Sparrow Hawk Porter - 18

owner: Michael Erwin | started: 01/15/2009 | last updated: 07/11/2009
status: Finished

1/15/2009 - I've been brewing for one year, and I've discovered that you can't go wrong with a recipe from the Joy of Homebrewing, so here's another one, p. 201 in the revised edition. And, here's what I'm using:

3.3# amber syrup from Midwest
3.3# dark syrup from Midwest
1.5# light dme
18oz black patent malt (recipe calls for 1#, but I was just dumping extra stuff)
1.75oz Northern Brewer (60)
1oz Tettnanager (less than 5)
1tsp Irish moss (15)

OG: 1.062
Exp atten: 75%
Exp FG: 1.016

Okay, I screwed this one up a little bit. When I measured the OG, it was only in the 44 range. Huh? Oh, damn, forgot the DME!!! So, I poured it straight into fermenter and stirred it up. I mean, it should work, right?

Anyway, when I go to measure the OG again, there's so much foam at the top, I can't quite see the gauge. The foam didn't subside after 15 minutes, so I just took a guess at the OG.

I need some luck.

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February 19, 2009
Bottling
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FG:1.018, which isn't too far off the mark. When I racked to secondary, this had some pretty high esters, and not really desirable. Those have tapered off pretty much, so I'm not concerned. Pretty heavy as far as beers go. We'll see how it is after carbonation.
FG: 1.018
Atten: 71%
ABV: 5.8%

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April 30, 2009
Enjoying
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Just like Papazian indicated, this beer is bitter when straight out of the fridge, but transforms to a malty sweetness when served above 50-55F. Two beers in one, really. Comes out really green, so it needs at least a couple of months in the bottle before enjoying.

7/11/2009 - It's gone. Kathy's cousin Will thought it was really great.