Keywords: THE WINE TASTER LOUISVILLE TIMES COLUMN BY ROBIN GARR 9-20-86.
BEER. TASTING. T
The Wine Taster, Robin Garr's weekly column in The Louisville Times SCENE
for Sept. 20, 1986, features a look at the increasing interest in tasting
beer according to wine-tasting principles, and features notes on four good
beers.
[73127,1476]
PORTER.TXT 22-Aug-86 4865 39
Keywords: DARK BEER PORTER STOUT MASH GRAIN FLINN
A recipe for a porter, using mashed grains and malt extracts
Since this is the first recipe I have uploaded, the instructions may seem
overly precise to the experienced brewer, at whom this recipe is primarily
aimed. However, if it stimulates the less experienced brewer to move on to
more complex techniques, then the detail may be useful. Use or ingore these
techniques as you see fit.
SYMPHONY PORTER
2-1/2 lb Pale Malt
1/2 lb Pale Malt, roasted 15 min at 350 F
1/2 lb Munich Malt
1/2 lb Crystal Malt
1/2 lb Chocolate Malt
1 cup Black Malt
6-1/2 lb Dark Malt extract syrup
2-1/4 lb Pale Malt extract syrup
1 oz Cluster hops, loose (boil)
1 oz Cascade hop pellets (finish)
1 pk Edme yeast
water to make 5 gal.
initial gravity: 1.078
final gravity : 1.030
Grind all grains, except black malt. Desired consistency is roughly that of
corn-meal.
Bring 3 quarts of water to 130 F. Add all grains. Maintain temperature at
120-122 F for 1/2 hour, stirring every 5 min.
Raise temperature to 130 F, add 2 quarts boiling water. Hold temperature at
149-152 F for 15 min, stirring occaisonally.
Raise temperature to 158 F for 20 min, stirring occaisonally.
To test for conversion of starches, place a teaspoon of the liquid on a clean
white saucer. Add a few drops of household Iodine. If a blue color occurs,
the conversion is not complete. It will be necessary to continue holding the
temperature at 158 F for another 10 minutes, then repeat the test. In any case
DISCARD THE MIXTURE IN THE SAUCER. It must not be added back to the mash.
When conversion is complete, strain the mixture through a couple layers of
cheesecloth, and allow the liquid to drain off. Bring 5 quarts of water to
170 F, and pour this thru the grains in the cheesecloth. Allow this liquid to
drain. This is "sparging", and will remove a surprising amount of sugar which
is clinging to the grains.
Bring the liquid to a boil. Remove heat, and add the malt extract syrups.
They can be more easily poured if the cans are stood in hot water before
opening. You will need to scrape out the last of the thick syrup, and may
spoon a bit of the hot liquid in to help pour out the last of the syrup. Stir.
Restore heat, and again bring the liquid to a boil. What is desired here is
a very vigorous, rolling boil. When this boil is acheived, add the Cluster
hops. When the hops are added, a great deal of foaming will occur. Be careful
that you do not boil over. Reduce heat if necessary. Continue boiling for at
least one hour. The bittering chemicals that we want to use from the hops are
relatively insoluble in water, or in the wort solution we are using. Both time
and vigorous agitation are required to extract them. During the last 5 minutes
of the boil, add the Cascade hop pellets. While we will not extract bittering
substances in this short time, we will extract aromatic substances which are
driven off during the long boil of the bittering hops.
Strain this mixture thru cheesecloth into your primary fermenter, add water
to make 5 gallons, take a sample for your hydrometer, and reduce temperature to
70 F. While a number of wort-chillers are available to bring the temperature
down quickly, it is possible to simply stand the fermenter in a sink of cold
water, and change the water as it warms up. It is also possible to simply
cover the fermenter, and let it sit overnight. The danger is that the wort is
a very attractive environment for any number of micro-organisms, none of which
have the best interests of your beer at heart. The quicker you can get your
yeast at work in the beer, the less opportunity they will have to spoil it.
When the wort reaches 70 F place a cup or so into a clean teacup, and add your yeast. Within 5-15 minutes, you will observe activity on the part of the yeast
Add it to the fermenter, seal the lid, and attach your fermentation lock.
While I have never had a package of yeast fail to start up, and it is quite
safe just to add the yeast to the fermenter, I like the added assurance of
knowing that this particular package is good.
Allow the beer to ferment for one week, if activity in the fermentation lock
is still apparent at that time, allow it to continue until it is no longer
apparent.
Siphon the beer into a clean container, take a sample for your hydrometer,
prime with 3/4 cup corn sugar in 1 cup boiling water, and bottle the beer.
This recipe and procedure is quite closely based on "Potlatch Doppelbock",
by Charlie Papazian, from his book "The Complete Joy of Homebrewing" most of
my differences are due to what I did and didn't have around the house the day
I brewed this. I can strongly recommend this book. All comments welcome
Ed Flinn
73127,1476
[76703,431]
BEERTA.LK 25-May-86 9810 17
Keywords: BEER FAVORITES FOOD CONFERENCE
This is part of the tranSCRIPT of our 5/21/86 drop-in COnference, which
was a pretty interesting discussion on how beer fits into the picture
along with wine, especially if you like your wine with food.
