Bears Bitter NHC07

Category 8: English Pale Ale

Gold Medal

Sponsored by St Louis Wine & Beer Making
Joseph Formanek, Bolingbrook, IL, Extra Special/Strong Bitter (English Pale Ale), Urban Knaves of Grain

"Bears Bitter"

English Pale Ale

Ingredients for 5 U.S. gallons (19 L)

8.0       lb (3.6 kg) Maris Otter pale malt

1.0       lb (0.45 kg) Cargill Special pale malt

1.0       lb (0.45 kg) wheat malt

1.0       lb (0.45 kg) DMC biscuit malt

1.0       lb (0.45 kg) DMC aromatic malt

0.5       lb (227 g) DMC caramel Vienna malt

0.25    lb (114 g) DMC dextrin malt

0.25    lb (114 g) DMC caramel Munich malt

2.0       oz (57 g) DMC Special B malt

2.0       oz (57g) Goldings whole hops, 4.9% alpha acid (60 min.)

2.0       oz (57 g) Willamette whole hops, 4.4% alpha acid (60 min.)

1.0       oz (28 g) Goldings whole hops, 4% alpha acid (30 min.)

1.0       oz (28 g) Fuggles whole hops, 3.9% alpha acid (30 min.)

0.5       oz (14 g) Goldings whole hops, 4% alpha acid (10 min.)

0.5       oz (14 g) Fuggles whole hops, 3.9% alpha acid (10 min.)

0.5       oz (14 g) Goldings whole hops, 4% alpha acid (0 min.)

0.5       oz (14 g) Fuggles whole hops, 3.9% alpha acid (0 min.)

White Labs WLP 002 English ale yeast (1 L starter)

0.5       cup corn sugar to prime

Original Specific Gravity: 1.058

Final Specific Gravity: 1.015

Boiling Time: 90 minutes

Primary Fermentation: 5 days at 65° F (18° C) in glass

Secondary Fermentation: 8 days at 65° F (18° C) in glass

Directions

Mash grains at 152° F° (67° C) for 60 minutes. Mash out at 170° F (77° C) for 10 minutes.

Judges' Comments

"Very robust, very good beer. Could use a little more yeast character."

"High bitterness, very creamy."