Just pitched my holiday porter

[z-bob]

I brewed an "imperial" brown porter yesterday. 1.074. Pale malt, brown malt, and a little chocolate malt and crystal. I put the bucket outside last night to chill. I pitched the yeast at noon today and it was 48 degrees. (oops) I probably should have taken advantage of the cold pitch and used a lager yeast instead of T-58, but I don't really want a 10% beer.

There's almost zero chance that it will be ready to drink by Christmas, but possibly New Year's. Or Groundhog Day

 

[RM-MN]

i think it should be quite good by Christmas....of next year and it should be drinkable by the 4th of July. Your cold pitch is good, just let the beer warm up so the yeast can get the job done.

My experience with high gravity beers is that it doesn't help to drink them early. They need some time to mature and as time goes on they keep improving.

 

[z-bob]

Last time I brewed a beer like this, it wasn't good for about 8 months -- but I had some problems with it that I hope to avoid this time. I still should have started it at least a month ago, probably 3. But then I would have been brewing in summer w/o a temperature chamber.

The beer has a nice brown Krausen on it this morning

 

[Calder]

Yes, you are a little late. I bottled my Christmas Porter yesterday; Smoked Porter (1.062), bottled 3.5 gallons straight, and then added 8 ozs of Bourbon (oak and vanilla aged) to the other 2.5 gallons.

Your brew should be ready for the cold months of winter in the new year.

 

[z-bob]

Yes, you are a little late. I bottled my Christmas Porter yesterday; Smoked Porter (1.062), bottled 3.5 gallons straight, and then added 8 ozs of Bourbon (oak and vanilla aged) to the other 2.5 gallons.

Your brew should be ready for the cold months of winter in the new year.

Yep, right when I'm trying to cut back and lose my holiday poundage. I think I will try to save most of the bottles for next Thanksgiving/Christmas season. Gonna drink a few along the way, of course.

It's still cold here at Easter... So maybe this is an Easter beer! I think Martin Luther would approve

 

[thehaze]

T-58 works really, really fast.

T-58 is a Belgian yeast strain, hence it likes the warm temperatures. You should let it warm up to at least 68F and finish at 75-76F.

 

[z-bob]

T-58 works really, really fast.

T-58 is a Belgian yeast strain, hence it likes the warm temperatures. You should let it warm up to at least 68F and finish at 75-76F.

I have the brew bucket in the basement. Not sure what the temp is, but it's in the 60's. When the krausen falls in a few days, I will rack to a carboy and wrap that with a blanket and put a heating pad on it with a temperature controller. (I bought an Inkbird last year and haven't tried it out yet) Thought I would finish in the low 70's, but maybe ought to go a little higher.

 

[Shwagger]

Fwiw, I brewed a stout or porter or whatever you want to label it and used 1 pack of Nottingham. I ended up with 2 full Mason jars of harvested yeast. Maybe 1/4 inch of the jar is beer. Nottingham has always been a beast for me

 

[z-bob]

I racked the beer to a 4 gallon carboy today. Took a gravity reading and it's at 1.020 and the temperature was 65 degrees. I'll warm it up to 70 for a few days, and then finish around 75. It really might be ready to bottle in another week or so.

I collected a quart and a half of yeast; it looks like a chocolate shake. I usually don't wash my yeast, but I might make an exception this time.

 

[Calder]

I think I will try to save most of the bottles for next Thanksgiving/Christmas season. Gonna drink a few along the way, of course.

Do you really have the willpower to keep it for a year - I think you had better plan another one for next Thanksgiving - Ain't going to last!

I racked the beer to a 4 gallon carboy today. Took a gravity reading and it's at 1.020 and the temperature was 65 degrees. I'll warm it up to 70 for a few days, and then finish around 75. It really might be ready to bottle in another week or so.

1.020 is a bit on the high side. Would be a little too sweet for me. Hope you get a few more points off. Something around 1.015 would be nice.

 

[Shwagger]

1.074 to 1.020 is pretty good though. That's like 7% booze

 

[z-bob]

1.074 to 1.020 is pretty good though. That's like 7% booze

Yep. I was pleased that it dropped that much in a week. Hoping I won't have to wait for months on this one like last time.

 

[secondbase]

1.074 to 1.020 is about where my imperial brown porter ended up. I brewed mine in early November and it's already in bottles. If you are kegging, this beer should be ready to drink by xmas. If you bottle you'll be cutting it close.

 

[z-bob]

I bottled yesterday. I'll drink one on New Year's Day whether it's ready or not (if one of the plastic bottles is hard), then save the rest for a while. I did not take a final gravity reading, but I did taste the flat beer and it's already pretty good.

I squeeze all the air out of the headspace of the two plastic bottles. They have filled that back up with CO2 already, so I'm fairly confident it will be carbed at least a little bit in a week.