Baltic Porter w/ multi step mash and cold steeped grains

I needed to brew a Porter for an upcoming brew club meeting. After researching the differences between stouts and porters, I settled on the idea of brewing a Baltic Porter because the differences to the other styles of Porters (and Stouts) stood out the most to me.

The main difference between a Baltic and other types of Porter is the fermentation. A Baltic traditionally uses a bottom fermenting lager yeast instead of an ale yeast.

Baltics are known for having a rich malty sweetness in both aroma and flavor. Other things I was looking for was a very smooth roast that stopped short of anything aggressive.

One technique I have been eager to try is withholding dark grains from the mash and boil. Instead these grains are cold steeped for 24 hours and added at some other point. I have seen some adding them to the fermenter, but I went with adding them in at flameout. By doing the cold steeping and withholding it from the boil, you increase the aroma of the malts, and lessen any of the acrid or burnt characters of the darkly roasted malts.


To 1.5 pounds of black and chocolate malts I added 3 quarts of water or 2 quarts of water per pound of grains.



I added the water and grain into a large jar about 24 hours before I brewed.

Just before I added them, I used 2 different size strainers to lauter the dark malts.

At flameout the strained liquid (2 quarts) was added to the kettle.

New Baltic Porter

Baltic Porter

Type: All Grain	Date: 01/03/2014
Batch Size (fermenter): 13.50 gal	Brewer:
Boil Size: 18.08 gal	Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 90 min	Equipment: 26 gallon- All Grain
End of Boil Volume 15.08 gal	Brewhouse Efficiency: 80.00 %
Final Bottling Volume: 12.75 gal	Est Mash Efficiency 85.9 %
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage	Taste Rating(out of 50): 30.0
Taste Notes:
Ingredients
Ingredients Amt Name Type # %/IBU 10 lbs Pilsner (Franco-Belges) (1.7 SRM) Grain 1 34.5 % 6 lbs Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 2 20.7 % 6 lbs Vienna Malt  (3.0 SRM) Grain 3 20.7 % 3 lbs Brown Malt (Crisp) (65.0 SRM) Grain 4 10.3 % 2 lbs Rye, Flaked (Briess) (4.6 SRM) Grain 5 6.9 % 8.0 oz Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 6 1.7 % 2.00 oz Perle [7.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 7 19.9 IBUs 2.00 oz Willamette [4.75 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 8 6.3 IBUs 4.0 pkg SafLager West European Lager (DCL/Fermentis #S-23) [23.66 ml] Yeast 9 - 1 lbs Chocolate Malt (Castle) cold steep, add end of boil (430.0 SRM) Grain 10 3.4 % 8.0 oz Black Malt - cold steep, add end of boil (500.0 SRM) Grain 11 1.7 %
Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.063 SG	Measured Original Gravity: 1.062
Est Final Gravity: 1.012 SG	Measured Final Gravity: ?
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.6 %	Actual Alcohol by Vol: ?
Bitterness: 26.2 IBUs	Calories: ?
Est Color: 28.4 SRM
Mash Profile
Mash Name: Temperature Mash, 2 Step, Medium Body	Total Grain Weight: 29 lbs
Sparge Water: 12.79 gal	Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F	Tun Temperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE	Mash PH: 5.20
Mash Steps Name Description Step Temperature Step Time Protein Rest Add 10.09 gal of water at 128.2 F 122.0 F 20 min Beta Sacch' Add -0.00 gal of water at 149.0 F 149.0 F 30 min Alpha Sacch rest Add -0.00 gal of water and heat to 158.0 F over 10 min 158.0 F 30 min Mash Out Heat to 168.0 F over 10 min 168.0 F 10 min
Sparge Step: Batch sparge with 2 steps (Drain mash tun, , 12.79gal) of 168.0 F water
Update 2/6/14: It has been about 3 weeks since this was brewed. The color came in a little lighter than I was hoping for but still in the SRM range of a Baltic. Early tasting was promising. The aroma of the beer was fantastic. The next step with this beer is a  short aging in a freshly dumped 10 gallon rum barrel. On Feb 4th I filled up the barrel. I think the aging period will be very short on this one. I plan on taking a sample in the next day and make a decision on pulling it or leaving a little longer.