Irreproducible ESB (redux)

With a name like Irreproducible ESB, I wonder if I should even bother posting a recipe, but it is what it is and there may be some useful information gleaned herein. Besides, this blog is supposed to be a record of my brewing history. So, pressing on...

This was an impromptu (read: impulsive) brew. I don't have temperature control, so I figured I would just take the summer off from brewing. But, the brewing bug has hit me hard and I was jonesing to make something. I had a window of opportunity so I quickly threw this recipe together and rushed to the LHBS before they closed. Worried about my lack of temperature control, I decided to use a "swamp cooler" (something like this) and some clean yeast. I was worried that a more estery yeast would throw off too many esters at the temps I was thinking I could maintain. My worries were ill-founded as my swamp cooler managed to keep fermentation temps in the mid-60s. Given this, I probably should have used a different yeast since I was shooting for an English-style ESB.

Now, the name comes from the fact that I had an immediate boil over when I added the bittering hops - and by immediate, I mean like 0.72 milliseconds. I have no idea how much of the hops ended up on the stove versus in the wort. I guestimated about half. So, I did a few calculations and threw some hops in at 55 minutes to "make up" for the lost bitterness. How much hops were really lost? Who knows. But after tasting it, I think I may have overestimated how much - it's pretty bitter...but not necessarily in a bad way. Regardless, the beer turned out very nice and I have something to drink while I get my fall beers underway.

Irreproducible ESB
Brewed on 8/1/10

Recipe Specifications
Partial Mash, partial boil
Batch Size: 3.25 gal
Boil Size: 2.75 gal
Color: 13.0 SRM
IBUs: 45.6 (maybe)
OG: 1.062
FG: 1.014
ABV: 6.27%

Grist
3 lbs Maris Otter - 50.00 %
4.0 oz Crystal, Extra Dark - 4.17 %
4.0 oz Crystal, Light - 4.17 %
2.5 lbs Extra Light DME - 41.67 %

Hops
note: original recipe called for 0.5oz of Northdown at 60 min (and no EKG at 55 min)
0.25 oz Northdown [10.60 %] (60 min) (maybe)
0.50 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (55 min)
0.50 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (20 min)
0.50 oz Northdown [10.60 %] (1 min)

Yeast
SafAle (#US-05)

Mash Schedule
Single Infusion, 152°F, Batch sparge