Wednesday, December 20, 2017

#66 Baltic Porter

Brew date: Dec. 20, 2017

Appearance: Pours a nice cappuccino-tan head. Color is very deep brown, almost cola-colored, with a red hue at the edges in the light. Difficult to really tell how clear the beer is, but who really cares with a beer this dark.

Aroma: First whiff is distinctly a malty-chocolate mash up. Going in for a second or third smell, I detect some earthy, herbal hop character. Very clean overall.

Taste: Sweet malt hits you right away, followed quickly by a distinctly herbal, earthy flavor. Repeat tastings give way to a clean, roastiness. A moderate bitter backbone definitely makes its presence known and as I continue quaffing that roast really starts to shine through. Nice thick creamy head and good body.

Final Thoughts: I really like this style, and think I pulled it off pretty well, but I'm a little disappointed in how the yeast accentuated the hop character. I don't think I care for the herbal-earthy quality -- not that it's in-your-face or anything, just that it's not my cup of tea pint of beer, even if it just stands out initially.

Next Time: Use a different lager strain -- something that finishes a little maltier would be fine. Definitely consider using a large yeast cake again -- I don't think I experienced any off effects of maintaining the yeast in the carboy.

RECIPE TARGET

BATCH SIZE TIME OG FG ABV IBU EFFICIENCY SRM
6.5 gal 60 min 1.074 1.017 7.5% 38.7 78% 27.6

ACTUAL

BATCH SIZE 1ST RUN PRE-BOIL OG FG EFFICIENCY NOTES
6.5 gal 3.5 gal @ 1.080 7.5 gal @ 1.060 1.072
78%

FERMENTABLES

NAME AMOUNT % BRAND
Munich (light) 10 lbs 55% Avangard
Pale ale  6.25 lbs 34.4% Briess
Cara 45 8 oz 2.7% Dingemans
Chocolate malt 8 oz 2.7% Briess
Black malt 7 oz 2.4% Briess
Roasted wheat 5 oz 1.7% Thomas Fawcett
Acidulated 3 oz 1% Best Malz

HOPS

NAME AMOUNT TIME USE FORM ALPHA % OTHER
Sterling 2 oz 50 min Boil Pellet 7.4% YCH Hops

OTHER ADDITIONS

NAME AMOUNT TIME USE FORM OTHER
Irish moss 1.5 t 15 min Boil
Yeast nutrient 0.5 t 10 min Boil

YEAST

NAME LAB AMOUNT ATTENUATION TEMPERATURE OTHER
2124 Bohemian Lager Wyeast Slurry 73-77% 48 F

WATER

Profile link: https://www.brewersfriend.com/mash-chemistry-and-brewing-water-calculator/?id=6D9SDB4

NAME AMOUNT TIMING OTHER
RO Water 7.5 gal 75-25 Mash/Sparge
Filtered Water 2.5 gal 25-75 Mash/Sparge
Gypsum 2 g Mash
Calcium Chloride 3 g Mash
Epsom Salt 1 g Mash


SCHEDULE

STEP TEMPERATURE TIME NOTES
Mash in 164 F 10 min 6 gal
Saccrification rest 152 F 60 min
Batch sparge 168 F 10 min 4 gal
Boil 212 F 60 min
Chill 58 F
Fermentation 48 F 10 days
Fermentation 60 F 4 days 12/28/17 - Allow to free rise
Chill 40 F 1 day 1/1/18 - Chill to clarify
Keg 40 F 1/2/18

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