Recipe: Best Bitter

To shine light on the variety of crystal malts, we have developed a traditional English style ale. British Bitters are the 1800’s answer to Pale Ales. Originally, the were mainly served as drought beers. That means they were very fresh and pumped by hand at cellar temperatures. When crystal malts became widely available in the early 20th century Bitters developed to a more complex and palatable style. Craft brewing made it even more versatile, ranging from light and sweet to strong and hoppy.

Our recipe is called Best Bitter, that is somewhere in the middle of the range. In general, it is stronger and hoppier, without overwhelming maltiness. It has more flavour than Ordinary or Session Bitters, lacks the complexity of Extra Strong or Special Bitters (ESB).

OG: 1,040–1,048

FG: 1,008–1,012

ABV: 3.8–4.6%

IBU: 25–40

SRM: 8–16

Grain bill

We want to showcase crystal malts, but Ale malt stays the key component of any Bitter recipe. To keep a full malt backbone, we will use ~10% of crystal malt. Darker crystal malt will provide the toasty tones, while the lighter type imparts a sweeter caramel character. We also added some Biscuit malt to give a crispy hint. A moderate one-step mash around 152 °F (67 °C) should be great for this style.

Variety	Quantity	Quantity	Colour EBC	Colour ºL	Ratio
Swaen© Ale	3.5 kg	7.7 lbs	6 - 9	3 - 4	84%
Gold Swaen© Red	0.3 kg	0.66 lbs	40 - 60	15 - 23	7%
Gold Swaen© Brown	0.2 kg	0.44 lbs	200 - 240	75 - 90	5%
Black Swaen© Biscuit	0.15 kg	0.33 lbs	70 - 90	27 - 35	4%

Hops

Hop bitterness and aroma may be present, but should not fully overshadow the malt flavours. Being a traditional English beer, similar hop varieties are recommended.

Variety	Quantity	Quantity	Length	IBU
Fuggles	14 g	0.5 oz	60 min	18
East Kent Goldings	28 g	1 oz	20 min	11
East Kent Goldings	28 g	1 oz	20 min	4

Yeast

For fermentation the most suitable yeast is also British in origin. Gozdawa - Originial British Ale Yeast 04 "Withbread" and Fermentis Safale S-04 are excellent choices for top fermentated beers with neutral aroma.