Clever Bantam Bitter

I based this recipe on a bottle of Old Speckled Hen I was given. The name comes from a wiley little bantam that lived a long free-range life on our farm by being impossible to catch.

Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.047 SG
Original Gravity: 1.050 SG
Final Gravity: 1.011 SG
ABV: 5.3 %
IBU: 36 IBU
Colour: 16 EBC
BU:GU Ratio: 0.7

Mash water: 20L
Sparge water: 13L

Grain:

5 kg (88%) Maris Otter
300 g (5%) NZ Medium Crystal Malt
250 g (4.5%) Sugar
100 g (2.5%) NZ Dark Crystal Malt

Hops:

33 g UK Challenger 7 %  (30 IBU) @ 60 Min
17 g UK Challenger 7 %  @ 15 mins to go
10g UK East Kent Golding @ 15 mins to go
40g UK East Kent Golding @ turn off

Mash for 60 mins at 67°C.

Sparge and boil for 60 mins. Chill to 18°C before pitching your yeast.

Ferment at 19°C with 2 packs of Mangrove Jacks M15 (Empire Ale) yeast.

After 3 days slowly raise the temp to 24°C to help the yeast reabsorb those diacetyl precursors.

Carb to 2.5 volumes and enjoy.