GERMAN PORTER
By Dr. Robert Heuss
From The Brewers’ Journal – September 1915
Originally published in Allegmeine Brauer – und Hopfenzeitung
To produce porter, we require a well modified, high kilned malt. Between 50 and 60o C., 25-30% of fine debittered caramel malt and 6 – 8 lbs. debittered color malt per cwt. Is added to the malt mash, at an initial temperature of 30o C., and this temperature is maintained for one hour. Then the mash is stirred and the temperature raised to 54o C. within one-half hour, and then to 65o C. within 45 minutes. After this one-third of the total mash is run into the lauter tub, the bottom of which has been previously covered with hot water. The rest is quickly raised to the boiling point and mashing is finished after one-half hour at 75o C. The original wort must be of 16 – 18% Balling at setting of taps.
The quantity of finest hops is to be 1 – 1½ lbs., to be boiled in the kettle for 3 – 3½ hours. The wort, after having been pumped over to the fermenting room, is pitched with 1 liter per cwt. of mash of weak top-fermenting yeast, the temperature of the wort to be at 12 – 18o C.
During the first three days the film cover must be frequently removed. After the fermentation the pure yeast is carefully removed and the beer is pumped over to the storage cellar. The degree of attenuation is between 36 and 40%.
After two or three days the casks are bunged and the pressure of the bunging apparatus set at 0.3 atm. Later on, the beer is racked and pasteurized in the bottle.
When good brewing materials are used and work has been done very carefully, a porter is obtained of a quality as excellent as that of the British product.
Crescent City Brew Talk 