From the Beer Writer: Few centers of beer enjoyment feel as homey as the East Village’s Half Door Brewing Co. Fashioned to feel like a domicile rather than a reclaimed industrial chic testament to the versatility of stainless steel and barrel wood, it’s a haven where downtown urbanites can sit a spell and taste through some brews and hearty grub. Being that relaxed in atmosphere, it might sound like a place you could find some loose brewing practices, but there me be no local brewer more overtly meticulous and enrapt by the scientific details of beer and its ingredients than Half Door brewmaster Daniel Drayne. A graduate of the Siebel Institute who cut his teeth at Coronado Brewing Co. and against his own rigid task-mastering as an avid homebrewer, he is a true student of the craft who brings nth-degree industry speak to every conversation we’ve ever shared. It’s fascinating to have his words guide one down the beer-making rabbit hole where there’s no chance of not learning something before reemerging. It was particularly enjoyable being a part of his recipe conceptualization for this beer, which is the latest liquid fundraiser for the Beer to the Rescue charity campaign benefiting the Lupus Foundation of Southern California (that’s what constitutes the extra “extra” for this extra special bitter) and is currently on-tap at San Diego’s most down-home brewpub.
From the Brewer: “This is an imperial take on an ESB. We used Gambrinus ESB malt as the base, layering it with Crystal 60, Crystal 120, Biscuit and dextrose. We did not go too traditional on the water profile, keeping the sulfate/chloride ratio a little over two-to-one. Also, we used an English yeast strain from Wyeast called London Ale III, over-pitching a hair and keeping the fermentation around 65 degrees (Fahrenheit) for the first two days, then at 7 Plato, letting it rise to 70 degrees to finish off. We did this to keep the esters subtle so they wouldn’t overpower the malt and hops. We used a mix of Northern Brewer, Southern Cross and Citra for hopping to bring in subtle earth, spice and citrus notes. The beer has restrained bitterness and toasted biscuit notes complemented by minor dark-fruit sweetness and nice fruit esters that don’t distract from the balance of the beer.”—Daniel Drayne, Brewmaster, Half Door Brewing Co.