On Sunday, May 27, 2018, I brewed my first attempt at a Fuller’s London Pride after spending some time over the past two weeks researching the recipe. I used my notes from a previous post to guide me on brew day.
I did not have the recommended “Fuller’s” yeasts: WLP-002 English Ale, Wyeast 1968 London ESB, or Lallemand ESB yeasts. I used Safale S-04 which supposed to be a Whitbread yeast.
Also, I could not get Northdown hops, so I substituted with more Challenger hops.
The recipe:
Vitals:
Batch size: 5.25 gals.
OG: Brix = 12.0 ~ SG = 1.049
IBUs = 31
Color = 9.4 SRM
Estimated %ABV = 4.8%
Grain Bill:
9 lbs 8.0 oz Maris Otter Pale Malt – 3.0 SRM
8.0 oz Bairds English Crystal 70/80 ~ 75 SRM
1.0 oz Chocolate Malt – 338 SRM
Hops:
2 oz Target 3.5%AA – 60 mins., 7.0 AAU
1.65 Challenger 5.4%AA – 3 mins., 8.9 AAU
1.0 oz Kent Goldings 6.1%AA – 3 mins., 6.1 AAU <-[update 050419 WTH???]
Yeast:
1 pack SafAle S-04 English Ale yeast rehydrated per instructions.
Mash:
2.3 grams gypsum, 0.3 grams table salt to mash tun.
Single infusion at 151.3°F for 90 mins.
Mash pH after 15 mins, pH=5.46.
Sparge:
4.2 grams gypsum, 0.6 grams table salt, 0.38 ml lactic acid to sparge water.
Sparge unti 7 gallons in the kettle. Kettle Brix = 9.0.
Boil:
Boil time = 75 mins. at 60% PWR.
Boiled down to around 4.75 gals. Added around 0.5 gals. distilled water to 5.25 gals.
Post boil gravity = 12.0 Brix.
Yeast nutrients - 15 mins.
Whirlfloc - 15 mins.
Fermentation:
I will follow the fermentation regimen I noted in another post: Start at 17°C, raise to 20°C over 12 hours. At 1/2 OG, drop to 17°C. At 1/4 OG drop to 6°C for two days.
Chilled to 45°F and let settle out for a couple hours. Once temperature rose to 60 °F, transferred to fermentor, added 2 mins. of O2, pitched yeast and put in mini fridge at 17.2°C. Set temperature controller to 20°C and allowed to free rise overnight.
5/29/18 12:15 PM: At 1.8 days (43.2 hours) the fermentation has reached 1/2 OG (1.024). I set the temperature to 17°C. The beer tasted still a bit sweet and pronounced bitterness, perhaps due to so much yeast still in solution.
NOTES:
The Target hops I sourced from Morebeer were very low in %AA compared to what is normal. I had to use 2 oz where I might have used closer to 0.75 oz. The Challenger hops sourced from Morebeer were also a bit low, requiring me to use more than otherwise necessary.
Using SafAle S-04 was not ideal, so more planning next time to secure the correct yeast.
