Jason Statham in The TransPorter

The JSITT is basically a clone of Charlie Papazian's "Silver Dollar Porter" with a ridiculous name. Though in terms of base malt, where Papazian called for 8 lbs of pale malt, we used 5 lbs of Maris Otter and 3 lbs (plus 1.7 oz) of American 6-Row. A few things also went slightly awry along the way, but all in all, our first all-grain brewing session went splendidly.





The time I confronted Statham for his supporting role in London.






Jason Statham in The TransPorter (Brew Date: 4/11/2010)

5 lbs. Maris Otter
3 lbs 1.7 oz American 6-Row Pale
1 lb Munich 6-Row (10 L)
1/2 lb Chocolate Malt
1/2 lb Simpsons Dark Crystal Malt (80-90 L)
1/2 lb Simpsons Dark Patent Malt
1 tsp Gypsum

Brought 10 qts of strike water to 145-50; added to grains (next time, add water first, so I've heard) to bring mash temperature to 136. Forgot gypsum, so added all 1/2 tsp to mash after 5 minutes (Though should have added half now, and half with sparge water)

After 35 minutes, added 5 qts boiling water, stabilizing mash at 149 (Recipe called for just below 155). Hit nadir ("nadired") at 147, but rose up to 151 after stirring, then sunk back down to 149.

Added 4 qts of boiling water to finish starch conversion, bring the temperature up to 159. The thermometer went a bit crazy, but we kept it at this temp for 18 minutes.

Then, we sparged with 2 gallons (8 qts) of nearly boiling water, though "sparge" is a loose term for using the chinois in lieu of a failed false bottom. Anyway: let two quarts or so run off cloudy, for the grain bed to settle, and started running wort into boiling pot. Poured first runnings back into mash tun. The color was very dark, so it was pretty hard to identify cloudiness.

Took gravity pre-boil (how much difference would this make? If anything, less gravity before upwards towards 1 gallon lost in 60 min boil). OG: 1.065 Much higher than 1.052-56 listed in the book, but hopville brew calculator confirmed this OG.

Next, we brought the wort to a boil outside. We didn't take a measurement of total collected wort, which later resulted in less post-boil wort than desired.

Then added, at 60 minutes:

1 oz Northern Brewer (8.5% AA)
1/2 oz Mt Hood (5.55% AA)

At 50 minutes, added 1/4 tsp Irish Moss

At 58 minutes, added:

1/2 oz Mt Hood

Took off heat at 60 minutes and immediately cooled with wort chiller (next time, put wort chiller in at 10 minutes left in boil to ensure sanitation, or rub it down with Star San). Despite a little leakage, wort chiller worked great; down to 75 or so in about 12 minutes.

Siphoned cooled wort into carboy, splashing a but to encourage aeration. Pitched Wyeast American Ale (1056). Shook to aerate some more before attaching lock.

4/12/2010- Wort foaming, seems like a "clean foam". Regular burping.

4/15/2010- Racked to secondary. Gravity at 1.012. Sweet, but with burnt taste. Body is okay.

4/24/10- Bottled, adding 3/4 cup of dissolved corn sugar (adding on top and not mixing in, as opposed to adding to the bottom of bucket and siphoning wort on top). Burnt taste has mellowed a bit; body and mouthfeel seems to have improved.

4/30/10- Improved carbonation, while head retention seems better in some than others. Gravity up to 1.014. Maybe add flaked wheat or CaraFoam next time, or do a protein rest. Taste has mellowed more. Next time, use less black patent (4 oz or 6 oz, instead of 8 oz) and perhaps more chocolate or dark crystal. Otherwise, seems well-balanced. Less effervescence sort of a plus, as it goes well with the bigger-than-average body.


Final Specs (pulled from calculator at hopville.com):

6.5% ABV

42 SRM (black)

45.7 IBU

.71 BU:GU

Statham says: "A formidable porter with an agreeable burnt taste and a strong, sexy core!"