Gales Best Bitter revival

[Otters]

Hi all

Brewed GBB yesterday. It used to be one of my favourite beers. Like all good things', they're not often around forever, and alas the Gales Brewery (Horndean) was bought out by Fullers in 2006, which sounds like a good thing. Right? Well, a little while after Fullers took ownership, they ceased production of GBB and Butser Best Bitter or simply BBB, both excellent pints in their own right, thus sorely missed, by the local real ale populous.

However. Thanks to the efforts of the likes of Roger Protz and Graham Wheeler, 'we' the home-brewer are empowered to keep alive these now 'historic' beers and that's good news! For I have brewed GBB to Graham's original iteration 'of his recipe' in his 1st addition Brew Real Ale at Home series of books as well as using Rogers very useful Almanac.

I've brewed the HSB (Horndean Special Bitter) from Grahams book before, again, the 1st iteration, and found it to be a better match than Fullers would advocate, as an unchanged product, they punt today.

Anyway. Rant over. Recipe follows:-

Gales Best Bitter

Date: 8.8.13

Gyle Number:

Fermentable Colour lb: oz Grams Ratio
Pale Malt 5 EBC 9 lbs. 11.4 oz 4410 grams 87%
Torrefied Wheat 4 EBC 0 lbs. 5.4 oz 150 grams 3%
Black Malt 1300 EBC 0 lbs. 0.9 oz 26 grams 0.5%
Sugar, Household White 0 EBC 0 lbs. 8.9 oz 250 grams 5%
Crystal Malt 130 EBC 0 lbs. 8.0 oz 225 grams 4.5%


Hop Variety Type Alpha Time lb: oz grams Ratio
Challenger Whole 7.7 % 90 mins 0 lbs. 0.6 oz 16 grams 45.5%
Fuggle Whole 5.1 % 90 mins 0 lbs. 0.7 oz 19 grams 54.5%
Golding Whole 5.7 % 90 mins 0 lbs. 0.0 oz 0 grams 0%


Final Volume: 25 Litres
Original Gravity: 1.044
Final Gravity: 1.009
Alcohol Content: 4.5% ABV
Total Liquor: 37.3 Litres
Mash Liquor: 12 Litres
Mash Efficiency: 70 %
Bitterness: 23 EBU
Colour: 24 EBC

Recipe worked well with a yeild 27L

I'll upload pictures later!

***************************some pictures*****************************






***********************Gales Brewery Recipes uploaded on the 'Recipes' post page*************************************

[jimp2003]

Looks good Otters.

What yeast did you go with? Did Gales have their own strain do you know?

[orlando]

Like the look of this Otters, think I will pinch it and call it "Full Force Gale" (Van Morrison). I'm interested in the yeast used too, what was the original origin of Gale's yeast, do you know? Can you also explain the addition of 0 gram Goldings at 90 minutes too . I might add that after putting this through Beersmith I get nowhere near your EBC colour rating although my malts are broadly similar in colour, I'm not concerned by this, I don't really care about the colour can't really taste that, just surprised.

[Otters]

Hello Both,

The yeast I used was Safale S-04 (Have had good results with Horndean Special Bitter using this strain) it gives neutral but pedictable results.

The Gales yeast strain however, could be found in two ways: 1) HSB (in bottled form) is bottle conditioned and I believe that 'Fullers' still use the original Gales strain; Or 2) Alternatively: Wyeast's 1332 Northwest Ale Hales Brewery in Seattle via Gales Brewery UK? (i'm sure Seymour can corroborate this fact?)

So the orignal yeast strain is available, I supose the next step for me, now I've settled on Gales beers as being regulary brewed, to become a house yeast? S-04 was to hand and still nervous of splitting a slap pack / sterilising and storage etc...

Orlando; at 0 minutes the Late hops were added (approx 20g of golding) I sometimes leave this figure out of Mr Wheeler's beer engine for fear of altering the IBU value. And, I wholeheartedly concurr with you about the EBC value, using the 'beer engine' I always take this value with a pinch of salt.

You may also want to consider using a 'darker' crystal malt than the 'run of the mill' standard. I have used a darker crystal in the HSB (not sure I cahnged the 'beer engine' stated value) but I thought it added more nuttiness and complexity? I guess that comes down to taste, however, take the recipe and brew it, and let me know what you think? I also like the name; Full Force Gale!

All the best

Otters

[orlando]

Hello Both,


Orlando; at 0 minutes the Late hops were added (approx 20g of golding) I sometimes leave this figure out of Mr Wheeler's beer engine for fear of altering the IBU value. And, I wholeheartedly concurr with you about the EBC value, using the 'beer engine' I always take this value with a pinch of salt.

I also like the name; Full Force Gale!

Well OK but that's not what the recipe says, it says 0g at 90 minutes . If Beer Engine is like Beersmith it shouldn't affect the IBU's because you need to boil the hops to get any isomerisation of the alpha acid. So put it in just in case you forget what you did.

Take a look at my sig for the key to the beer names

[seymour]

...The Gales yeast strain however, could be found in two ways: 1) HSB (in bottled form) is bottle conditioned and I believe that 'Fullers' still use the original Gales strain; Or 2) Alternatively: Wyeast's 1332 Northwest Ale Hales Brewery in Seattle via Gales Brewery UK? (i'm sure Seymour can corroborate this fact?)...

That's right, about the Gales > Hales > Wyeast 1332 connection. However, I haven't been able to confirm that Fullers still uses the unique Gales ale yeast strain. I'm very suspicious even of the bottle-conditioned versions. Has anyone heard anything definite about this?

There's one more way to capture the true Gales strain, though it's a challenge which will require a stir plate, good sanitation, patience, and a fair bit of luck. The Gales Prize Old Ale was bottled with Gale's historic strain until 2007, when the brewers admit switching to a different, standardized yeast strain after the merger. If you have any unopened bottles of pre-2007 vintage Prize Old Ale, you could attempt to culture the dregs. If successful, they would certainly be the hardiest and most alcohol-tolerant cells imaginable.

I have a (minor) question, too: according to my notes, the Gales Best Bitter/Seafarer's Ale is only 3.6% ABV. I like your 4.5% better--but I'm curious--did Gales Best Bitter used to be stronger, or do you just personally prefer that strength?

[Hanglow]

That's a different one seymour, Gales GB Best bitter was 4% on cask and 4.5% in bottle, according to ratebeer at least



Although the seafarers was from an old recipe so it might well have been that strength at somepoint anyway as you know these brewers can't seem to keep it consistent

[seymour]

That's a different one seymour, Gales GB Best bitter was 4% on cask and 4.5% in bottle, according to ratebeer at least



Although the seafarers was from an old recipe so it might well have been that strength at somepoint anyway as you know these brewers can't seem to keep it consistent

Gotcha

[Otters]

Hi Seymour

To answer the question about ABV for GBB:

In Graham Wheelers 1st edition of BYOBRA [he] has constructed this recipe to an ABV of: 4.5%, I concur that from cask this beer [GBB] was lower at around the 4.3% mark (although it wouldn't be much lower or it would be impinging on the gravity of it's smaller brother BBB).

Thus, looking for a bottled beer, of and around 4.5%, i've followed Graham's recipe to the letter. However. I've noted in the 'latest' edition of BYOBRA; that GBB has been canned in favour of it's smaller brother 'Butser Best Bitter' this having an ABV of 3.8/3.6%, (a very similar grist to that of it's bigger brothers GBB & HSB) - the biggest difference being that it has been stored in a vat and dry hopped with Goldings for 3 days post fermentation, it's big brothers aren't!

Haven't looked into the grist of the Seafarers Ale? Although, I have sampled a few, and very nice it is too. it could even be a rebranded BBB? Although, I would encourage homebrewers to try this recipe [BBB] as it's a cracking pint!

I've read that HSB was originally pitched at about 1055 and GBB at 1045 back in the day, when these beers were originally developed. I believe HSB was launched in the 50's and of course, as with all things, starting gravities have been on the wain in post war years.

I like the 4.5% version as it's perfectly balanced, in my view, as is the occasional pint of HSB at 5.6%.

Later I will post the three recipe's for all to enjoy...!

Still no luck finding a bottle of Prize Old Ale though (but i'm looking) does anyone no where to purchase vintage bottles of beer?

Otters

[jimp2003]

I look forward to seeing those recipes Otters.

On the subject of the Gales Prize Old Ale there is an intersting article HERE about the way the beer was taken on by Fullers. It is interesting to read about the wild yeast that was/is a feature of the beer and that they blend the previous year's batch with each new one to keep the slightly sourness in there.

[seymour]

Hey, here's something else which you guys might've already thought about. You know the Marble yeast that everyone's been talking about round here? Several guys have cultured it from bottles or gotten it directly from the brewery...well, James the Marble brewmaster has stated it's derived of the historic Gales strain.

So, swiping it from a fresh, table-strength bottle of Marble ale would certainly be easier than from ten-year-old, high grav Gales Prize Old Ale.

Best of luck!

[Otters]

Hello

link to the Gales recipes viewtopic.php?f=5&t=61665#p648580

The GBB is now in the cask and a sneaky taste is showing promise!

Otters

[Goulders]

On the subject of Gales' yeast, Brewlabs will provide this if you ask them.

[Belter]

I have a slant sitting in the fridge with Gales written on the label.

I tried HSB and decided this was going to be a yeast I wanted to experiment with. Looks like Marble beat me to producing exactly the beer I wanted to produce.

[seymour]

I have a slant sitting in the fridge with Gales written on the label.

I tried HSB and decided this was going to be a yeast I wanted to experiment with. Looks like Marble beat me to producing exactly the beer I wanted to produce.

Don't give up the fight yet!