Barking Bitters

Source: David Rice
Recipe added: 09/10/00
Email: david_rice@cinfin.com

In a side by side visual comparison and taste test, this was a lot like Fuller's ESB. But of course, nothing can compare to Fuller's! Don't rehydrate the yeast - I found that pitching the yeast from the package has just as good effect as rehydrating it. I used gelatin as a fining about 3 days before bottling. Counter-pressure bottling was employed using Listerman's counter-pressure system. This beer was named Barking Bitters after my wife remarked that after every gulp I was barking (belching!). Enjoy!

Specifics

Recipe type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5 gals.
Starting Gravity: 1042
Finishing Gravity: 1014
Time in Boil: 60 minutes
Primary Fermentation: 7 days
Secondary Fermentation: 7 days

Ingredients:

8.5 lbs. British 2-row pale malt
1 lbs. 40º L British crystal malt
1 oz. black patent malt (see directions below)
6 HBU Perle (boiling hops)
5 HBU Cascade (flavor hops)
5 HBU Williamette (flavor hops)
1 tsp. Irish moss
2 tsp. gypsum
1 pkg. Windsor dry ale yeast (do not rehydrate)

Procedure:

Use a two step infusion mash process. Mash the grain with 9 qts. of 137ºF water to achieve initial strike temperature of 122ºF and hold for 30 minutes. Bring 9 pints of water to 200ºF. Add this to the mash to achieve a strike temperature of 150ºF. Hold for 90 minutes or until conversion is achieved. Perform iodine test at 30 and 45 and 60 minutes. Transfer mash into sparging vessel. Add black patent malt on top of the mash before sparging. Add 2 tsps. gypsum to 5 gallons of 170ºF water and sparge the mash. Bring the wort to a boil and add Perle (boiling) hops. Boil for 30 minutes and add Cascade (flavor) hops. Boil for an additional 15 minutes and add Williamette (flavor) hops. Remove from heat and allow the wort to cool for 10-15 minutes. Rack the clear wort off the hot trub. Cool the wort to less than 80ºF and add yeast (do not rehydrate). Ferment at less than 70ºF for 7 days and rack into secondary.

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