Vanilla Porter

May 22, 2013

Up early to have a political breakfast with the movers and shakers of JUNEAU.  I had an interesting listen and discussion on the goings on of Southeast Alaska.  The sentiment is that the SE is the neglected step-child of these United States.  The Federal Government succumbs to pressures to keep ALL of Alaska pristine and free of development therefore development of new areas or links to the mainland are squashed.  After breakfast it was back to the house to create our Vanilla Porter.  That cooking process took about five hours from start to finish, then it ferments for a week or so and bottling around the third week.  Consumption takes about another month but this was built with cellaring potential in mind.

I got to help with some household and vehicle maintenance on a day as beautiful as the last two.  Lisa grilled cedar plank Black Cod and it was luscious, very reminiscent of Prime Rib fat that would just melt in your mouth.  I unwound the day with a 22 of Belgian Special, a pair of IPAs and Django Unchained.  I’ll drift off to sleep as the carboys bubble away with our Vanilla Porter. 

 The WORT cooking away with the hops.

 Finished wort with cooling tubes.

 Jerry racking the cooled wort with pitched yeast into the two fomenter carboys.

Carboys sitting in my bedroom for fermentation.