from Big Brew 2011
In honor of Rocket Rod Romanak, who passed away February 4, 2011. Rocket Rod was a homebrewer in Kailua Kona, HI who was the Homebrewer of the Year in 2004 with this Robust Porter recipe. Rocket Rod owned and operated Rocket Suds Homebrewing Equipment & Supplies, and was an Air Force veteran. Rocket Rod attended over 25 AHA National Homebrewers Conferences in his lifetime, almost as many as Charlie Papazian. He will be missed at this year’s conference in San Diego, CA.
For a 5.3 gallon (20 L) yield for a 90 minute boil
O.G.: 1.068
F.G.: 1.015
IBU: 73
ABV%: 7.3% ABW%: 5.8%
Fermentables
10 lb (4.5 kg) Pale Malt (2-Row)
1.75 lb (0.8 kg) Special B Malt (120 SRM)
1.1 lb (0.5 kg) Light Roasted Barley (300 SRM)
0.5 lb (227 g) Black Patent Malt (525 SRM)
0.5 lb (227 g) Chocolate Malt (350 SRM)
Hops and Adjuncts
0.9 oz (26 g) Nugget, 13% Alpha Acid whole hops, for 60 minutes
0.9 oz (26 g) Chinook, 13% Alpha Acid whole hops, for 30 minutes
0.9 oz (26 g) Chinook, 13% Alpha Acid whole hops, for 0 minutes (steep after flame out)
Hop Substitutions: If Nugget hops are unavailable, substitute with Columbus, Warrior, or Galena for 36 IBU. If Chinook hops are unavailable, substitute with BC Goldings or Simcoe for 29 IBU and 7
IBU.
¾ tsp (3 gm) Irish moss, for 20 minutes
Yeast
3 packages of either Wyeast 1056 American Ale yeast or White Labs WLP001 California Ale yeast; or make an appropriate size yeast starter
Directions for All-Grain Recipe
Step mash method
Acid rest at 104 °F (40 °C) for 10 minutes
Protein rest at 122 °F (50 °C) for 30 minutes
Saccharification rest at 140 °F (60 °C) for 10 minutes
Saccharification rest at 158 °F (70 °C) for 60 minutes
Single infusion mash technique
Mash grains at 154 °F (68 °C). Sparge with 173 °F (78 °C) water. Collect enough runoff to end up with 5.3 gallons (20 L) after a 90-minute boil (approximately 6.84 gallons, or 26 L). Bring to a boil and boil for 30 minute before adding the Nugget hops. Boil for another 30 minutes and add the second hop addition. Boil for an additional 15 minutes before adding the re-hydrated Irish moss. Add the last hops after the heat is turned off. After the 90-minute boil, chill to 62-66 °F (17-19 °C), transfer to a fermenter, pitch the yeast and aerate well. Ferment at 66 °F (19 °C) for seven days and then transfer to a secondary fermenter for three weeks. Rack to keg, or add bottling sugar and bottle and allow to carbonate at 66-68 °F (19-20 °C) for two weeks minimum.
Carbonation
Force carbonate at approximately 2 to 2.5 volumes of CO2.
—or—
Bottle condition using 2.6 to 3.9 oz by weight (73 to 111 g) corn sugar
1 The all-grain recipes assume 75% efficiency unless otherwise stated. Adjust the grain bill to match your system.
