Young Speckled Rooster ESB

So this recipe is done and bottled. It is conditioning for a few more days, though I did place a few in the fridge to carbonate a bit early as I'm anxious.

I don't try to replicate commercial beers (or anyone else's), but am looking for a nice similarity. My warm young sample at bottling didn't seem much like Old Speckled Hen, but maybe time will work it's magic.

I've converted the measurements to a rough idea. I'm looking for any critique, especially as I feel it will need to be revised as it didn't seem close enough to me.

I have a bit of a wonky brewing regimen that differs from most as I've seen a chart (I tried to find it and post it here but cannot seem to create a link) on hop utilization that showed (average as hops all vary maybe?) that the optimal aroma time peaks at 7 mins, the peak for flavor is at about 21 mins, and though 60-some odd minutes is where the bittering turns from a sharp rise to a more stroll up towards 90 mins where it's about maxed out (nearly so). Because I am a numbers guy I have noted the reoccurring 7's and ran with it. My boil time is 70 mins, flavoring 21, and aroma is 7 unless I only use one late addition, all depending, I may go with a 14 min addition. My mash time is 70 mins as well.

And over here the general thought is that 3 weeks is about ideal for most beers for both fermentation and conditioning. And though 3 days is considered the minimum time for fridge time to properly carbonate I prefer to go for 7 days, and if there is space they can sit longer.

I typically brew 5.5 gal (20.8 L) batches. Here is my ESB attempt:

4 lbs Crisp Marris Otter (1.8 kg)
3 lbs Crisp Marris Otter LME @ FO (1.4 kg)
1 lb Lyle's Golden Syrup @ FO (45 g)
1 lb Baird's (?) crystal 70/80 (45 g)
1/2 lb carafoam (23 g)
1.5 oz EKG (4.5%) @ 70 mins (43 g)
1 oz EKG @ 21 mins (28 g)
1/2 oz EKG @ 7 mins (14 g) + Whirlfloc
S-04 yeast rehydrated

1.055/1.014
5.4% ABV
34 IBUs
10 SRM

I upped the carbonation slightly to 1.9 vols as my carbonation always seems lower than it ought to be. I'm guessing something is off in my calculations.

I fermented at 64* F (17.8* C) for 7 days and pulled it from my fermentation chamber to sit at about 75* F (23.9* C).

By efficiency is often above the typical 75% average, and for this I had an OG of 1.060! My FG was slightly higher too at 1.016 giving me an ABV of 5.76 + the corn sugar for carbonation likely giving it about 5.9% or so. Higher than I wanted. No big deal.

I use a mixed matched mash system where I use my BIAB grain bag as a filter inside of my water cooler. It made it much cheaper to do! I took out the original spigot and had to increase the diameter slightly to fit a bottling bucket spigot. Works great and is easy!

Oh, I mashed the grains at 154*F (67.8* C).

I diluted my filtered tap water with RO water and adjusted it to get this:

Ca 83, Mg 19, Na 40, Cl 79, SO 143, pH of 5.32.

Any input?

[Dennis King]

There is a lot there to consider. You say you are unable to post a link, could be because you are new, an anti spaming measure. Now you have posted more try again.

I can easily find the chart but it never gives me the ability to copy a link. I'm not sure why but it's been that way for a while for me.

Google "hop utilization chart" and look at the images. There are 3 arching lines for each (aroma, flavor, and bittering). It's unlike the other ones I generally see.

[Joe1002]

You will need to wait a few day before posting links - it's an anti spam control.

It's not that the forum isn't allowing me to post, but that when I click on the address bar there is no address but just what I typed into Google ("hop utilization chart"). I'm not sure how it was that I have been able to in the past. Maybe it has to do with using my phone now as my computer is down.

Are you aware that you have to use a site like Drop box or Photobucket to get the URL links to enter into the forum?

No. I didn't know that. I'm also unfamiliar with these. I'll get SWMBO to help me as she is like my IT. I'm not all that tech savvy.

you can upload small photos using the attachment thing when you make a post here on "full editor."

your beer probably has more flavour than old speckled hen, greene king are great at stripping down ingredients for profit. yours is probably superior.

I'll find out this afternoon. It's a wee bit early but who's counting?

I'm not enamored with it. It's similar to my first attempt where it had an unsweetened tea-like taste to it. I'm beginning to wonder if it's too much bittering.

Anyone have a fairly accurate clone recipe for OSH? Maybe I can get an idea of what I'm doing wrong.

I'm hoping like the first one that time will mellow it out a bit.

Hmm, tannin? Are you sparging too warm?

I would think not, but it is possible now that I think about it. At its hottest it might be 77* C (170* F), but I then pour it into a smaller pot (I treat all of my water in my brew pot and heat). But I'll turn on another burner for the new pot on a low setting. As it doesn't sit for too long I haven't bothered monitoring the temp as I assume I'm losing a bit just by pouring into a cooler pot.

Thanks for making me consider this! I was asked about my sparge temp but hadn't considered it earlier.

I have a recipe in " clone brews 2 " for 19 litres ,
340g 55L crystal
227g cane sugar
3.6 kg pale ale malt
113 g wheat malt
hops 35 ibu
challenger bittering hops 28g ( based on 7.7% aa )
east kent goldings and challenger at 45 mins ( around 14g each )
east kent golding at 15 mins (around 28g )
yeast 1st choice listed is wyeast 1084 , 2nd choice is 1028 .
Hope this helps ,
P.s I recommend getting this book it's full of good clones

77c isn't too hot, we sparge at 80c so it's probably fine. Check it anyways I guess.

I take it you are checking your mash pH too 10 minutes in, if you're water treating

I am not testing the pH. Because of such I shoot for a pH of about 5.4 to give me a little room as the water may change a bit from the yearly water report that is posted, if a mistake (minor) was made, or any other issue.

The proper equipment is a bit pricey, and I've slowly made my way from more simple extracts with steeped grains to partial mashes (I had to have a rye pale ale), which worked out rather well.

I have been considering (as of late) to purchase those little pH testing strips. I had always read by those who are knowledgable that they aren't that accurate and were a waste of time. But in my situation maybe it's better than winging it! Although I have no real idea on how to adjust the pH once it's in my mash tun...

Hi all,
I must say that I do like an Old Speckled Hen!
On a recent brewery tour of the Greene King Brewery, I did have a long chat with the guide.
I told him I do home brewing and that my favourite tipple is Old Speckled Hen....
He then volunteered the following information.......
Old Speckled Hen is brewed with Pale malt and Crystal malt.
The hops used is a combination of Challenger, Pilgrims, First Gold and Goldings.
Unfortunately that is all I have.......
Alas, no percentages or amounts of the ingredients.
I hope that would give a bit of a clue.

PS. Old Golden Hen is brewed with Pale and Amber malt.
Hops there is a combination of Fuggles, Galaxy and Willamette.
Sorry, no info on amounts or percentages.

I bought the strips but it appears my mash ph is in range naturally for my beers. They should be accurate enough to get you in the ballpark. This'll also mean your irish moss will definitely take effect. You can also buy ph buffer 5.4 if you can find it.

old golden hen was a lot better when it came out i remember, and was quickly stripped back to barebones.

I love the smell of hops so much I often save a few packages. As I'm brewing today I decided to toss the older ones and saw the EKG and smelled it. It smells like tea. It's about exactly the flavor I get in my ESB.

I've noticed over about a week how this beer has improved, becoming less tea-like. Yesterday's beer actually shows nice similarities to OSH. I'm very happy with it!

I must say I'm quite surprised that it took so long to mature. I typically give 3 weeks to ferment, 3 weeks to condition, and 1 week in the fridge. When I have extra bottles that won't fill a six pack container I'll often shave 3 days from conditioning and give just 3 days in the fridge. This one apparently needed at least 4 weeks to condition, which I've not seen necessary in a lighter style.