Hey Porter!

I brewed a Porter today.
Porter is a dark-colored style of beer. The history and development of stout and porter are intertwined. The name was first used in the 18th century from its popularity with the street and river porters of London. It is generally brewed with dark malts. The name "stout" for a dark beer came about because a strong porter may be called "Extra Porter" or "Double Porter" or "Stout Porter". The term "Stout Porter" would later be shortened to just "Stout". For example, Guinness Extra Stout was originally called "Extra Superior Porter" and was only given the name Extra Stout in 1840.

Recipe:
Hey Porter!
9.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US
2.00 lb Munich Malt
0.75 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L
0.50 lb Chocolate Malt
0.31 lb Black (Patent) Malt
0.50 oz Fuggles (60 min)
1.00 oz Hallertauer (60 min)
0.50 oz Fuggles (30 min)
1.00 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 15.0 min)
1 Pkgs Windsor Yeast (Lallemand #-)

kegged the 1554 clone

I kegged the 1554 Black Ale clone after taking a final gravity reading today. It bottomed out at 1.010 after starting out in the 1.053 range. I also picked up a 50lb. sack of 2 row, so I can get brew pot stoked again.....maybe this weekend. I had a little trouble with one of my kegs sealing up and not holding pressure. Probably need to replace o-rings.

Brown racked...brown kegged

I racked the Friday the 13th to the secondary, kegged the Brown Ale, and let the 1554 clone stay in the secondary for a while longer. Since the 1554 was brewed with a bottom fermenting lager yeast, I opted for a little more time in the carboy.

Don't let a black cat cross your path.......now a brown ale is a different story!

I brewed a brown ale in honor of Friday the 13th. No bad luck, but I used every kernel of my base grain on this recipe. I have an order in for a sack of 2-row at the local homebrew supply shop.
Friday the 13th Brown Ale
5.00 lb Marris Otter (2 Row) UK
4.50 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L
0.38 lb Roasted Barley
0.13 lb Chocolate Malt
0.06 lb Black (Patent) Malt
0.50 oz Williamette ] (60 min)
1.00 oz Hallertauer (60 min)
1.00 oz Williamette FWH (first wort hop)
1 Pkgs Safale S-04 English Ale yeast
First wort hopping is where the flavor/aroma hops are added to the kettle before the wort is run off the grain. In theory the time it has to steep in the hot wort before boil helps round off the flavor and aroma. This is the second brew where I've used this method and I'm anxious for a taste test.

racking day

I racked both brews to secondaries today. My 1554 Black doesn't seem as black as I had hoped, but it is a very dark brown anyway. Both brews smell great and I can't wait to get them into kegs. The ESB and the Moose Tool Brown are getting the job done in the kegs and should hold out for a couple weeks.

A little catch up......

Gee, I've neglected the blog for a while. I guess I better post what's been happening at r@fink brews.
Jan 12 - Racked the ESB
Jan 24 - Brewed a Black Ale (New Belgium 1554 Enlightend Black Ale clone)
Jan 27 - Brewed a Brown ale (Moose Drool Clone)
Jan 29 - Tapped the ESB (Nice taste, amber color)
1554 Clone recipe:
8.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt 60l
0.50 lb Caramunich Malt
0.25 lb Carafa III
0.13 lb Black (Patent) Malt
0.13 lb Chocolate Malt
0.50 oz Styrian Goldings
0.50 oz Goldings, East Kent
1.00 oz Williamette
1 Pkgs SafLager West European Lager
This is my first brew with a lager yeast. My fermentation temps have been running in the 56-58 degree range so we should be just fine on this one.

Moose Drool Clone Recipe:
9.25 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L
0.25 lb Caramunich Malt
0.25 lb Roasted Barley
0.13 lb Chocolate Malt %
0.06 lb Black (Patent) Malt
1.50 oz Williamette (60 min)
0.50 oz Styrian Goldings (30 min)
This brew started out being a disaster. After crushing my grains I had a glass kettle lid fall and shatter all over the kitchen and in my grist bucket. After fishing out all the glass I could find I thought for a second about whether I could continue brewing with this batch. I couldn't and tossed out over 11 lbs. of prime grist. Wahhhhh!