Gordon Strong’s Baltic Porter

Baltic Porter

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

I used a variation of this recipe to win an NHC gold , blending it with a sweet blackberry mead to make a Blackberry Baltic Porter. The base beer is delicious on its own, and is a scaled up version of a Carnegie-style porter that won several medals on its own.

Ingredients

7 lbs. (3.2 kg) Maris Otter pale ale malt
3.5 lbs. (1.6 kg) German dark Munich malt
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) UK brown malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) German wheat malt
1.75 lbs. (0.79 kg) Weyermann CaraMunich® II
1.25 lbs. (0.57 kg) UK crystal (90 °L)
8 oz. (0.23 kg) Belgian Special B
12 oz. (0.57 kg) UK chocolate malt
6 oz. (0.17 kg) Weyermann Carafa® special III
1 oz. (30 ml) Black treacle
9 AAU Fuggles hops (60 mins.) (2 oz./57 g of 4.5% alpha acids)
1.8 AAU Hallertauer hops (10 mins.) (0.5 oz./14 g of 3.5% alpha acids)
1.8 AAU Hallertauer hops (2 mins.) (0.5 oz./14 g of 3.5% alpha acids)
Wyeast 2112 (California Lager) yeast (2 qts./2 L yeast starter)
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (for priming)

Step by Step

Two or three days before brew day, make the yeast starter, aerating the wort thoroughly (preferably with oxygen) before pitching the yeast.

On brew day, mash in the malt at 151 °F (66 °C) in 17 qts. (16 L) of water. Hold at this temperature for 60 minutes. Raise the mash temperature to 170 °F (77 °C), hold for 5 minutes then recirculate. Run off the 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. (Check that the final runnings do not drop below SG 1.010.) Boil the 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

by Gordon Strong, Beavercreek, Ohio
(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.083 FG = 1.024
IBU = 30 SRM = 54 ABV = 7.8%

Ingredients

6.6 lbs. (3 kg) light liquid malt extract
5 oz. (0.14 kg) Maris Otter pale ale malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) German dark Munich malt
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) UK brown malt
1.75 lbs. (0.79 kg) Weyermann CaraMunich® II
1.25 lbs. (0.57 kg) UK crystal (90 °L)
8 oz. (0.23 kg) Belgian Special B
12 oz. (0.57 kg) UK chocolate malt
6 oz. (0.17 kg) Weyermann Carafa® special III
1 oz. (30 ml) Black treacle
9 AAU Fuggles hops (60 mins.) (2 oz./57 g of 4.5% alpha acids)
1.8 AAU Hallertauer hops (10 mins.) (0.5 oz./14 g of 3.5% alpha acids)
1.8 AAU Hallertauer hops (2 mins.) (0.5 oz./14 g of 3.5% alpha acids
Wyeast 2112 (California Lager) yeast (2 qts./2 L yeast starter)
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (for priming)

Step by Step

Mash grains at 151 °F (66 °C) in 9 qts. (8.5 L) of water. Hold at this temperature for 60 minutes. Collect 2.25 gallons (8.5 L) of wort. Add water to make at least 3 gallons (11 L) of wort. Stir in dried malt extract and boil wort for 60 minutes, adding hops at times indicated. 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). Aerate wort and pitch yeast. Ferment at 62 °F (17 °C). Lager at 34 °F (1 °C) for 12 weeks.

Baltic Porter

by Gordon Strong, Beavercreek, Ohio
(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) light liquid malt extract
1 lb. (0.45 kg) light dried malt extract
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) UK brown malt
1.75 lbs. (0.79 kg) Weyermann CaraMunich® II
1.25 lbs. (0.57 kg) UK crystal (90 °L)
8 oz. (0.23 kg) Belgian Special B
12 oz. (0.57 kg) UK chocolate malt
6 oz. (0.17 kg) Weyermann Carafa® special III
1 oz. (30 ml) Black treacle
9 AAU Fuggles hops (60 mins.) (2 oz./57 g of 4.5% alpha acids)
1.8 AAU Hallertauer hops (10 mins.) (0.5 oz./14 g of 3.5% alpha acids)
1.8 AAU Hallertauer hops (2 mins.) (0.5 oz./14 g of 3.5% alpha acids
Wyeast 2112 (California Lager) yeast (2 qts./2 L yeast starter)
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 3 gallons (11 L). 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). Aerate wort and pitch yeast. Ferment at 62 °F (17 °C). Lager at 34 °F (1 °C) for 12 weeks.