Classic English Bitter – All Grain Recipe

Classic English Bitter

This quintessential British ale delivers a satisfying balance of biscuity malt character and earthy hop bitterness. At around 4% ABV, it's wonderfully sessionable whilst still offering plenty of flavour.

Specifications

• Batch Size: 23 litres
• Expected ABV: 3.8-4.2%
• Bitterness: 28-32 IBU
• Colour: Amber
• Fermentation: 10-14 days

Ingredients

Malt Bill

• 3.6kg Maris Otter pale malt
• 300g crystal malt (60L)
• 150g biscuit malt

Hops

• 25g East Kent Goldings (60 minutes)
• 20g Fuggles (15 minutes)
• 15g East Kent Goldings (flame out)

Yeast

• 1 packet English ale yeast (such as SafAle S-04 or Lallemand Nottingham)

Other

• Half a Campden tablet (to treat chlorinated water)
• Irish moss or kettle finings (last 15 minutes of boil)

Method

1. Preparation

Ensure all equipment is thoroughly cleaned and sanitised. Crush your grains if not already done. Heat 15 litres of water to 74°C.

2. Mashing

Add crushed grains to your mash tun and mix in the heated water, aiming for a mash temperature of 66-67°C. Hold for 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. This temperature promotes a balanced, slightly fuller-bodied beer.

3. Sparging

Heat a further 12 litres of water to 76°C. Drain the mash slowly into your boiler whilst gently adding sparge water over the grain bed. Collect approximately 27 litres of wort.

4. The Boil

Bring wort to a rolling boil. Add 25g East Kent Goldings at the start. After 45 minutes, add 20g Fuggles along with your kettle finings. At flame out, add the final 15g East Kent Goldings and allow to steep for 10 minutes.

5. Cooling and Pitching

Cool the wort rapidly to 18-20°C using a wort chiller or ice bath. Transfer to a sanitised fermenter, leaving sediment behind. Aerate well and pitch your yeast.

6. Fermentation

Ferment at 18-20°C for 10-14 days until gravity readings are stable over two consecutive days. Your final gravity should be around 1.010-1.012.

7. Packaging

Bottle with 80-90g of priming sugar dissolved in a small amount of boiled water, or transfer to a pressure barrel. Condition for at least two weeks before enjoying.

Brewing Tips

• Water chemistry matters: English bitters benefit from water with moderate sulphate levels. If you're in a soft water area, consider adding a small amount of gypsum to enhance hop character.
• Don't over-chill: English ales are best served at cellar temperature (10-12°C), not ice cold. This allows the malt complexity to shine through.
• Patience pays: Whilst drinkable after two weeks of conditioning, this bitter really hits its stride after 4-6 weeks.

Recommended Equipment

To brew this recipe, you'll need the right kit. Browse our selection of all grain brewing equipment for mash tuns, boilers, and fermenters. For the freshest results, grab your brewing hops from our regularly restocked range. If you're new to all grain brewing or want to simplify the process, check out our beer kits for excellent beginner-friendly options.

Cheers, and happy brewing!