Zek’s Porter

Zek’s Porter

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.089 (21.3 °P)  FG = 1.018 (4.6 °P)
IBU = 38 SRM = 30 ABV = 9.4%

My grandparents fled Russia with one of them later being captured and imprisoned in the gulag after fighting against the Soviets. The colloquial name for a Soviet gulag inmate was “zek.” This recipe is for those who died under communism.

Ingredients
11 lbs. (5 kg) Durst Munich malt
6 lbs. (2.75 kg) Durst Pilsner malt
7 oz. (200 g) Great Western crystal malt (or similar) (60 °L)
7 oz. (200 g) Dingemans Special B malt (or similar) (140 °L)
5.3 oz. (150 g) Weyermann Carafa® Special II malt (430 °L)
3.5 oz. (100 g) Briess chocolate malt (or similar) (350 °L)
8.4 AAU Lublin hops (2.4 oz./68 gat 3.5% alpha acids) (60 min.)
2.94 AAU Lublin hops (0.84 oz./24 g at 3.5% alpha acids) (15 min.)
White Labs WLP885 Zurich Lager, White Labs WLP830 German Lager, Wyeast 2206 Bavarian Lager or Fermentis Saflager S-23 yeast

Step by Step
Mill the grains and dough-in targeting a mash of around 1.5 quarts of water to 1 pound of grain (a liquor-to-grist ratio of about 3:1 by weight) and a temperature of 150 °F (66 °C). Hold the mash at 150 °F (66 °C) until enzymatic conversion is complete. Infuse the mash with near boiling water while stirring or with a recirculating mash system raise the temperature to mash out at 168 °F (76 °C). Sparge slowly with 170 °F (77 °C) water, collecting wort until the pre-boil kettle volume is around 6.5 gallons (24.4 L) and the gravity is 1.069 (16.8 °P).

The total wort boil time is 90 minutes, which helps reduce the S-Methylmethionine (SMM) present in the lightly kilned Pilsner malt and results in less Dimethyl sulfide (DMS) in the finished beer. Add the bittering hops with 60 minutes remaining in the boil. Add the second hop addition and Irish moss or other finings with 15 minutes left. Chill the wort rapidly to 53 °F (12 °C), let the break material settle, rack to the fermenter, pitch the yeast and aerate thoroughly. The proper pitch rate is 30 grams of properly rehydrated dry yeast, six packages of liquid yeast or two packages of liquid yeast in a 10-liter starter. Ferment at 53 °F (12 °C) until the beer attenuates fully. With healthy yeast, fermentation should be complete within a week, but do not rush it. Rack to a keg and force carbonate or rack to a bottling bucket, add priming sugar, and bottle. Target a carbonation level of 2 to 2.5 volumes.

Zek’s Porter

(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.089 (21.4°P)  FG = 1.018 (4.6 °P)
IBU = 38 SRM = 30 ABV = 9.4%

Ingredients
7.5 lbs. (3.4 kg) Weyermann Munich liquid malt extract
4.4 lbs. (2 kg) Pilsner liquid malt extract
7 oz. (200 g) Great Western crystal malt (or similar) (60 °L)
7 oz. (200 g) Dingemans Special B malt (or similar) (140 °L)
5.3 oz. (150 g) Weyermann Carafa® Special II malt (430 °L)
3.5 oz. (100 g) Briess chocolate malt (or similar) (350 °L)
8.4 AAU Lublin hops (2.4 oz./68 g at 3.5% alpha acids) (60 min.)
2.94 AAU Lublin hops (0.84 oz./24 g at 3.5% alpha acids) (15 min.)
White Labs WLP885 Zurich Lager, White Labs WLP830 German Lager, Wyeast 2206 Bavarian Lager or Fermentis Saflager S-23 yeast

Step by Step
Most Munich malt extract is sold as a blend of Munich and Pilsner or two-row malts. I specify 100% Munich liquid malt extract (LME) and Pilsner LME in my recipes so you will know which blends might work best for your brew. If you use a blend, replace both the Munich and Pilsner extracts with 11.9 lb. (5.4 kg) of the blend. If you cannot get fresh liquid malt extract, it is better to use an appropriate amount of dried malt extract (DME) instead.

Mill or coarsely crack the specialty malt and place loosely in a grain bag. Avoid packing the grains too tightly in the bag, using more bags if needed. Steep the bag in about 1 gallon (~4 liters) of water at roughly 170 °F (77 °C) for about 30 minutes. Lift the grain bag out of the steeping liquid and rinse with warm water. Allow the bags to drip into the kettle for 15 minutes while you add the malt extract. Do not squeeze the bags. Add enough water to the steeping liquor and malt extract to make a pre-boil volume of 5.9 gallons (22.3 liters) and a gravity of 1.076 (18.4 °P). Stir thoroughly to help dissolve the extract and bring to a boil.

The total wort boil time is 60 minutes. Add the bittering hops with 60 minutes remaining in the boil. Add the second hop addition and Irish moss or other finings with 15 minutes left. Chill the wort rapidly to 53 °F (12 °C), let the break material settle, rack to the fermenter, pitch the yeast and aerate thoroughly. The proper pitch rate is 30 grams of properly rehydrated dry yeast, six packages of liquid yeast or two packages of liquid yeast in a 10-liter starter. Ferment at 53 °F (12 °C) until the beer attenuates fully. With healthy yeast, fermentation should be complete within a week.

Follow the remaining packaging and carbonation instructions in the all-grain version of this recipe.