Harlequin & Jester Bitter

By Phill Turner

Recipe is part of Recipe Index

BJCP 2021 Style 11B Best Bitter

This is my recipe that got a first in the Bitter under 4.3% at the GBBF competition 2025. The judges at the GBBF gave it a 43 out of 50. The only improvement they suggested was a bit of dry hop, which I also thought it needed. Next time, I might possibly dry hop for 3 to 4 days with whole hops.

Awards

Great British Beer Festival 2025

1st - Session Bitters under 4.3%

Measures

• IBU 33
• ABV 4.27%
• OG 1.039
• FG 1.007
• EBC 17.4
• 27 litre batch volume

Ingredients

Malt

• 4kg Crisp No 19 Maris Otter Ale Malt 5.5 EBC
• 0.4kg Torrefied Wheat 5.3 EBC
• 0.25kg Simpsons Double Roasted Crystal 300 EBC
• 0.2kg Simpsons Light Crystal 100 EBC

Hops

• 16g Harlequin 11% AA - 16 IBU - 50 min boil
• 20g Harlequin 11% AA - 8.6 IBU - 10 min boil
• 25g Jester 8% AA - 7.8 IBU - 10 min boil
• 15g Jester 8% AA - 1 IBU - 20 min hop stand at 80C

Yeast

• Verdant IPA - 200ml cropped from another beer

Process

Mash

• 66C for 50 min
• 72C for 10 min
• 75C for 1 min

Boil

• 50 minute boil

Ferment

• Primary — 18-20C