If you’ve been following along, you know Mike really likes classic English beer styles lately. In this post, we discuss his British Best Bitter. It is a favorite style he had brewed many times.
In this recipe, he wanted to explore a slightly different hop profile. He was seeing if he could introduce something different yet traditional into this classic brew.
Typically, he relies heavily on East Kent Goldings (EKG), but for this batch, Challenger hops became my choice to shake things up. Watch this video to get the details:
The Recipe
Batch Size: 3.5 US Gallons
Malt Bill:
Maris Otter: 62%
Valley Malt Pale Malt: 18%
Carastan (35L): 10%
Biscuit Malt: 7%
Crystal 120: 3.5%
Hops:
Challenger hops (5.6% AA): 1 ounce for a 60 minute boil
Yeast:
1 packet of Mangrove Jack’s Empire Ale Yeast (dry yeast)
Mash Schedule:
Mashed at 154°F for 60 minutes
Raised temperature to 168°F for 15 minutes
Water Chemistry:
Gypsum and Magnesium Sulfate added to the mash
Soft spring water as a base (very low mineral content)
Original Gravity (OG): 1.040
Final Gravity (FG): 1.005
ABV: 4.5%
IBUs: Approximately 37
Tasting and Thoughts
The finished beer poured a lovely amber, almost dark gold color. It matched the visual profile we’d expect from a traditional best bitter. The Challenger hops brought a noticeable earthy and herbal bitterness to the beer. It was different from the smooth, floral marmalade notes from EKG. Although we didn’t love the Challenger hop profile. It was a bit one-dimensional. Besides that, the malt backbone was solid. We noted some pleasant biscuit and caramel characteristics, though it might taste better with more biscuit notes.
Interestingly, the beer’s attenuation was significant, ending at a gravity of 1.005. This higher-than-expected attenuation likely contributed to the beer’s dryness. Additionally, the soft water with low chloride seemed to limit malt expression. For future brews, adding a pinch of table salt (sodium chloride) might help the malt flavors shine, bringing better balance.
Overall, this Best Bitter hit the spot as a sessionable, low-ABV English ale. It is perfect for relaxing afternoons or transitioning from more hop-heavy beers. Mike plans to bring back East Kent Goldings to the next brew to see how it compares. Stay tuned for more brewing adventures!
BREW ON!