Fullers ESB

Classification: pale ale, bitter, E.S.B., Fuller's, all-grain

Source: Jim Busch (busch@daacdev1.stx.com), HBD Issue #1163, 6/16/93

In the brewery they serve Fullers ESB Cask Conditioned Ale. This is near the gravity of the draft US version but is cask hopped with K. Goldings Hop Plugs (just like homebrewers use).
An interesting point is that the UK bottles/cans and polypins are packaged with hop oil and therefore do not have hop parts floating.

Also, the London Pride Cask is 4.0 ABV while the canned/bottled version is 4.7. This is fairly typical in that you are expected to pound 20 oz pints in the pub.

Ingredients:

<10# 2-row
1/2# crystal, 60L - 90L
1/2# carapils
1# brown sugar, 60 minutes
2 oz Fuggles, 60 minutes
.5 oz Kent Golding, 30 minutes
.5 oz Kent Golding, 5 minutes
1.5 oz Kent Golding, dry hopped in secondary
Wyeast London Ale (1028) yeast

Procedure:

There is no Fuggles in ESB or any of the Fullers beers. They use English Target, Challenger and Northdown. EKG is in the finish & cask hopping of both Chiswick Bitter (very good bitter) and ESB. BTW the kettle hops are Lupofresh( challenger, 91) pellets from Kent and Worscester. They "Burtonize" the brewing water using mineral salts. A single temp infusion is employed. The ESB is 1.052 OG (apparently this was reduced for the US market, according to a brewer I was drinking with in the Pub next door). I was told they used to use sugar but this is no longer required with the new mash tuns. I missed out on the Maize part so I do not know, but I assume George has this correct. Try 5- 10 % in the mash. Skip the sugar, use caramel malts to get the color and sweetness.

Specifics:

O.G.: 1.048
F.G.: 1.012