Dark Tzar Imperial Porter - Sat 9th May

[bolty]

This one finished quite late as I had problems draining my kettle. I think I need a false bottom between the spigot and the manifold, so that the manifold is free to suck up wort and not be blocked by trub... Anyhoo, the brew day:

Brew Length : 25 litres
250g Chocolate Malt
1kg Crystal Malt
7kg Marris Otter
350g Roast Barley
1kg Unrefined Cane Sugar (added 20 mins from end)

Mash @ 67c for 60 mins
Boil 60 mins

Est OG : 1.089
Est Eff : 75%
Est IBU : 74.9

110g Target (9.6 AA) @ FWH
Irish Moss @ 15 min
20g Saaz (2.8 AA) @ 10 min

Dumped on a Nottingham cake from an IPA

The grain bill:

The target hops (used all but 30g of this block):

Was kind of a bit worried about the grain bill being too big, so got the strike water ready and put most of it in, bar a couple of litres. After the doughing in, there was just enough room to fit the water so I microwaved it up to temp and added it. Was actually a good way to do a micro adjustment in the mash temp. Here's a very full mash tun!

Here are the target hops all broken up ready:

First running going in. Not black, but a REALLY dark brown:

The calor depot didn't have any 13 kg gas canisters, so it was either a tiny little 6kg bottle or a man's bottle 19kg. Not really a choice:

Trub n stuff:

Ended up with 23 litres at 1.096, and was greeted this morning with 3 bubbles a second... And a krausen that looks like it is making a break for it! If it only attenuates to 75%, its going to be a 9.5% beer.

Having a sniff of the airlock, I can definitely smell the Saaz coming through, so hopefully that will stay there as I do like it in a porter.

Think it might be a good un :drink:

Stuff I have learnt:
My maximum grain bill
My boiler manifold is currently *****
Yeast cake reuse for big beers is great!

Now I have to go and clean the kitchen :cry:

 

[tubby_shaw]

Great day there bolty :thumb:
That manifold looks like it should cope :hmm:
Do you think it may need some extra slots/holes to cope with all those hops ?

 

[bolty]

I have 1mm holes drilled every cm, which may be causing too much suction per hole, and is causing it to get blocked.

Think I may have to just go mental on it and put lots of extra holes on there!

 

[llannige]

Powerful stuff there bolty.

Take it easy knocking it back

 

[bolty]

Its made a break for freedom!

Went in to see how it was doing and there was a gunky brown hissing bubble lock! This is after I had cleaned it up a bit:

I have had to rig up my first ever blow off tube (managed in about 8 mins, 5 of which was sterilizing).

 

[Wez]

Looks great

I thought you might have a lively ferment when I read you were dropping it onto a yeast cake, I love doing that :party:

 

[holty]

Deffo looking good, and sounds like it'll knock your socks off!

Good work!

I'm currently trying to think up what to brew next, and wouldn't mind having a crack at a porter, hmmmmmm. :hmm:

 

[Vossy1]

Great brewday post and pics b :
Love the yeast escaping :lol:

 

[bolty]

Well that was bloody quick!
The notty cake has destroyed the fermentables pretty much up to where I'm happy. It is down to 1.026, and is bubbling really slowly now. :party:

I'm off on holiday on Thursday for a week, so I am thinking of letting it sit there till I get back on the next Friday. Gives the little buggers time to clear up after themselves.

 

[Vossy1]

Hope you're having a great holiday b :party:

 

[Brewedout]

Just wondered what the beer came out like?