Gordon Strong’s Baltic Porter

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.083 FG = 1.024
IBU = 30 SRM = 54 ABV = 7.8%

Ingredients
7 lbs. (3.2 kg) Maris Otter pale ale malt
3.5 lbs. (1.6 kg) German dark Munich malt
1.5 lbs. (680 g) UK brown malt
1 lb. (454 g) German wheat malt
1.75 lbs. (794 g) German Caramunich® II malt
1.25 lbs. (567 g) UK crystal malt (90 °L)
8 oz. (227 g) Belgian Special B malt
12 oz. (567 g) UK chocolate malt (450 °L)
6 oz. (170 g) Carafa® Special III malt
1 oz. (30 mL) black treacle
9 AAU Fuggle hops (60 min.) (2 oz./57 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
1.75 AAU Hallertauer hops (10 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 3.5% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Hallertauer hops (2 min.)
Wyeast 2112 (California Lager) or White Labs WLP810 (San Francisco Lager) or Mangrove Jack’s M54 (Californian Lager) yeast
3/4 cup corn sugar (for priming)

Step by Step
Two or three days before brew day, make the yeast starter (2-qt./2-L starter), aerating the wort thoroughly (preferably with oxygen) before pitching the yeast.

On brew day, mash in the pale ale, Munich, brown and wheat malts at 151 °F (66 °C) in 26 qts. (25 L) of water. Hold at this temperature for 60 minutes. Add the three crystal and two chocolate malts, then raise mash temperature to 170 °F (77 °C). Hold at this temperature for 5 minutes then begin to recirculate the wort. Run off wort and sparge with water hot enough to keep the grain bed around 170 °F (77 °C). Collect 6.5 gallons (25 L) of wort. Boil wort for 60 minutes, adding hops at times indicated. Ferment at 62 °F (17 °C). Lager at 34 °F (1 °C) for 12 weeks.

Baltic Porter

(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.083 FG = 1.024
IBU = 30 SRM = 54 ABV = 7.8%

Ingredients
6.6 lbs. (3 kg) Maris Otter liquid malt extract (15 min.)
1 lb. (454 g) extra light dried malt extract
1.5 lbs. (680 g) UK brown malt
1.75 lbs. (794 g) German Caramunich® II malt
1.25 lbs. (567 g) UK crystal malt (90 °L)
8 oz. (227 g) Belgian Special B malt
12 oz. (567 g) UK chocolate malt (450 °L)
6 oz. (170 g) Carafa® Special III malt
1 oz. (30 mL) black treacle
9 AAU Fuggle hops (60 min.) (2 oz./57 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
1.75 AAU Hallertauer hops (10 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 3.5% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Hallertauer hops (2 min.)
Wyeast 2112 (California Lager) or White Labs WLP810 (San Francisco Lager) or Mangrove Jack’s M54 (Californian Lager) yeast
3/4 cup corn sugar (for priming)

Step by Step
Steep grains in 3 gallons (11 L) of 158 °F (70 °C) water for 30 minutes. Remove grain, add dried malt extract and enough water to make at least 3 gallons (11 L) of wort. Boil wort for 60 minutes, adding hops at times indicated. Keep some boiling water handy and do not let boil volume dip below the 3-gallon (11-L) mark. Add liquid malt extract in the final 15 minutes of the boil. Chill wort, transfer to fermenter and top up to 5 gallons (19 L) with cold water. Aerate wort with oxygen and pitch yeast. Ferment at 62 °F (17 °C). Lager at 34 °F (1 °C) for 12 weeks.