Ordinary Bitter Boddington's Bitter

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Anyway, I'm looking at brewing a partial mash version of this, and since I did the math anyway, here's the recipe in "English" units ;):


7.25 lb Pale Malt, Maris Otter
.55 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine
.264 lb Crystal Malt 60L
1 oz Chocolate Malt

Hopping schedule:
1oz Northern Brewer, First Wort Hops
1oz EKG (45 minutes)
1oz EKG (0 minutes AKA flameout)

Feel free to round off at your convenience :p.

Any advice out there on which malt extract to use to replace the Maris Otter?

I would just replace MO with 6 lbs. llight DME for extract version. Steep all other grains as the same weight. Same hop schedule. FWIW, I just replace the base of any AG with 6 lbs DME :D . Unless the specialty grains must be mashed, keep them the same -- hops, too. If you are looking for a more in-depth recipe, time for AG!

I'm looking at getting the ingredients for this, but had a couple of questions...

1. Is that really just 1 oz of chocolate malt?
2. Does Boddingtons count as an ordinary bitter or a special bitter? Using 6 lb of light dry extract in Beersmith suggests an OG of 1.057 (ABV of 5.49), too high for an ordinary bitter. Would it hurt to drop the malt to 4 lb?

Thanks! This will be only my second batch ever, so I'm trying to get my ducks in a row.
 
2. Does Boddingtons count as an ordinary bitter or a special bitter?

In my own opinion, the smooth mouth feel and creamy head puts the original boddingtons into a sub-category of it's own. I would call it an unusual ordinary bitter, if that makes any sense! ;)
 
In my own opinion, the smooth mouth feel and creamy head puts the original boddingtons into a sub-category of it's own. I would call it an unusual ordinary bitter, if that makes any sense! ;)

An unordinary special bitter, an inordinately not-ordinary bitter ... but how much extract to add ;)
 
4.5 lbs of dry or 5.5 lbs of LME You could also use
MARIS OTTER EXTRACT 6 LBS @ Williams Brewing
for a little more authentic taste. If you do a partial boil I would use the same hops and add the majority of the extract in the last 15 minutes of the boil to keep the utilization the same.

I disagree with the post you quoted saying you have to go AG for more in depth. Proper recipe formation is independent of the type of brewing and this recipe can definitely be properly formulated with steeping grains and extract.
 
4.5 lbs of dry or 5.5 lbs of LME You could also use
MARIS OTTER EXTRACT 6 LBS @ Williams Brewing
for a little more authentic taste. If you do a partial boil I would use the same hops and add the majority of the extract in the last 15 minutes of the boil to keep the utilization the same.

I disagree with the post you quoted saying you have to go AG for more in depth. Proper recipe formation is independent of the type of brewing and this recipe can definitely be properly formulated with steeping grains and extract.

Ordered! Thanks. [Also got some UK Golding hops from them, as my LHBS only had Cascade.]
 
Got mine going last night. OG was a touch low at 1041, it seems a bit dark, and it hasn't started bubbling yet (13 hours after pitching). But I'm not worried just yet! This was my second batch ever. How important is keeping a constant temp while steeping the grains?
 
Hey guys, can anyone tell me how "hoppy" this comes out? I know the modern-day Boddington's isn't very hoppy at all, but I've never tried the original one. Would a girl who hates hop flavor but usually enjoys bitters and ESBs enjoy this one?
 
Hey guys, can anyone tell me how "hoppy" this comes out? I know the modern-day Boddington's isn't very hoppy at all, but I've never tried the original one. Would a girl who hates hop flavor but usually enjoys bitters and ESBs enjoy this one?
Yes, probably. You could skip or cut down on the aroma-steep hop addition to avoid some of the hop flavors. That way all you have are bittering hops.

I just made this recipe yesterday with a couple of modifications. For the recipe as written Beersmith puts the IBUs at 34.7 and the IBU/SG ratio at .87, which is more bitter than I usually like. I reduced the FWH Northern Brewer to .5oz instead of .75oz. That was actually more convenient because my Northern Brewer hops are in .5oz plugs anyway. The result is 26.7 IBUs and a ratio of .67, right about where I like it. I used Wyeast 1318 (London Ale III), which is supposedly the Boddingtons strain. It's chugging away in the fermenter, so I'll let you know how it turns out in about 10 days.

Chad
 
so, could someone verify the yeast once and for all? I've heard S-04, Notty, and Wyeast 1318 London ale III. Orfy, you used Notty for yours, eh?
 
Awesome recipe, Orfy!

Brewed this last Sat night. Overshot the OG a little (1.043) due to 86% efficiency. Pitched on a cake of S-04. In 19 hours it was down to 1.016. Just checked it again (6 days) and it's at 1.012. The hydrometer sample made me want to start pulling pints. This is going in the keg tonight, and will likely be gone very soon. Gotta figure a way to make 10 gallons next time...
 
Trying this tonight and working with dry yeasts. Can anyone recommend Windsor vs. Nottingham vs. S-04 for this? Have a few others too, just these are the ones that keep coming up on searches for bitters.

EDIT: Just went with Nottingham. That way I can pitch my next recipe on the cake.
 
This beer is absolutely amazing!

I've been drinking it and loving it for a couple of weeks now. Every time I take it somewhere, people just love it.

At a party last week a friend finished off his pint, and then cracked open a Fat Tire, took a swig, put a disgusted look on his face and said "Fat Tire is ass compared to your beer" :rockin:

Then last night I was drinking with a friend, and had some Boddington's. I know that the recipe is a bit different now, but side by side, this beer was always preferred to actual Boddington's.

This is going to be made very, very often. If I had a nitro setup to put this on, it would be perfect.
 
Hopefully this won't upset anyone, please delete this if it does but here is the awesome recipe's brewsheet in U.S. units...

Thanks for something completely different Orphy :)


Orphy's Bitter

Brew Type:
All Grain Date: 11/13/2009

Style:
Standard/Ordinary Bitter Brewer: Netflyer
Batch Size:
6.08 gal Assistant Brewer: Home Brews
Boil Volume:
8.03 gal Boil Time: 60 min
Brewhouse Efficiency:
80.00 %
Brewing Steps
Check Time Step
11/13/2009 Clean and prepare equipment.
-- Measure ingredients, crush grains.
-- Prepare 9.01 gal water for brewing
--
Prepare Ingredients for Mash

Amount Item Type
7.28 lb Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain
0.55 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain
0.26 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain
0.07 lb Chocolate Malt (450.0 SRM) Grain
-- WARNING: Preheat Mash Tun - No equipment adjustments
made!
2 min Mash Ingredients
Mash In: Add 10.19 qt of water at 166.0 F
60 min - Hold mash at 154.0 F for 60 min
--
Add first wort hops to boiler at start of sparge
Amount Item Type
0.88 oz Northern Brewer [8.50 %] (60 min) (First
Wort Hop) Hops
-- Batch Sparge Round 1: Sparge with 2.45 gal of 168.0 F water.
-- Batch Sparge Round 2: Sparge with 4.02 gal of 168.0 F water.
-- Add water to achieve boil volume of 8.03 gal
-- Estimated Pre-boil Gravity is: 1.033 SG with all grains/extracts
added
Boil for 60 min

Boil Ingredients
Boil Amount Item Type
45 min 0.88 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (45
min) Hops
--
Steep Hops
Amount Item Type
0.88 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (0 min)
(Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops
-- Cool wort to fermentation temperature
-- Add water (as needed) to achieve volume of 6.08 gal
-- Siphon wort to primary fermenter and aerate wort.
Measure Original Gravity: ________ (Estimate: 1.040 SG)
Measure Batch Volume: ________ (Estimate: 6.08 gal)
10 days Ferment in primary for 10 days at 68.0 F

Taste Rating (50 possible points):

40.0
11/23/2009 Measure Final Gravity: ________ (Estimate: 1.011 SG)

-- Bottle beer at 70 F with 2.5 - 3.5 oz of corn sugar.
2.0 Weeks Age for 2.0 Weeks at 72.0 F
 
Anyway, I'm looking at brewing a partial mash version of this, and since I did the math anyway, here's the recipe in "English" units ;):


7.25 lb Pale Malt, Maris Otter
.55 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine
.264 lb Crystal Malt 60L
1 oz Chocolate Malt

Hopping schedule:
1oz Northern Brewer, First Wort Hops
1oz EKG (45 minutes)
1oz EKG (0 minutes AKA flameout)

Feel free to round off at your convenience :p.

Any advice out there on which malt extract to use to replace the Maris Otter?

Same recipe, but shorter, from page 2 or 3 of the thread. This is what I ordered off of and did, it was good.
 
How many volumes do you carb this to?

Saw some discussions in a different thread about carbing bitters to 1.8 volumes or so, so I was wondering how much to do this one to.

Thanks,
 
This was my first AG brew.. I followed directions and well.. this is the best beer I ever made. I used a starter and Wyeast 1028. Fermented in the primary for 21 days at 63F and bottled 7 days ago... I chilled one last night and tried it this afternoon for lunch (it's Friday come on..) I tell ya, it has a wonderful smell, taste and mouthfeel. Just a smooth good tasting brew, wow. I realized after it was almost done that I should take a picture of it so I put it in the crystal vase by the window and snapped a quick pic... I primed with DME and that head stayed on the whole way down and the 'history' on the side of the glass remained until I drank next... it would still be there if I could have restrained myself... Now why didn't I chill 2-3 down??

boddingtonsbitterclone.jpg
 
IMHO this recipe is better than the newer version, at least the import I have tasted here in cans. Orfy's is hoppier and has a better mouth feel and aroma. I'm brewing another batch this weekend, by popular demand.
 
Brewing this roght now...mashed at 155.5...used 2 oz Burton water salts and Tbs 5.2.
Have whole leaf US Goldings..adding about 1.25 oz 45 and 1.2 oz flame out.

Did a small starter 750 ml
 
IMHO this recipe is better than the newer version, at least the import I have tasted here in cans. Orfy's is hoppier and has a better mouth feel and aroma. I'm brewing another batch this weekend, by popular demand.


Boddington's is no longer like it used to be. This is supposed to be like the Original brew.

Glad you all like it.
 
well i went and did what i too often do, i added an extra ounce of No.Brewer for sixty minutes (in addition to the FWH) as well as an extra half ounce willamette at 45 minutes. Think i may be bordering on an IPA with the extra three pounds of MO I also used. Started out at 1.064. Ah well, i can't follow recipes to save my life!
 
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