English ESB (Extra Special Bitter)
Extra Special/Strong Bitter (ESB) · 5 gallons
A full-bodied English bitter with rich malt character, earthy English hops, and a fruity yeast profile. The flagship style of many British breweries — deeply satisfying, endlessly drinkable, and perfectly balanced.
Ingredients
Grains & Extracts
English Maris Otter base. Use Muntons or similar high-quality English LME.
Mini-mash — adds caramel and toffee notes
Mini-mash — biscuit and bread crust character
Mini-mash — adds malt depth
Hops
Yeast
Wyeast 1968 London ESB Ale or WLP002 English Ale
Instructions
Mini-mash: Heat 3 quarts of water to 160°F. Add Crystal 60L, Victory, and Munich malts in a muslin bag. Hold at 150-155°F for 30 minutes.
Remove grain bag. Add water to reach 3 gallons. Bring to a boil.
Remove from heat. Stir in Maris Otter LME until dissolved. Return to boil.
Add 0.75 oz Target at 60 min.
Add 1 oz East Kent Goldings at 15 min remaining.
At flameout, add 0.75 oz East Kent Goldings and 0.5 oz Fuggle. Steep 10 minutes.
Cool to 65°F. Transfer to fermenter. Top to 5 gallons.
Pitch yeast at 64-68°F. Ferment for 2 weeks. London ESB yeast flocculates hard — gently rouse if needed.
Bottle with 2/3 cup corn sugar (English ales are lower carbonation). Condition 2-3 weeks.
Brewer's Tips
Maris Otter is the defining malt for English bitters. Do not substitute with generic LME if you can avoid it.
Wyeast 1968 is extremely flocculant — it drops like a rock. If your gravity seems stuck, gently swirl the fermenter to rouse the yeast.
Use low carbonation. English cask ales are nearly flat. Aim for 1.5-2.0 volumes CO2.
For authentic water chemistry, add 1 tsp gypsum (calcium sulfate) to the boil to accentuate hop bitterness (Burton-on-Trent style).
Serve at cellar temperature (50-55°F). This beer is meant to be savored, not gulped ice cold.