Batch 249, Porter

 I bought a new brewing system, used, from Craigslist. I want a second system to take with me in the winter when we go to Mexico. We're there over half of the year, so it makes sense to be able to brew there and have a change from Tecate or Pacifico. It's a 5 gallon system, I should have taken pictures, but it's 2 - 5 gallon igloo coolers, 1 - 10 gallong igloo cooler, a 13 gallon stainless cook pot, and a March 809 pump, plus associated stuff. So I gave it a try, and found a few problems. The main problem is the mash tun, it has one of those "screens" make out of slotted copper pipe. Nothing is soldered together, every thing is just shoved together. Of course, it came apart while stirring in the grain, so that's got to go. 

5 gallon batch

8 lb 2-row

2.5 lb British Brown malt

8 oz Chocolate malt

10 oz White wheat (that's all I have)

Heated 4 gallons to 170, mashed in, hit 153F, adjusted pH, but poorly, I wasn't thinking this is a smaller batch, so inadvertently adjusted to 5.0. Recirculating didn't go well at all, everything got clogged up from the strainer falling apart in the bottom of the mash tun.

1 oz Magnum, 60 minutes

Wyeast 1312, London Ale III, 1 quart

Forgot to get an OG.

OG: 1.052

FG: 1.014

ABV: 5.1%

IBU: 46

SRM: 27.7

27 June 2021, the yeast isn't working, so I scooped some of the top yeast from batch 248, the Belma that is fermenting right beside this batch and tossed it in. Checked the next day, and it's going just fine.

30 May 2022, yes, an update almost a year later. I just got back from Baja today, and saw this was still on my nitro tap. It's quite good! There is also a mostly full keg of Basil IPA in the beer shed fridge, but the CO2 had been off while I was gone, so it's flat at the moment. It should be good in a few days, although I'm a little concerned about the hops and/or basil flavors being gone by now. The Porter held up splendidly!