounds like I'm getting predictable 

  It's a good answer, just not what I'm going for.

Or I would just brew 5 gallons of English IPA.

Also a good answer, and not what I'm going for.   I think I want something that will ferment and be ready to serve quickly, probably less than 5.5% or 5% ABV.

The vienna idea is interesting, I may try that.

[hopfenundmalz]

Tom - use the MO and the Vienna.  Not much else in my book, but a touch of crystal, or a smidge of special B.   A little carapils for body?

Some guy named Gordon use a lot of MO and Vienna together for his beers.  So he says. 

You might be surprised how light a lot of the summer ales are in England these days. Was there last week, and need to do a quick write up on the beers we had.

[richardt]

I'd do 10 gallons w/ 10.75 lbs of MO and remainder with vienna, C-40, and Carapils.

[dak0415]

Do NOT use special B in an ESB!

+1 on the Vienna to make up the diff.
What yeast are you planning?

[jaybeerman]

use your maris and go to the store to get some grits.  I could even see, maris, vienna, grits.  Grits are fantastic in a bitter.

[tschmidlin]

I guess I should have read these ideas before mashing in. Too late. 

I went with 10.75 lbs MO, 1.5 lbs of vienna, and .5 lbs C40.

I'm going to use US-05 in one carboy and S-04 in the other.  I'm pretty sure I'll like the S-04 better, but I want to try the US-05 in this style.  Plus I wanted to brew without going to the store for anything and I have both of those on hand.

Thanks for the ideas.

[skyler]

I think I want something that will ferment and be ready to serve quickly, probably less than 5.5% or 5% ABV.

Actually, I think an English IPA should be under 5.5% ABV, no matter what the American-written BJCP guidelines say.

[oscarvan]

I think I want something that will ferment and be ready to serve quickly, probably less than 5.5% or 5% ABV.

Actually, I think an English IPA should be under 5.5% ABV, no matter what the American-written BJCP guidelines say.

Quite a bit under, in fact. 90% of what I drink in the UK is under 5%.

[euge]

I guess I should have read these ideas before mashing in. Too late. 

I went with 10.75 lbs MO, 1.5 lbs of vienna, and .5 lbs C40.

I'm going to use US-05 in one carboy and S-04 in the other.  I'm pretty sure I'll like the S-04 better, but I want to try the US-05 in this style.  Plus I wanted to brew without going to the store for anything and I have both of those on hand.

Thanks for the ideas.

Pretty much what I'd have suggested except the carapils. Looks nice. Are you splitting 5 gallons?