Old Crafty Hen (Clone) Beer Recipe | All Grain Extra Special/Strong Bitter (ESB) by AHarper | Brewer's Friend
Brew your best beer EVER. Save 10% on Brewer's Friend Premium today. Use code TAKE10. Sign Up ×

Old Crafty Hen (Clone)

254 calories 22.5 g 500 ml
Beer Stats
Method: All Grain
Style: Extra Special/Strong Bitter (ESB)
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 20 liters (fermentor volume)
Pre Boil Size: 25 liters
Post Boil Size: 21 liters
Pre Boil Gravity: 1.041 (recipe based estimate)
Post Boil Gravity: 1.055 (recipe based estimate)
Efficiency: 75% (brew house)
Source: Rich and Dave - Mods by Alan Harper
Calories: 254 calories (Per 500ml)
Carbs: 22.5 g (Per 500ml)
Created: Saturday April 14th 2018
1.055
1.010
5.9%
40.3
10.7
5.5
10.12
 
Fermentables
Amount Fermentable Cost PPG °L Bill %
3.50 kg Crisp Malting - Extra Pale Ale Malt3.5 kg Extra Pale Ale Malt £ 0.00 / g
£ 3.33
38 1.7 76.8%
600 g GB - Crystal 60L600 g Crystal 60L £ 0.00 / g
£ 1.20
34 60 13.2%
0.40 kg Corn Sugar - Dextrose0.4 kg Corn Sugar - Dextrose - (late boil kettle addition) £ 0.00 / g
£ 0.90
42 0.5 8.8%
60 g Weyermann - Acidulated60 g Acidulated £ 0.00 / g
£ 0.18
27 3.4 1.3%
4.56 kg / £ 5.60
 
Hops
Amount Variety Cost Type AA Use Time IBU Bill %
25 g Challenger25 g Challenger Hops £ 0.03 / g
£ 0.81
Pellet 7.3 Boil 60 min 25.16 50%
10 g First Gold10 g First Gold Hops £ 0.03 / g
£ 0.30
Leaf/Whole 10.2 Boil 40 min 11.22 20%
5 g East Kent Goldings5 g East Kent Goldings Hops Pellet 5.8 Boil 10 min 1.45 10%
10 g Pilgrim10 g Pilgrim Hops £ 0.04 / g
£ 0.40
Pellet 9 Aroma 5 min 2.47 20%
50 g / £ 1.51
 
Mash Guidelines
Amount Description Type Start Temp Target Temp Time
13.5 L Strike 73 °C 65 °C 60 min
15 L Sparge 74 °C 73 °C 35 min
Starting Mash Thickness: 3 L/kg
Starting Grain Temp: 20 °C
 
Other Ingredients
Amount Name Cost Type Use Time
1 each Whirlfloc £ 0.20 / each
£ 0.20
Fining Boil 15 min.
15 g Oak Chips £ 0.02 / g
£ 0.34
Flavor Boil 10 min.
5 g Calcium Chloride Flakes £ 0.01 / g
£ 0.06
Water Agt Mash 1 hr.
10 g Calcium Sulphate (Gypsum) £ 0.01 / g
£ 0.13
Water Agt Mash 1 hr.
2 g Magnesium Chloride £ 0.04 / g
£ 0.09
Water Agt Mash 1 hr.
1 g Epsom Salt Water Agt Mash 1 hr.
2 g Salt Water Agt Mash 1 hr.
£ 0.81
 
Yeast
Fermentis - Safbrew - General/Belgian Yeast S-33
Amount:
1 Each
Cost:
£ 2.20 / each
£ 2.20
Attenuation (custom):
76%
Flocculation:
High
Optimum Temp:
12 - 25 °C
Starter:
No
Fermentation Temp:
23 °C
Pitch Rate:
1.0 (M cells / ml / ° P) 271 B cells required
£ 2.20 Yeast Pitch Rate and Starter Calculator
Priming
CO2 Level: 2.4 Volumes
 
Target Water Profile
Abingdon (Oxfordshire)
Ca+2 Mg+2 Na+ Cl- SO4-2 HCO3-
297 2 20 250 44 297
Use the water chemistry in calculations for 36R38SX to aim for Abingdon water used by Greene King to make Crafty Hen
Mash Chemistry and Brewing Water Calculator
 
Notes

Original Recipe Info:
Old Crafty Hen is a very special version of Old Speckled Hen, one of England’s more famous and classic ales. This version is blended with a 12% ABV Greene King brew known as "Old 5X," a vintage Old Ale that is not sold on its own but instead is blended into the ale you have before you now. The brewery ages Old 5X in three old oak foudres (huge barrels) for 2 to 5 years before skillfully blending it with fresh ale to create Old Crafty Hen.

"Old Speckled Hen" Master Brewer uses crystal and pale malts with Challenger, Pilgrim, First Gold and Goldings hops.


================================================
The addition of the oak chips is an attempt to get that Oak Barrel flavour into this home brew. I do not know if this too "oaky" or not enough - time will tell.
This is an upgraded Old Speckled Hen recipe by "Rich and Dave" to get the FG up to 6.5% while keeping the IBU and SRM similar.

Recipe Picture
Last Updated and Sharing
 
4,188
Views
3
Brews
Recipe QR Code
  • Public: Yup, Shared
  • Last Updated: 2022-03-19 18:45 UTC
Other Brewers Who Brewed This Recipe:
Discussion about this recipe:
You must be logged in to add comments.

If you do not yet have an account, you may register here.

Back To Top