ESB What does it really mean!

By andrew dudley aka dudders
August 26, 2019
So the Amateur Home Brewers Association I joined has an ESB Brew Off Competition, what is an ESB? I have drank only a few in my Beer Drinking Life and that was at least 7 years even more ago! I know it stands for Extra Special Bitter, but what makes it extra special to a regular Bitter? What Colour should it be? What strength should it be? What’s Hops English? American? European?

I tried to look at up online but like many things you try to find out online everyone has got a different answers! So I decided to say screw it! And made it up as I went along, here’s the Recipe I have no idea how it’s going to taste! But I will let you all know when it’s ready!

Recipe:

Malt:

Pale Malt 4.8KG
Caramalt 30 500g
Crystal 110 400g
Crystal 150 300g

Hops:

Goldings 20g 60mins, 40g 30mins, 40g 15mins, 60g 5mins
Amarillo, Cascade, Loral Cryo 28g (each) Whirlpool below 80c

Yeast:
S04
beer-fill