Sparrow Hawk Porter

Thanks Charlie Papazian

9/28/2020--I'm going to do both extract batches next weekend. I'm going to make a 3-liter 1.060 starter using 1-sachet of the Kveik yeast and that should be able to over-pitch both batches--the Kolsch more than the porter. This is going to be a fun experiment.

10/1/2020--Pitched yeast at 0400 and the temperature equalized at 84F--it will drop overnight but the Kveik is supposed to like high temperatures.

I rehydrated the yeast in Goferm following More Beer's instructions. I also added DAP and some Fermaid-K to the starter. I am anxious to see how well the process works. And. how good the Kveik really is.

10/5/2020--I ground the grains--I decided to go with what I have on hand for the steeping grains--coffee, chocolate, and Blackprinz. 6-ounces of each. They all taste like different levels of burnt. Also, I'm going with filtered tap water on this one. Curious whether it will ferment better with the minerals in the water. I used distilled water for the other two extract batches because supposedly the extract already has all of the minerals and whatnot in it. I don't know but I'll eventually see how it tastes, and whether the beer ferments down to a lower gravity.

10/5/2020--Bringing the wort to a boil right now. I love the smell of those dark grains.

LOL! So easy to get lazy when things go so smooth. First off--the valve on the kettle was open--water on the floor but not much. Then, after raising the heat gradually and watching like a hawk, finally, I raised the temperature to high and stepped away for a minute. DOH! Boil over. But, when brewing it is best to attack messes and mistakes immediately. Now, everything is back to being smooth and the wort is boiling away.

1.057/14--Pitched yeast at 1755.

2000--Already bubbling. That starter was amazing. 2 batches from 1-sachet of yeast and both batches got a huge amount of slurry. I could have saved a little and made another starter for the next batch but I'll use a full sachet and a weaker starter on the Kentucky Common.

10/20/2020--Added some gelatin to the fermentor. I did not take a sample as I will take a final sample next weekend when I keg it.

11/1/2020--1.009/2.35 for 6.34% ABV. Kegged.