Anatomy of a Porter

I just decided to take a trip through homebrewing using pictures. Kick back and enjoy the show.


Here the beer is boiling in the kettle. Contents: H2O, specialty grains, Malted Barley, Hops (3/4 oz. 60 min., 1 oz. 1min.), and Irish Moss (clarifier) 15min.
The specialty grains are steeped in one and one half gallon of water at 150 degrees for 15 min. and added to boiling water to reach 6 gallons. After boil is reached the fermentables are added (malt) as well as the bittering hops for a full 60 min. boil. Irish Moss is added with 15 min. left in the boil, with the aroma hops chucked in the last 1 min.
Unfermented beer is called Wort. Different grains, malts, hops, and yeast can be used to create many styles of Ale.



After a 60 min. boil the Wort cooled using an immersion chiller (made of coiled copper tubing) that has cold water through. When the Wort is cooled to 70 - 75 degrees it is poured into the fermentor and the the yeast is added. After the yeast is Pitched, the fermentor is shaken vigorously to create oxygen for the yeast to thrive. The fermentor is then placed in a dark area at room temperature to allow the yeast to activate, and the top is fixed with a blow-off tube to allow the initial foam to escape. This foam is called kreausen.






to be continued......................