I’m going from one extreme to another. Last time I brewed a Burton Ale at over 7 percent and this time around I have brewed a very low gravity bitter approaching the dismal ABV of 3 percent. I’m really looking forward to see how this turns out. I’ve always been very interested in how these beers would have tasted. Even though it has less alcohol then, lets say a Bud or Coors light, does it has to have more flavor and body?

This is another Pattinson recipe. I don’t know when this guy sleeps. If you can’t be bothered to follow the link here’s a little excerpt explaining the possible origins of this style:

At just 1031º, it looks very much like a West Country Boy’s Bitter. These were Bitters with a gravity similar to Ordinary Mild and when Mild went into serious decline, they often took its place. Maybe that’s why this beer existed, too. Something cheap and cheerful for drinkers who didn’t want to sup Mild.

…

It looks like a nice light, easy-drinking Bitter. The stuff you’re meant to drink by the gallon.

Great stuff. I will definitely try to do some tasting notes on this. Oh yeah, since you have to drink it by the gallon I made 11 gallons which should yield two kegs. The BeerSmith estimate below didn’t meet actual – my OG came in at 1.032 points. I still personally haven’t had any English ale yeast get below 1.010 before it flocs. OG of 32 with a finish of 10 gives you 2.9%. Actual bitter came in at a whopping 2.86% so it would be spot on.

11 gallons

Estimated OG: 1.035
Estimated FG: 1.005
Estimated Color: 4.4 SRM
Estimated IBU: 26.8 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 65.00 %
ABV: 3.9%

Grain
12 lbs Maris Otter (3 SRM) 85.7%
2 lbs Turbinado sugar (20 SRM) 14.3%

Schedule
60 minute Boil
28.00g Aurora (Super Styrian) [9.3%] – 60 min 17.9 IBUs
28.00g EKG [6%] – 30 min 8.9 IBUs
28.00g EKG [6%] –  0 min 0 IBUs
56.00g East Kent Goldings [6%] – Dry hop 3 days

Whirfloc or Irish Moss 20 min
2tsp yeast nutrient 15 min

Mash and Sparge
50% RO water
50% Ventura (high bicarbonates and sulfates)
2g Calcium Chloride added to mash water
5 ml Lactic Acid added to mash water
3 ml Lactic Acid added to sparge water
Mash in 4.75 gallons water 160F and let stabilize to 150F for 60 min
Mashout 170F
Batch sparge 9.5 gallons cold

Yeast
WLP 005 British Ale

Fermentation
Ferment until done 65F
Day 3 of fermentation add 28g dry hops
Cold crash one day
Add gelatin and 28g dry hops rack to kegs and carbonate using your preferred method