Scott Ickes
Grandmaster Brewer
I was the demonstration brewer at the Vancouver Brewfest in Vancouver, WA on August 10, 2013. I brewed this outside, under a quick up type of awning in front of about 50 people, as they walked among the different micro-brewery tents. Our homebrew club (Cascadia Brewers Alliance) was invited by the organizers to brew at our own tent and gave us space.
I used a very simple recipe since I was brewing in front of many people. The grain bill was very simple. The hops were only a 60 minute addition and a 5 minute addition to leave plenty of time to talk to people. We picked up about 20 new members because of this event.
We also brewed on the other two days of the festival also. Those two days were extract recipes with grain steeping. Mine was an all grain recipe.
I opened the first bottle this past weekend and was surprised at how good this beer is turning out to be! The bitterness is 40.3, so it's right in the middle of the range of 40-60 IBU's for an English ESB. The original gravity was 1.056, which is a little more towards the higher side for the style (1.048-1.060). I like my English bitters, pale ales and India Pale Ales to the malty side, thus the higher starting gravity.
It's hoppier than I expected, but with a very good maltiness to it. Even though it's hoppier than I expected, it is not overly hoppy in any way. It's definitely not an American Hoppy Ale!
If you try this recipe, you won't be disappointed.
I used a very simple recipe since I was brewing in front of many people. The grain bill was very simple. The hops were only a 60 minute addition and a 5 minute addition to leave plenty of time to talk to people. We picked up about 20 new members because of this event.
We also brewed on the other two days of the festival also. Those two days were extract recipes with grain steeping. Mine was an all grain recipe.
I opened the first bottle this past weekend and was surprised at how good this beer is turning out to be! The bitterness is 40.3, so it's right in the middle of the range of 40-60 IBU's for an English ESB. The original gravity was 1.056, which is a little more towards the higher side for the style (1.048-1.060). I like my English bitters, pale ales and India Pale Ales to the malty side, thus the higher starting gravity.
It's hoppier than I expected, but with a very good maltiness to it. Even though it's hoppier than I expected, it is not overly hoppy in any way. It's definitely not an American Hoppy Ale!
If you try this recipe, you won't be disappointed.