Big Brew 2011

In honor of Rocket Rod Romanak, who passed away February 4, 2011.  Rocket Rod was a homebrewer in Kailua Kona, HI who was the Homebrewer of the Year in 2004 with this Robust Porter recipe.  Rocket Rod owned and operated Rocket Suds Homebrewing Equipment & Supplies, and was an Air Force veteran. Rocket Rod attended over 25 AHA National Homebrewers Conferences in his lifetime, almost as many as Charlie Papazian.  He will be missed at this year’s conference in San Diego, CA.

For a 5.3 gallon (20 L) yield for a 90 minute boil

O.G.: 1.068

F.G.: 1.015

IBU: 73

ABV%: 7.3%   ABW%: 5.8%

Fermentables

10 lb (4.5 kg) Pale Malt (2-Row)

1.75 lb (0.8 kg) Special B Malt (120 SRM)

1.1 lb (0.5 kg) Light Roasted Barley (300 SRM)

0.5 lb (227 g) Black Patent Malt (525 SRM)

0.5 lb (227 g) Chocolate Malt (350 SRM)

Hops and Adjuncts

0.9 oz (26 g) Nugget, 13% Alpha Acid whole hops, for 60 minutes

0.9 oz (26 g) Chinook, 13% Alpha Acid whole hops, for 30 minutes

0.9 oz (26 g) Chinook, 13% Alpha Acid whole hops, for 0 minutes (steep after flame out)

Hop Substitutions: If Nugget hops are unavailable, substitute with Columbus, Warrior, or Galena for 36 IBU.  If Chinook hops are unavailable, substitute with BC Goldings or Simcoe for 29 IBU and 7 IBU.

¾ tsp (3 gm) Irish moss, for 20 minutes

Yeast

3 packages of either Wyeast 1056 American Ale yeast or White Labs WLP001 California Ale yeast; or make an appropriate size yeast starter

Directions for All-Grain Recipe

Step mash method:

Acid rest at 104 °F (40 °C) for 10 minutes

Protein rest at 122 °F (50 °C) for 30 minutes

Saccharification rest at 140 °F (60 °C) for 10 minutes

Saccharification rest at 158 °F (70 °C) for 60 minutes

Single infusion mash technique: Mash grains at 154 °F (68 °C). Sparge with 173 °F (78 °C) water.  Collect enough runoff to end up with 5.3 gallons (20 L) after a 90-minute boil (approximately 6.84 gallons, or 26 L). Bring to a boil and boil for 30 minute before adding the Nugget hops. Boil for another 30 minutes and add the second hop addition.  Boil for an additional 15 minutes before adding the re-hydrated Irish moss.  Add the last hops after the heat is turned off. After the 90-minute boil, chill to 62-66 °F (17-19 °C), transfer to a fermenter, pitch the yeast and aerate well.  Ferment at 66 °F (19 °C) for seven days and then transfer to a secondary fermenter for three weeks.  Rack to keg, or add bottling sugar and bottle and allow to carbonate at 66-68 °F (19-20 °C) for two weeks minimum. 

Carbonation

Force carbonate at approximately 2 to 2.5 volumes of CO₂. 

—OR—

Bottle condition using 2.6 to 3.9 oz by weight (73 to 111 g) corn sugar

¹ The all-grain recipes assume 75% efficiency unless otherwise stated.  Adjust the grain bill to match your system.