Odysseus
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- Jul 22, 2019
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Inspired by 17th and 18th century Anglo-Colonial brewing techniques, I will be making a 1 gallon batch of Molasses Oatmeal Porter in honor of George Washington/Independence Day tomorrow. Besides Gen. Washington's own recipe, which was simply molasses, hops, water and yeast, I will be drawing inspiration from other colonial brewing techniques.
This recipe is a work in progress, so I'd love some feedback.
Where I need the most help/input is on proportions and nutrition. Target ABV is anywhere in the 3-7% range, preferably on the higher end but not necessarily so. Washington's recipe called for bottling after a week, and I'm not looking for a long, drawn-out brew - just a quick brew to enjoy in the here and now.
1 Gallon of Spring Water (plus a little bit extra to compensate for loss during the wort boil)
Molasses - 1 jar (16oz? 32 oz?)
Flaked Oats - 6 ounces? Too little, too much, thoughts? I'm going with these mainly for flavor balance, not sugar content.
Dried Fruit (Steeped) - Raisins, dates, etc - mainly for nutrition, so just enough to keep the yeast happy and balance the flavor. Maybe a little orange peel as well for balance.
Hops - Whatever general hops I have leftover/on hand.
Yeast - Same as hops, just sort of whatever/on hand.
Gruit - Ideas? Thoughts? Good idea? Bad idea?
Should I add sugar to this brew? Will the molasses have enough sugar to make alcohol since it's basically a grain-free brew? If so, how much sugar? I'd prefer a turbinado sugar since it seems closer to what they had in colonial times, but I'm not against white sugar either.
Also, will the molasses and handful of raisins/fruit have enough nutrition to support the brew? I don't have quick access to any kind of commercial yeast nutrition products.
This recipe is a work in progress, so I'd love some feedback.
Where I need the most help/input is on proportions and nutrition. Target ABV is anywhere in the 3-7% range, preferably on the higher end but not necessarily so. Washington's recipe called for bottling after a week, and I'm not looking for a long, drawn-out brew - just a quick brew to enjoy in the here and now.
1 Gallon of Spring Water (plus a little bit extra to compensate for loss during the wort boil)
Molasses - 1 jar (16oz? 32 oz?)
Flaked Oats - 6 ounces? Too little, too much, thoughts? I'm going with these mainly for flavor balance, not sugar content.
Dried Fruit (Steeped) - Raisins, dates, etc - mainly for nutrition, so just enough to keep the yeast happy and balance the flavor. Maybe a little orange peel as well for balance.
Hops - Whatever general hops I have leftover/on hand.
Yeast - Same as hops, just sort of whatever/on hand.
Gruit - Ideas? Thoughts? Good idea? Bad idea?
Should I add sugar to this brew? Will the molasses have enough sugar to make alcohol since it's basically a grain-free brew? If so, how much sugar? I'd prefer a turbinado sugar since it seems closer to what they had in colonial times, but I'm not against white sugar either.
Also, will the molasses and handful of raisins/fruit have enough nutrition to support the brew? I don't have quick access to any kind of commercial yeast nutrition products.