BeerBorg

Named such as ingredients are from 3 continents. Actually 3 continents and an Oceanic Island as well, but whatever. And I did a stupid Yankee thing with the hops which just ain't right in an ESB. But I will like it.

2.5 gallon target BIAB Mash @152 of:

4.5# Maris Otter
2oz 60L Crystal
3oz 120L Crystal

60 Minute Boil, but didn't do a traditional bittering addition due to me using stupid high AA hops.

Hops starting at T-20, but all hops went in commando so everything stayed in while I got ready for a hop stand at the end, so consider them more like starting at T-30 from bittering potential.

1/4oz 11.5% AA Simcoe @20
1/8oz 16.5% AA Topaz @15
1/8oz 15.5% AA Stella (Ella) @10
1/8oz 16.5% AA Topaz @7
1/8oz 15.5% AA Stella (Ella) @3

1/4oz 16.5% AA Topaz and 1/4oz 11.5% AA Simcoe as a hopstand.

OG was 1.053

Into this went a starter made from some washed Wyeast 1469 West Yorkshire yeast that I used to make a bitter. That yeast is sourced from Black Sheep brewery. It makes nice nut and stone fruit esters that will amp up the Maris Otter and dark crystal. As of late Black Sheep has been making beers with stuff like CTZ, Amarillo, etc... so I figure the yeast should work with my hops just fine.

Going to try to ferment this at 68 if my heating pad cooperates.

That sounds yummy!
I used Wyeast 1968 London ESB yeast for my ESB and I do believe I made a world difference. I'll have to do some research on this 1469 you speak of.

1469 - It still leaves a nice malty beer like London ESB, although dryer due to slightly higher attenuation and the way the yeast "finishes" from a flavor standpoint. But the esters it makes are more noticeable and "Englishy". It is a top cropping yeast and the krausen may not ever fall completely without a cold crash, even when it's "done". Sometimes it seems to fall but then rises again from the dead as a 1/2" thick dense rocky layer. It is meant for open fermentation in Yorkshire Squares. It really likes open fermenters so if your into doing that in a bucket with a towel or such over the top and a few hunks of 2x4's to keep cats from falling in, then it's gonna like you. It likes my LBCs because I don't airlock them, nor do I put the grommet in the lids, so they don't hold any pressure, they vent easily, so act as a semi-open fermenters as such.

It makes great bitters, milds, and ESBs.

Mashani have I told you that I love you lately dreamy eyes dreamy eyes.

Don't you want to come and live in my basement in VA and brew fabulously fantastic brews for feveredly favored fans??

Brew Meister Zen Master I had seen one house that had a place out back that would make a great brewpub.

I love you too Birdie. If SWMBO kicks me out, I will live in your basement and make you beer.

And this is what this looks like today, and yeah there is still a good 1" of real krausen in there, and twice so far since the krausen initially fell it's re-awakened and spewed krausen out the top. That is not unusual for this yeast.

Bottled this stuff. Finished a 1.014. Fermenters are a fookig mess and soaking in strong oxyclean solution to loosten up all the crud glued to the top.

Taste and aroma out of the fermenter was all sorts of lush juicy tropical fruits and grapefruit with some apricot and piney undertones. Plenty bitter. Bitter enough that it probably crossed into English IPA territory a bit. Huge amounts of flavor - also more into IPA territory then true ESB. Although it was only 1.5oz of hops total in 2.5 gallons, all of them are pretty intense oily hops, and all of them counted toward the flavor addition. So the stupid yank thing is spot on.

This beer is fooking awesome right now, and one of the best beers I've made all year. Just so you know. These hops are great together, all sorts of flavors and they all get along, if you like piney or fruity or citrusy you will find some of it here, but they don't seem conflicted. They work great with this yeasts ester profile and the bit of medium/dark crystal. It was worth making the fooking mess. You could double the amount of hops, adding most of them after T-15 and die in lupulin induced bliss if that's your thing but then it would not be anything like an ESB... but I'm liking it a lot as is, it has (at least at this age) nearly as much hop flavor as many IPAs but isn't anywhere near as bitter, or as high in alcohol - more like true ESB territory there. If you double the hops you might want to use London ESB to leave a bit more malt behind and balance the bitter, as this yeast finishes dryer. Or not if dryer and bitterer are your thing.

I'll throw another bottle in the fridge and take a pic, but I drank this one too fast to do it LOL. This won't last long.

Here be it. Its carbed English style, as in very lightly. It's delicious. I love Maris Otter. I love West Yorkshire yeast. And I love these hops.

That looks really tasty. Good job.