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Extra Bestest Boy – ESB

May 4, 2015 by Derek Springer 4 Comments

Secret Puppies

Bestest Boy Logo

Good Boy Series

Check out the rest of my recipes in the index.
I have been doing a bad job writing up recipes recently, I let a few get by me while I worked on my big sour mash and lacto starter posts. In an effort to not lose momentum by agonizing about things left behind lets just leave those write-ups for the re-brews.

Speaking of re-brews, I have mentioned before I am a big fan English style pale ales; it is one of the few styles I revisit frequently as I attempt to perfect my technique. While not the hop bombs that American ales tend to be, English ales are packed with malt and yeast character that make them supremely drinkable, even better that they tend to be very sessionable. In my mind a good English style ale is dependable, full of character, and always by your side–just like a certain four-legged companion!

In honor of my (not so) Miniature Long-Haired Dachshund–Professor Snugglesworth–I have named my English pale ales after him: Good Boy Bitter, Bestest Boy Special Bitter, and Extra Bestest Boy ESB. When they are on tap I certainly want to fetch them again and again!

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Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: ale, bitter, english, good boy, recipe

San Diego Bitter – Special Bitter

July 29, 2014 by Derek Springer Leave a Comment

Check out the rest of my recipes in the index.

I often wonder if San Diego breweries are slaves to their reputation: it’s hard to find a beer around here that isn’t big, bold, and exploding with hops; subtlety is certainly not a strong point. I get it, folks are breaking free of the grip of the macro lagers, discovering great beer, and trying to get as far away from the “old stuff” that they can get. Some of us, however, aren’t looking for every beer to melt our faces off; some of us just want a smooth, flavorful beer that won’t leave us on the floor after a pint or two. In my humble opinion, the session beer is where it’s at!

San Diego Bitter in a tulip glassWhile I think the term “Session IPA” is a little goofy (lump that in with “Black India Pale Ale”), I love the idea: super flavorful beers packed with character that are easy drinking and low in alcohol. I’ve been hankering for English style ales lately, partly because many of them are supremely sessionable, and partly because I love the character that English malt and yeast bring (which is to say, more than a platform to showcase hops). I have a problem though: I’m sitting on a few pounds of bold American hops from the 2013 season that I’m desperately trying to get through before the 2014 hops are released; if I want to get through ’em I can’t got out and buy new English hops.

My solution to this problem is a tribute to my home town and the big, bold beers that are made there: the San Diego Bitter. The base of it is a slight tweak of my tried and true Special Bitter recipe, which showcases English malt and yeast, but is blasted liberally with Citra and Calypso hops. Why Citra and Calypso? All the cool kids love the Citra and the apple/pear from the Calypso matches nicely with the esters from the English yeast (which I typically think of as pear-y).

Is it a session IPA? An imperial bitter? All I know is that it’s easy drinking!

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: bitter, homebrew, recipe

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Derek Springer

Derek Springer

I write code & brew beer--if you ask nice I'll share some with you :)

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