Version 1 (English Porter)
This beer is brewed with a thicker mash (1.7 qt water/lb of grain). At the end of the mash, with the grain basket drained and hanging on the side on the kettle (inside wall), treated brewing water (sparge water) is poured on the top of the grains, and this drains into the wort. Water is added until the pre-boil volume (6.45 gal) is reached.
STRIKE WATER
Distilled water with specified salt additions. Amount initially added: 6.1 gallons.
YEAST
Using White Labs WLP002. The most yeast that could be contained in the pouch (very fresh) would be 150 billion cells. Create a 2 liter starter, then save a little bit of yeast cells for preparing frozen test tubes for creating a new culture later. You will have at least 179 billion cells remaining in the flask for pitching.
MASHING
Mash in at 153° F. Stir rapidly. After all is combined very well, allow to rest about 10 min, then measure pH.
If it is quite below (below 5.17), keep in mind that comparisons have shown that my system and brewer's friend calculate pH about 0.07 points below what it really is. Trust your pH meter!
REGULAR MASH
Mash for 75 minutes at 153° F, checking pH and gravity to determine if it is necessary to mash longer than
75 minutes. Mash pH may be 0.07 higher than the measure predicted by Brewer's Friend.
Pre-Boil Gravity should be at or near 1.041. Check pH, and adjust. If gravity is not at or near 1.041, mash longer.
MASH OUT
Increase power to 85% and ramp-up to 168° F for the mash-out/vorlauf. Mash-out is of 15 minute duration.
RAISING THE GRAIN BASKET
Turn off recirculation. Raise the grain basket and hang on side of kettle as usual.
Turn off valves, making sure the 3-way whirlpool valve is open only on the RIGHT side, not the mash recirculating side. Remove small hose from recirculation flow meter, and allow to empty into a vessel, then put liquid back in kettle. Connect long recirculation hose to left side of 3-way valve.
RECIRCULATION OVER GRAINS
Secure recirculation hose over grain basket using a clamp. Now, open 3-way valve to center position. Start recirculation, regulating flow rate through pump exit valve. Allow to recirculate over grains for 15 minutes at a moderate flow rate.
SPARGE/RINSE WATER
Stop the pump, and pour the 1.3 gal 168° F brewing water over the grains. Allow to flow through the grains and drain into the pot. Allow basket to drain, then remove basket to hang on a bucket.
Use the amount of sparge water needed to bring pre-boil volume to 6.45 gallons.
DRAINING GRAIN BASKET
Adjust 3-way valve so recirculation valve (left side) is closed. Remove long recirculation hose and allow to drain into vessel, then return liquid to kettle.
Allow grain basket to drain for 15 minutes, then remove basket and hang over bucket to catch remaining fluid draining. In the meantime, allow whirlpool recirculation to proceed as liquid ramps up to a boil. When draining is complete, add remaining liquid to kettle.
RAMPING UP TO A BOIL
Turn off pump, shut off all valves, then MAKE SURE BREW COMMANDER IS SET IN BOIL MODE. Set power at 85-95%. Drain all hoses into bucket, then collect sample or measuring OG, pH, etc. Put remaining liquid in kettle. Continue with ramp up to boil.
BOIL
60 minute boil, with the hop addition for the entire boil. When 10 minutes remain, add the Whirfloc tablet.
WHIRLPOOL
Regular whirlpool, 15 minutes, no hop additions
CHILLING
Using the Blichmann Terminator to bring the wort temperature to as low as the tap water will bring it. Then, use a recirculating ice water setup to bring it down further, to around 60° F. At this time, start the process of inline oxygenation and transfer to the fermentor.
TRANSFER TO FERMENTOR
Transfer to the Fermonster fermentor. When just a little reaches the vessel, add the White Labs Zinc Buddy product. Continue the transfer until volume is 5.5 gallons, running the flow of O2 at a level that bubbles, but does not foam up.
PITCH YEAST
When the Fermonster is in the cooler, and temperature is set at 65° F, add the White Labs WLP002 English Ale yeast. This strain is known for being highly flocculent, so take care to GENTLY swirl the fermenter each day. ALSO ADD THE FERMAID YEAST NUTRIENT TO THE YEAST BEFORE ADDING TO THE WORT.
FERMENTATION IN CHEST FREEZER
Conduct fermentation at 65° F, THEN after 3-4 days allow temperature to rise to 68 deg F to finish. Via TILT readings, when the gravity hasn't dropped for 3 days, fermentation is finished.
POST FERMENTATION
Transfer via low oxygen uptake method to 5 gal keg that has purged of O2. Purge took place by completely filling the tank with dechlorinated water and adding Star Sans to make 5 gallons, then pumping out the sanitizer with CO2 pressure to remove all the O2 present in the keg. Now, weigh the empty keg.
Transfer the beer to the keg. Weigh the keg, subtract the weight of the empty keg to determine the volume of beer present. When this is done, quickly open the lid, add the appropriate amount of priming sugar (Belgian Candi Sirop) and 1.5 g Lallemand CBC-1 priming yeast. Purge the head of the keg with CO2, then close the lid. Use C02 to purge the headspace of the keg of O2 by
connecting the CO2, then purge the headspace again, opening the purge valve on the lid to let pressure escape.
GENTLY rock the keg sufficiently to completely mix the sugar and yeast, then store at 68° deg F for 10 days to carbonate.
