Ok, here’s some info on my latest brew. It’s the first homebrew for my brewing assistant Brent so we went with something fairly easy and straightforward.

Coltrane ESB
Extract + grains
OG: 1.073 FG: 1.018 IBU: 40 ABV: 7.8% Color: ~ 8SRM
5gal boil
6lb golden light DME @ 60/15min (1/2 at 60, remainder added at 15 for color control)
1lb crystal 10L @ 15min
1oz cluster pellet 7.9aa @ 60min
0.5oz kent goldings whole 4.5aa @ 15min
0.5oz kent goldings whole 4.5aa @ 5 min
1t irish moss @ 5min

primary:
WLP002 English Ale with a 2hour started
in 29Aug09
out 4Sep09
estimated 70°-75°F

secondary:
in 4Sep09
out 6Sep09
1.020 when in
estimates 75°-77°

bottling:
6Sep09
3.5oz bottling sugar
0.5oz table sugar (I was a little short on the bottling sugar)
27 x 12oz bottles
2 x 1L flip tops
yield about 3.6gal

Mostly carbonated after 1 week in bottles but still a little low…pretty good after two weeks.
Tasting slightly chilled (40°F or so).
A small to medium head with some large bubbles. Retention is fairly short with a light head lasting quit a while.
Nose is predominately malty with some vegetal hop aroma and no noticeable citrus.
Hints on pineapple and banana with slight vanilla and caramel when agitated. After drinking some, cereal aromas become obvious in the background but don’t dominate.
Medium body on the tongue with much more hop showing up. Hop is slightly tannic with a bit of resin.
Malt is balanced at the start and fades to a grainy after taste.
Hop holds well with medium bitterness for a number of minutes. Inhaling after a swallow brings a strong cereal flavor like cooked grits. Overall, a slightly heavy malt start with a clean hop finish.
The alcohol is fairly high but a good balance on the malt makes it difficult to detect when tasting. This is definitely not a session beer but it’s not like drinking whiskey either. Perhaps a little bitter for an ESB but a little dark and definitely too malty for an IPA.