Dave Line & Lost Beers

[Bibinimis]

I too bought Dave Line's BBLTYB which led to some great brews. The best results were ones for which I used yeast from the residue at the bottom of a barrel of Banks's bitter (it was good until 1987 when they stopped dry hopping and brought in a brewer from Watneys!) or reprocessed yeast from Fullers 1845. Having recently returned to brewing I am interested in whether any adjustments need to be made to the recipes to reflect the difference in materials now available. In particular, with regard to hops the recipes are based on leaf and I doubt many were vacuum packed in those days so as a rule of thumb should a certain percentage only of the hops in the recipe be included if using pellets from a vacuum pack? Also, if DMS which I think was diastatic malt syrup or Supaflavex are specified what would the current equivalent now be? I will be doing either extract recipes or a half and half extract and AG as my equipment does not easily lend itself to a large mash. I will also be using dried extract which I prefer to liquid. Any guidance would be most welcome.

[Marshbrewer]

I can't answer for the diastatic malt, but you are right in reducing the hop. I am about to try his McEwans Export recipe, and by my calculations, I would only need to add the amount of hops he specifies to get an approximately correct IBU figure; I can ignore the hop extract he also specifies that would only be there for additional bitterness rather than flavour, and I assume this is because the hops we get are so much better than when the book was written.

[Bibinimis]

I can't answer for the diastatic malt, but you are right in reducing the hop. I am about to try his McEwans Export recipe, and by my calculations, I would only need to add the amount of hops he specifies to get an approximately correct IBU figure; I can ignore the hop extract he also specifies that would only be there for additional bitterness rather than flavour, and I assume this is because the hops we get are so much better than when the book was written.

Thanks for that. I remember reading a comment to the effect that in general If hop pellets are used only 90% of the weight quoted for leaf should be used and to also reflect the freshness factor in comparison to recipes devised over 40 years ago my guess is that 80% would probably be about right.

[CJJ Berry]

Hi All,

I use Dave Lines and CJJ Berrys books the recipies suit my extract brewing I am drinking a very pale ale with great flavour and lcaing around the glass.

Cheers all

[CJJ Berry]

Should have been lacing

[MashBag]

You can go back and edit a previous post, if you prefer.

[An Ankoù]

Yeah, my very first AG was his recipe for Newcastle Brown Ale. I recall what a faff it was trying to mash in (I think it was) an Electrim boiler and them dig the mash out and sparge it through a canvas bag. I soon adapted to more reliable methods and I hated that electrrim boiler. Made Carlsberg Special Brew a couple of times and they came out fine- tasting nothing like the original (bottled, 9% abv) but excellent beer nonetheless. I've got that book and his Big Book of Brewing. It's high time I had another look through it to see if I can find something truly ghastly like Watney's Starlight.
The big book of Brewing is still worth reading today.
I had another book at the time by one Ken Shales. I think it was called Advanced Home Brewing. i remember struggling mightily with his written style.

[MashBag]

Cripes. (word of the day) that brings back shuddering memories of buckets, bags and insulated vessels....and mess.

I don't regret a single penny I have spent on my
all-in-one machine.

Cheers

[MashBag]

I can't answer for the diastatic malt, but you are right in reducing the hop. I am about to try his McEwans Export recipe, and by my calculations, I would only need to add the amount of hops he specifies to get an approximately correct IBU figure; I can ignore the hop extract he also specifies that would only be there for additional bitterness rather than flavour, and I assume this is because the hops we get are so much better than when the book was written.

Thanks for that. I remember reading a comment to the effect that in general If hop pellets are used only 90% of the weight quoted for leaf should be used and to also reflect the freshness factor in comparison to recipes devised over 40 years ago my guess is that 80% would probably be about right.

If you have the numbers it would be easy enough to work it back from there using brewersfriend online calc.