Chondrus Crispus Porter

Simply a punch in the face

This was supposed to be a straight forward fallow up of Flanko's Punch in the Face Porter. I got more than I bargained for. I got a learning experience.

THE GRAIN BILL

• 12 Pounds 2-row
• 9 Ounces special-b
• 12 Ounces black patent
• 8 Ounces peated malt
• 1 Pound wheat malt
• 1 Pound barley flakes

THE MASH PROFILE

Strike with 15.8 Litres @ 76° Celsius for 67° Celsius. Rest for 60 Minutes.

THE RESULTS

I went with 77° Celsius, and got 67° Celsius. Hmmm. So far, so good.

• 0.9 Ounces columbus boil (14 AAU)

Pitched Wyeast 1084

THE PUNCH IN THE FACE

You know that expression, "less is more" ?

Because I was a bit disorganized towards the end of the boil, I forgot to re-hydrate the Irish Moss. Being pressed for time, I decided to just eye ball the quantity, and dump it directly into the kettle, dry. I accidentally dumped half of the 50 gram bag. It fell right in. OOPS.

What's the worst that could happen, right? The beer would clear even more? Nope. When it was done, the only thing I could tell for certain about this beer was that it tasted like salt, and smelled like SEA WEED. Yum. It literally smelled like the beach. I'm not talking about some white sandy resort beach in the caribbean either. I'm talking about frigged water. Windswept barnacle encrusted rocks. Seagulls picking at smashed crabs. Dead sailors, and wreckage washing up on shore every other day.

It was the most vividly disgusting beer I have ever made. Thinking about it, maybe using Irish Moss on a porter was pointless to begin with.

OG: 1.060

TG: 1.014